The Santa Cruz County Planning Department says my project requires a grading permit. What does this entail?

Grading permits in Santa Cruz County are administered by the Environmental Planning Section of the Santa Cruz County Planning Department.  The Environmental Planning section administers and enforces various environmental protection ordinances including Geologic Hazards, Grading and Erosion Control, Mining, Sensitive Habitats, Archaeologic, Significant Trees and Riparian Corridors.

The first step to any grading project is to identify any features of the site that my limit the development potential of the site.  At the developer's request, the Santa Cruz County Planning Department will conduct a Pre-Development Site Review (PDSR).  The PDSR will tell you if a technical report, such as a soils or geologic report, is needed for your project. The PDSR will inform you of any minimum setbacks from protected areas. It will also let you know whether any technical or environmental assessments or permits are needed, such as a biotic assessment, grading permit or an exception to the riparian corridor setback.

Grading projects at minimum will typically require a soils report, or geotechnical investigation, to establish the geotechnical parameters associated with the grading project.  In order to completely understand the terrain features of the site, the project will also typically require a topographic survey of the site.  When consulted at the project's inception, CFS Engineering can lead the project through the planning, design, and permitting phases and provide a complete sensible and constructible end product design solution.

For more information related to grading projects in Santa Cruz County, go here:

http://www.sccoplanning.com/html/env/index_env.htm