Pawtucket, RI Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- 1+ acre of land disturbance triggers plan
- Plan reviewer
- Dept. of Planning and Redevelopment
- Circulation deadline
- 10 working days to route plan
- Comment deadline
- 15 working days silence = no objection
- Penalty
- $100/day fine for unrepaired violation
- Adopted
- 12-22-2005 by Ch. No. 2792
Summary
Pawtucket requires an erosion and sediment control plan before any land-disturbing activity of an acre or more (or part of a larger common development), approved by the Department of Planning and Redevelopment under Zoning Code Article XA, adopted in 2005 to keep silt out of the Blackstone River and City storm drains.
This article shall apply to any situation involving any disturbance to the terrain, topsoil or vegetative ground cover upon any property within the City of Pawtucket that requires approval in accordance with § 410-15.2, including all projects sites with greater than or equal to one acre of disturbance or projects which are a part of a larger common plan of development or sale that propose more than one acre of disturbance.
Full Breakdown
Pawtucket added its soil-erosion rules as Article XA of the Zoning Ordinance on December 22, 2005 by Ch. No. 2792, after the City Council found that erosion from nonagricultural development was clogging storm drains, washing out roads and depositing silt in streams and reservoirs. 2. 4: grading, filling or excavation the City itself performs on streets, roads or public rights-of-way under the Public Works Director's supervision, provided erosion and sediment controls are still built into the engineering plans. 5 requires the owner or an authorized agent to file a signed erosion and sediment control plan with the Department of Planning and Redevelopment before work starts.
The Director circulates that plan within 10 working days to the Public Works Department, Planning Board, Zoning and Code Enforcement Department, Division of Engineering and, where useful, the local conservation district; reviewers who don't respond within 15 working days are treated as having no objection. The Director then approves or disapproves the plan in writing, with reasons, within 10 working days of getting those comments back, and can attach conditions such as required walls, drains, plantings or specific construction sequencing. 21 to cover the cost of administering the program.
Violations & Fines
Under § 410-92.22, if a stormwater or erosion facility becomes a safety hazard or falls out of its maintenance agreement, the City sends written notice by certified mail; the responsible party gets five calendar days to correct the danger temporarily and 30 calendar days to finish permanent repairs. Skipping that lets the City summon the owner to Municipal Court, which can fine $100 per day the violation goes unrepaired and record a lien against the property for remedial costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Pawtucket require an erosion and sediment control plan?
Who reviews an erosion control plan in Pawtucket?
What happens if erosion controls aren't maintained?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pawtucket
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Erosion Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle erosion control.