Rapides Parish, LA Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit trigger
- 1+ acre disturbed, or any residential lot under 1 acre
- Permitting body
- Rapides Area Planning Commission
- Grading permit fee
- $50.00 up to 1 acre, $25.00 per additional acre
- Permit validity
- One year from date of issue
- First offense fine
- $250.00 per day per offense
- Core duty
- Keep erosion/sediment off adjoining land, ROW, stream
Summary
Anyone clearing, grading or excavating an acre or more in unincorporated Rapides Parish, or building on a smaller residential lot, needs a grading or building permit from the Rapides Area Planning Commission under Secs. 24-12 and 24-15. Sec. 24-20 requires erosion and sediment controls that keep runoff from crossing onto neighboring land, a right-of-way or a stream.
Construction activity, including clearing, grading, and excavation activities, that result in the disturbance of one (1) or more acres of total land area shall comply with the requirements of this chapter. This also applies to building construction (including residential) on lots less than one (1) acre. ... Unless otherwise stated, no person(s) shall perform any clearing, excavation, or earthwork within Rapides Parish without first having obtained a grading permit or building permit from the Rapides Area Planning Commission. ... Developers and/or property owners shall use appropriate erosion and sedimentation control measures to ensure that erosion, or adverse conditions caused by erosion or sedimentation, is eliminated or held to an acceptable minimum and does not cross to an adjourning property, right-of-way, or stream.
Full Breakdown
Rapides Parish's erosion-control program lives in Chapter 24's grading-permit article. Sec. 24-13 states its purpose as safeguarding "life, limb, health, property and public welfare" and avoiding pollution of watercourses with nutrients, sediment or other earthen material generated by surface runoff on a permitted site. Sec. " Sec. 24-15 requires anyone doing that work to first get a grading permit or a building permit from the Rapides Area Planning Commission, and Sec. 24-11 spells out the best-management-practice duties that go with a construction-site permit: preserving existing vegetation, stabilizing disturbed soil, minimizing off-site sediment tracking, keeping building materials like cement and mortar out of the MS4, and inspecting control measures with corrections made within one calendar day of an inspection.
Sec. 24-16 makes clear that any exemption from the grading-permit requirement never excuses the underlying duty to install and maintain erosion and sediment controls. Sec. 00 per additional acre under Sec. 24-19, runs for one year under Sec. 24-18, and the parish can withhold occupancy approval until final stabilization is certified under Sec. 24-11.
Violations & Fines
Failing to control erosion or sedimentation under Sec. 24-20, or ignoring the ongoing duty in Sec. 24-16, is punished on Chapter 24's escalating schedule in Sec. 24-25: $250 per day per offense for a first violation, $500 per day for a second, and a fine and/or up to 10 days in jail for a third offense and beyond. The parish can also issue a cease-and-desist order under Sec. 24-23 and revoke the site's building permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does my construction project need an erosion-control/grading permit in unincorporated Rapides Parish?
What is the core erosion-control duty for developers?
How long does a grading permit last, and what does it cost?
What happens if my construction site erodes onto a neighbor's property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rapides Parish
Compare Rapides Parish to another location·View the Louisiana environmental rules overview
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