Mobile, AL Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Revegetation deadline
- 10 days after clearing completes
- Cover crop survival
- 75% minimum, repeat if failed
- Enforcing agency
- City Engineer / Permitting Dept
- First violation fine
- $60 misdemeanor
Summary
Mobile requires land-disturbing sites to revegetate cleared ground within 10 days of substantial completion, using cover crop and mulch under an erosion-control plan enforced by the city engineer and permitting department.
Any land surface from which the natural vegetative cover has been either partially or wholly cleared or removed by development activities shall be revegetated within ten (10) days from the substantial completion of clearing and construction... All reseeding must use an annual or perennial cover crop accompanied by placement of straw mulch or its equivalent of sufficient coverage to control erosion until such time as the cover crop is established over ninety (90) percent of the seeded area.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 67).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 17's stormwater and land disturbance provisions require any tier 1 or tier 2 permit holder in Mobile, Alabama (Mobile County) to stabilize cleared soil within ten days of substantial completion of clearing or construction. Reseeding must use an annual or perennial cover crop with straw mulch or equivalent coverage until the crop covers 90 percent of the seeded area, and revegetation must show at least 75 percent survival through the following year or be repeated. Structural sediment controls, silt barriers, and BMPs are required during construction, reviewed by the city engineer, with a professional engineer's as-built certification required before final sign-off.
Violations & Fines
Violating any provision of Chapter 17 is a misdemeanor: $60 for a first offense, $150 for a second within 30 days, and judge-set penalties for repeat violations; the city can also revoke the land disturbance permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How soon must a construction site in Mobile revegetate cleared land?
What happens if a builder skips erosion control in Mobile?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mobile
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