Spokane Valley, WA Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Engineered grading trigger
- over 500 cubic yards
- TESC plan required
- SVMC § 24.50.030(C)(5)
- Standard source
- Spokane Regional Stormwater Manual Ch. 9
- Applicant duty
- confine all soil on the project site
- Unpermitted work fee
- investigation fee equal to permit fee
- Enforcement
- Chapter 17.100 SVMC civil penalties
Summary
Spokane Valley requires an engineered grading permit, and with it a temporary erosion and sediment control (TESC) plan, for land disturbance over 500 cubic yards or on steep cut and fill slopes under SVMC § 24.50.030. The applicant must keep all soil confined on site and maintain erosion controls throughout construction.
Temporary erosion and sediment control (TESC) plan. The TESC plan shall include all of the minimum elements specified in Chapter 22.150 SVMC, Spokane Regional Stormwater Manual Chapter 9, and plan elements required in Chapter 4 of the current adopted Street Standards, and SVMC § 22.130.040, as applicable. The TESC plan may also be prepared by a certified erosion and sediment control technician. All erosion prevention and sediment control measures shall be maintained, including replacement and repair as needed. These minimum guidelines are not intended to resolve all project soil erosion conditions. The applicant is responsible for confining all soil on the project site and implementing additional measures as necessary to accommodate changing or unexpected site and weather conditions.
Full Breakdown
010(B) includes controlling erosion and keeping sediment from leaving the project site through best management practices. 030(A) for grading exceeding 500 cubic yards, for cut or fill slopes steeper than 2:1 with heights over two and a half feet (or 10:1 slopes over four feet), for grading in the floodplain, in a drainage channel, in a critical area under Title 21, or to support a permanent structure. 150 SVMC and Chapter 9 of the Spokane Regional Stormwater Manual; a certified erosion and sediment control technician may prepare it.
The applicant stays responsible for confining all soil on the project site and adding extra measures as weather or site conditions change, and every erosion and sediment control measure must be maintained, repaired, and replaced as needed for the life of the project. 050 carry their own thresholds but reference the same stormwater manual standards. 010(K) to determine whether a construction stormwater permit applies.
Violations & Fines
Land disturbance performed without a required permit, or in violation of a TESC plan, is deemed hazardous and a public nuisance under SVMC § 24.50.010(J), subject to Chapter 17.100 SVMC's enforcement and civil penalty schedule. The City also charges an investigation fee equal to the permit fee that should have been paid, owed whether or not a permit is later issued, and paying it does not legitimize work already done.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Spokane Valley require an erosion and sediment control plan?
Who can prepare the TESC plan?
What happens if I grade my site without a permit in Spokane Valley?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Spokane Valley
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