Any cut or fill exceeding limits set in the Chattanooga Land Development regulations requires a grading permit. Drainage plans must show flow paths, easements, and protection of downstream Tennessee River tributaries.
Grading permits are required when earthwork exceeds 50 cubic yards, when fills exceed three feet in depth, or when work occurs within a regulated floodplain or steep slope overlay. Applications include a stamped grading plan, drainage calculations using the Chattanooga design storm, and an erosion control plan. Drainage must not increase peak runoff onto neighboring parcels and must respect existing drainage easements. Hamilton County standards apply for properties outside city limits but inside the urban growth boundary.
Stop-work orders, daily civil penalties, requirement to restore original grade at owner cost, and exposure to private nuisance claims from downhill neighbors damaged by altered drainage.
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See how Chattanooga's grading & drainage rules stack up against other locations.
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