Conway, AR Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Grading Permit threshold
- Required for sites over 1 acre
- SWPPP required
- All sites 1 acre or larger (ADEQ)
- NOI required
- Sites larger than 5 acres
- Application review time
- 30 days for Grading/Floodplain permits
- Penalty
- $100-$500 fine per day, misdemeanor
- Enacted by
- Ord. No. O-20-78, 12-8-2020
Summary
In the City of Conway, Arkansas, any clearing, grading, excavation or land-altering activity that disturbs bare soil, changes slope contours or reroutes drainage must have a city-issued permit before work starts. A Grading Permit covers any site over one acre; subdivisions and residential builds use separate permit tracks instead.
A.Applicability. Any clearing, grading, excavation, development, or other land altering activity that may result in any of the following impacts shall have been issued one (1) of the city-issued permits described in subsection (d) of this section prior to the start of the activity.1.Disturbance of the ground surface layer exposing bare soil to the effects of erosion and allowing transport of sediments off-site to enter the storm drain system;2.Changing the contouring and/or any other slope characteristics of the land;3.Stopping, constricting, or rerouting the natural flow of water to, through or from any parcel of property. ... D.City-Issued Permits. The specific city-issued permit applicable to the type of land altering activity and/or project site location are as follows.1.Grading Permit—Required for any site over one (1) acre in size where land altering activities occur unless one of the other city-issued permits below applies.
Full Breakdown
Conway Municipal Code Chapter 10.50 requires a city-issued permit before any clearing, grading, excavation, development or other land-altering activity that disturbs bare soil, changes land contours, or stops or reroutes natural drainage. Section 10.50.03 lists four permit tracks: a Grading Permit for any site over one acre, a Site Development Permit for subdivisions needing preliminary plat approval or projects subject to Development Review, a Residential Building Permit for single- or two-family construction, and a Floodplain Development Permit for sites in designated flood areas. Sites of one acre or larger must also carry an Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), with a Notice of Coverage required between one and five acres and a Notice of Intent required above five acres.
The property owner and any contractor share responsibility for obtaining the correct permit and maintaining erosion and sediment controls throughout construction. The city engineer or designee must act on a complete Grading Permit or Floodplain Development Permit application within thirty days, approving, conditionally approving or denying it in writing. The chapter was enacted by Ord. No. O-20-78 on December 8, 2020.
Violations & Fines
Enforcement runs through the code enforcement officer, the building official and the city engineer under the mayor's administrative policies. The building official may refuse final inspection approval on any property still in violation of Chapter 10.50. Violators are guilty of a misdemeanor and face a fine of not less than $100.00 nor more than $500.00 per offense, with each day of continued violation counted as a separate offense; violators also bear the cost of any required site restoration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to grade my land in Conway?
What triggers an ADEQ stormwater permit in Conway?
What happens if I skip the required city permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Conway
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