Any project in Tallahassee that involves site grading, drainage alteration, stormwater management, or significant land disturbance must obtain an Environmental Management Permit (EMP) under the Land Development Code before work begins.
Tallahassee Land Development Code (LDC) Chapter 5 (Environmental Management), Section 5-56 requires an Environmental Management Permit for projects involving protected trees, stormwater management, site grading, erosion controls, and landscaping. Five EMP categories exist: Standard Form (pond construction/modification), Minor Permit (reserved stormwater capacity), Land Disturbance Only (no stormwater change), Amendment, and General Permit (government/utilities). Stormwater design must follow the Florida Development Manual. Applications are reviewed by the Growth Management Department, with turnaround of 7–20 work days. Section 5-56(c) governs submittal requirements; Section 5-86(b)(1) addresses stormwater design standards. Leon County maintains a parallel local stormwater operating permit system for unincorporated areas.
Work without a required EMP is a code violation subject to stop-work orders, restoration requirements, and civil fines enforced by the Growth Management Department. Unpermitted grading can trigger mandatory site restoration at the owner's expense.
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