Construction
Activities in this element work to minimize erosion, collect sediment from construction site runoff and reduce other pollutants such as litter and concrete wastes through good housekeeping procedures and proper waste management. City staff provides guidance to the development community and other City staff on the State National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NDPES) Permit for Construction Stormwater (CSW) discharges. City staff also permits, inspects, and enforces those sites that require a Grading Permit, those sites that are one acre or larger or a smaller site that is part of a larger, overall project. The goal of the grading permit is to limit erosion, sediment, and pollution during the construction process. These requirements are part of the City Code, Chapter 32 – Article IV.
Permits, forms, and other resources are available in the menu to the left or by visiting the Forms & Downloads page.
The Omaha Reginal Stormwater Design Manual (ORSDM) Chapter 9, provides details and information regarding sediment and erosion controls used for constructions sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is a Construction Site creating a problem or mess, who do I contact to resolve this problem?
The active Construction Sites within the Papillion Creek Watershed are required to have a sign posted at the entrance to their project with contact information. The City of Omaha will also investigate complaints. You can file a complaint online or call the Environmental Quality Control Office at 402-444-3908.
Construction sites are required to keep the entrances to their project maintained. If track out occurs they are required to clean the streets. Most sites scrape the streets clean at the end of the day or throughout the day in some conditions. Sweeping, however, is not required. The standard that all sites are held to is to scrape the streets at least once a day.
Dust is an occurrence that will happen on most sites. During heavy grading, the contractors are required to maintain their entrances and haul roads. A reasonable effort must be made to control the dust from leaving the construction site. Areas that have been inactive or will be inactive in excess of 14 days need to have soil stabilization measures initiated.
No and yes. If your site isn’t part of a larger common plan of development greater than one acre you do not need to obtain a grading permit. You do however need to manage your site as needed to minimize construction stormwater discharges and other forms of pollution from the site. This can include the use of silt fence, wattles, stabilized entrances, diversion berms, temporary stabilization, etc…
Yes. When you obtain a grading permit, the requirements do not change during the year. You may not have to worry about as many rain events as you would in the Spring, but snow-melt, track-out from muddy sites, good housekeeping practices, etc… are always needed.
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