Stormwater Residential Permitting

Residential Permitting

For general residential permitting information, visit How to get a Residential Permit.

What does Stormwater Management Review?

Stormwater Management reviews residential permit applications for the following compliance issues:

• Impervious Surface compliance
• Riparian Buffers: The NC Department of Environmental Quality enforces a 50-foot riparian buffer on some streams within City limits. See NCDEQ's Riparian Buffer website for more information.
• Floodplain (FEMA and Flood Prone Soils)
• Overlay Districts (Falls Lake, Swift Creek, and Metro Park)
• Residential Drainage Easements

The City has a map that can aid in determining if the above issues may apply to your property. View the public facing iMaps.

To add layers to check for compliance issues:

1. Enter your address under the “Property Search”
2. On the far right pictorial menu, click on the “Layers” option
3. Add the following layers from the checklist 
   1. Raleigh Stormwater – this will show any stormwater related infrastructure that could result in a drainage easement on the property.
   2. Under “Planning and Development” add:
      1. Raleigh Overlay Districts – This is show all City Overlay Districts that would apply to the property. Stormwater specifically look at the Falls Lake, Swift Creek, and Metro Park Overlay Districts.
      2. Zoning, Raleigh Zoning – can help determine maximum impervious surface limits for Grandfathered Lots.
   3. Under “Environmental” add:
      1. USGS Blueline Streams – this can help determine if a riparian buffer may be present on the property.
      2. Flood Prone Soils – can help determine if floodplain regulations apply
      3. Flood Hazard Areas – can help determine if floodplain regulations apply

What are specific submittal requirements related to stormwater?

In addition to typical residential permit application requirements, stormwater requires the following information be shown on the survey or proposed plot plan:

• Existing site conditions and proposed changes or additions to the property
• Existing and proposed impervious surface calculations show as line items (ie house, driveway, shed, deck, patio, etc)
• Information pertaining to streams, floodplain, and easements should be shown on the survey or plot plan if known on the property.