Troy, MI Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)

Troy's Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Ordinance, Chapter 86, is adopted under and incorporates by reference Part 91 of Michigan's Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (MCL 324.9101 to 324.9123a) and its rules, plus the City of Troy's own Engineering Design Standards for erosion control. The City of Troy Engineering Department is designated the municipal enforcing agency, and the City Engineer and any designees must complete Part 91 training and hold a valid MDEQ certificate before administering the ordinance.

A permit is required whenever an earth change activity will disturb more than one acre of land, or lies within 500 feet of the water's edge of a lake or stream no matter how much land is involved. Sec. 7 backs that up on the building side: the City cannot issue a building permit for a property that requires a soil erosion permit until that SESC permit has actually been issued, so erosion review has to clear before construction can start. SESC plans submitted with an application have to satisfy Rule 1703 information requirements and the City Engineer's design standards.

A handful of activities are carved out, logging, mining, and plowing or tilling for crop production do not need a permit, though the earth changes they generate still have to meet the same control standards, and access roads and ancillary activities tied to logging or mining are not covered by the exemption. Oil-and-gas work already regulated under Part 615 with an MDEQ-approved SESC plan is also exempt. For genuinely small jobs, the City Engineer can waive the permit if the landowner signs an affidavit stating the earth change will disturb less than 225 square feet and will not contribute sediment to a lake or stream. Even where no permit is required, a landowner still has to implement and maintain erosion controls if the earth change could cause erosion or sedimentation.