Novi, MI Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit trigger
- 1+ acre or within 500 ft of water
- Enforcing agency
- Dept. of Building and Safety
- Stabilization deadline
- 5 days after final grading
- Advance notice
- 24 hours before starting work
- Base fine
- Up to $2,500 civil infraction
- Escalated fine
- Up to $25,000 per day
Summary
Novi requires a soil erosion and sedimentation control (SESC) permit before any earth change that disturbs an acre or more, or that sits within 500 feet of a lake, stream, or wetland. City Code Section 29-41 puts the Department of Building and Safety in charge, and Section 29-48 makes a knowing violation a municipal civil infraction carrying up to a $2,500 fine.
(b)SESC Permit Requirements. Unless otherwise exempt by this article, Part 91, or the rules, a landowner or designated agent who contracts for, allows, or engages in, an earth change in this city shall obtain a SESC permit from the department of building and safety, which shall be kept current throughout all active earth change operations, before commencing an earth change which:(1)Disturbs one (1) or more acres of land; or(2)Is within five hundred (500) feet of any waters of the state and city wetlands. ... A person who knowingly violates Part 91, the rules promulgated under Part 91 or this article is responsible for a municipal civil infraction and may be ordered to pay a civil fine of not more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00) in addition to any further remedies authorized by law including injunctive, equitable and declaratory relief including abatement of the conditions or activities giving rise to any violation.
Full Breakdown
Novi's soil erosion and sedimentation control program, in Code Chapter 29, Article II, implements Part 91 of Michigan's Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act and is administered by the Department of Building and Safety as the city's municipal enforcing agency. Section 29-41 requires anyone who contracts for, allows, or engages in an earth change, defined broadly to include grading, excavation, and stripping of vegetative cover, to obtain an SESC permit before starting work whenever the activity disturbs one acre or more of land or falls within 500 feet of any lake, stream, or state or city wetland.
Section 29-24 spells out what the accompanying plan must contain: a location map extending 600 feet beyond the site, a topographic plan with 2-foot contours, a site development plan, a final grading and drainage plan, and a soil erosion and sediment control plan describing every temporary and permanent control measure and who will maintain it. Section 29-23(i) requires permanent stabilization of any disturbed slope, channel, or ditch within five calendar days of final grading, and Section 29-26(c) requires the permit holder to notify the department at least 24 hours before starting work.
A performance guarantee under Chapter 26.5 is required for every permit except single residential lots where the total cost of control measures is under $1,000, capped at 1.5 times the estimated cost of the work. Minor earth changes disturbing less than 225 square feet within 500 feet of a waterbody can get an administrative waiver on affidavit, and routine gardening, fence post holes, and small landscaping jobs on owner-occupied residential lots are exempt outright. Violations escalate from a $2,500 civil infraction under Section 29-48(c) to as much as $10,000 per day for a false statement in a permit application, and up to $25,000 per day for continuing a violation after a notice of determination, on top of liens the city can place on the property to recover cleanup costs.
Violations & Fines
Conducting an earth change without the required SESC permit, or violating its terms, is a municipal civil infraction under Section 29-48, carrying a civil fine of up to $2,500, rising to $10,000 per day for a false statement in the application and $2,500 to $25,000 per day for a violation that continues after a notice of determination. The city can also enter the land to correct the condition and lien the property for its costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does a construction project in Novi need an erosion control permit?
Who enforces Novi's soil erosion ordinance?
What is the penalty for violating Novi's erosion control ordinance?
Is a small residential project exempt from Novi's erosion permit requirement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Novi
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Erosion Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Oakland County handle erosion control.