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1. Why do I need a Water Management District’s stamp and/or approval for engineering submittals to the Town?

There are five water management and / or control districts having jurisdiction within different areas of the Town. These include:

• South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD)
• Central Broward Water Control District (CBWCD)
• South Broward Drainage District (SBDD)
• Tyndall Hammock Drainage District
• Broward County

The majority of projects within the Town fall in areas where CBWCD has jurisdiction. Whichever drainage authority has jurisdiction, it is their responsibility to ensure that surface drainage from storm events, as well as surface waters within the Town, are maintained in a manner that minimizes flooding and provides an adequate degree of pre-treatment for stormwater runoff before discharging to waters of the State. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the permit applicant to ensure that submittals are consistent with drainage standards, specifications and policies of the drainage authority having jurisdiction within the proposed project area. In support of this policy, Town procedures require projects that may impact area drainage to have an approval stamp or be accompanied by an approval letter from the appropriate drainage authority.

2. As a homeowner, why do I have to get a Site Development Permit if I want to put fill on my own property?

Placement and/or excavation of fill, increasing or decreasing the amount of pervious area, and changing topographic elevations on a parcel of land may change the drainage characteristics and flow patterns for stormwater runoff within or from the parcel. Stormwater management policies dictate that calculated stormwater runoff volumes from a 25-year storm event (storm event that has a statistical probability of occurring once every 25 years) must be retained on the property where the project is located.

The Town's Engineering Division, as well as the appropriate drainage authority, have a duty is ensure that proposed projects are in compliance with standard design criteria and the stormwater retention policy. The Town's Engineering permit application process is utilized to track, review and (if necessary) modify project plans where drainage impacts to adjacent parcels, waters of the State, and/or the Town's Right-of-Way (ROW) may be realized.

3. As a homeowner, what must I submit to receive a Site Development Permit to put fill on my own property?

This is not always an easy or straightforward question to answer and there are several scenarios which may require different approaches and submittals. The two most common include:

Scenario A: Homeowners with one or more acres of property that either are not part of any developed subdivision or may be located in a typically older subdivision where the development did not include an integrated drainage plan.

• First: Provide a professionally signed and sealed boundary and elevation survey of the site. The survey(s) should be recent (within 1 year of application).
• Second: Provide a Site Plan showing where the fill will be placed and the final elevation(s) of the filled area. Plans should indicate how much fill (cubic yards or tons) will be necessary. Site plan should include detailed cross sections at the property boundaries showing how surface runoff will be retained on the property. Plans should be stamped and/or approved by the appropriate drainage authority(s).

Scenario B: Homeowners with larger parcels (typically one half acre or more) that are in subdivisions with integrated and approved drainage plans.

• First: Provide a professionally signed and sealed boundary and elevation survey of the site. The survey(s) should be recent (within 1 year of application).
• Second: Provide a copy of the subdivision drainage plan and identify the property noted in the permit application.
• Third: Provide a Site Plan showing where the fill will be placed and the final elevation(s) of the filled area. Plans should indicate how much fill (cubic yards or tons) will be necessary. Plan must also show how revised drainage (after fill) is integrated into the overall subdivision drainage plan. Plans should be stamped and/or approved by the appropriate drainage authority(s).

4. When is a Clearing and Grubbing Permit required?

For detailed instructions, view the Clearing & Grubbing Permit Information (PDF).