Grading is permitted town by town, with no county role. Earthwork cannot redirect runoff onto a neighbor, and any grading near a wetland, bank, or the 200-foot Riverfront Area needs Conservation Commission review under state law.
Hampshire County has no government to issue grading permits, so earthwork is regulated by each town's building department and bylaws. Grading and driveway work above local thresholds needs a permit, and regraded lots may not concentrate stormwater onto adjoining property. Because much of the region drains toward the Connecticut and Mill Rivers, grading within 100 feet of a wetland or inside the 200-foot Riverfront Area triggers a Notice of Intent to the Conservation Commission under the Wetlands Protection Act (MGL c.131 §40). Retaining walls above a set height and structural fill need engineering and separate permits. Erosion controls are required during the work.
Unpermitted grading, diverting concentrated runoff onto a neighbor, or disturbing a wetland buffer without an Order of Conditions brings stop-work orders, corrective-action orders, Conservation Commission enforcement, and civil liability for resulting damage.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Hampshire County, MA
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Hampshire County, MA
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Hampshire County, MA
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Hampshire County, MA
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Hampshire County, MA
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Hampshire County, MA
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See how Hampshire County's grading & drainage rules stack up against other locations.
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