Benton County, AR Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- New address assignment (Sec. 38-1)
- Fee, one acre or less
- $50.00
- Fee, over one acre
- $100.00
- Set by
- Planning staff and planning board
- Waiver available for
- Public or quasi-public agencies
- Default penalty
- Up to $500.00 fine
Summary
Site work in unincorporated Benton County triggers a stormwater review: Sec. 38-1 has the planning office check every new address assignment for floodplain and stormwater applicability, and Sec. 54-5 sets the stormwater permit fee at $50.00 for one acre or less and $100.00 above that.
Sec. 38-1. Required floodplain and stormwater checks. After the receipt of an address assignment, as provided in chapter 58, article III, the planning office shall determine whether the site is located in a designated floodplain, and the applicability of stormwater regulations. Notifications to affected parties of the necessity to comply with county floodplain regulations, and that state and/or county stormwater regulations may be applicable, shall be made promptly after receipt of address assignment notification. Sec. 54-5. Planning project review fees. (a) The fees for planning project review required by the current planning regulations shall be determined by planning staff and the planning board in accordance with the following schedule. Stormwater permit (one acre or less) $50.00. Stormwater permit (greater than one acre) $100.00.
Full Breakdown
Sec. " The section requires the county to notify the affected property owner "promptly after receipt of address assignment notification" that "state and/or county stormwater regulations may be applicable," which routes many projects to the state's stormwater program in addition to any county requirement. Where a stormwater permit applies, Sec. " That fee schedule is set by "planning staff and the planning board," and Sec. " The same Sec. 00 depending on the size and type of construction, so a single development project touching a floodplain can carry more than one of these planning fees at once.
Because Chapter 30 (Environment) and Chapter 58 (Roads and Bridges) do not contain a separate stormwater design ordinance, county-level stormwater control for private development in Benton County is limited to this applicability check and fee schedule; substantive drainage design standards for platted subdivision roads appear separately in the road construction specifications at Sec. 58-62, which require roadside ditches sized "according to good engineering practices" to handle runoff.
Violations & Fines
Neither Sec. 38-1 nor Sec. 54-5 states its own penalty for skipping the stormwater applicability check or the permit fee, so a violation falls to the county's general penalty, Sec. 1-9: a fine up to $500.00 for the underlying Code violation, doubled for repeat offenses, and up to $250.00 per day if the unpermitted work continues. Public and quasi-public agencies can avoid the fee itself, not the check, by applying for a waiver under Sec. 54-5(b).
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Benton County check my property for stormwater rules?
How much is a Benton County stormwater permit?
Does the county set its own stormwater design standards?
What if I skip the stormwater permit for my project?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Benton County
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