Grading and drainage in Allegheny County regulated under municipal codes, PA Chapter 102 E&S, and county stormwater ordinances. Steep slopes over 25% trigger enhanced review in many Pittsburgh hillside neighborhoods.
Pittsburgh Code Title IX Chapter 337 regulates grading with permits required for any earth movement exceeding 500 cubic yards or altering drainage patterns. Hillside districts (HDR) have additional restrictions on slopes above 25%. Suburban municipalities like Mt Lebanon, Upper St Clair, and Fox Chapel require grading permits for any work affecting adjacent properties. Drainage must not concentrate flow onto neighbors (common-enemy rule modified by PA case law). Failing retaining walls on hillside properties are a major code enforcement issue in Pittsburgh. PA Geological Survey mapping identifies landslide-prone zones across the region.
Unpermitted grading: 250 to 2,500 dollars. Drainage redirection harming neighbors: civil liability plus code violations. Unsafe walls: emergency abatement at owner cost.
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See how Allegheny County's grading & drainage rules stack up against other locations.
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