When do I need a permit?
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Disturb 5,000+ square feet
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Fill and/or excavate 50+ cubic yards
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Add or reconstruct hard surfaces - if property total will be 10,000+ square feet of hard surfaces INCLUDING GRAVEL (house, driveway, garage/outbuildings, pool/sport areas, etc)
Our permitting standards include requirements for stormwater management, erosion and sediment control, buffers for water resources, shoreline alterations, water crossings, and flood control.
If a construction project meets all applicable rules and pays any required application fees, the permit is reviewed by staff for final approval. Only variance requests are required to go to the BCWD Board for approval. Our staff also conducts routine inspections of construction sites to ensure standards are met through project completion.
Staff are available for a free pre-application meeting (typically virtually) to discuss your proposed project early in your process to help you determine what rules are triggered, what submittals will be required, and the amount of the permit fee. Contact karen.kill@mnwcd.org to set up a pre-application meeting.
Application Deadlines
Only variance requests are required to go the BCWD Board for approval. Staff will review all other requests for single family home project requests.
Regular Board meetings are generally the 2nd Wednesdays of the month at 6:30 PM.
A complete permit application which includes all required exhibits shall be received by the District at least 28 full days prior to the scheduled meeting date of the Board of Managers. Late submittals or submittals with incomplete exhibits will be scheduled to a subsequent meeting date.  Submitting materials by the below deadlines does not guarantee your application will be presented at the next Board meeting.  The Board encourages applicants to attend the meeting when the Board is considering their permit application.
*Permit applications and support materials must be submitted electronically to karen.kill@mnwcd.org.*
Application Submittal Deadline (4:00pm)*Â /Â Board Meeting Date
January 17, 2024Â /Â February 14, 2024
February 20, 2024Â /Â March 19, 2024
March 13, 2024Â /Â April 10, 2024
April 10, 2024Â /Â May 8, 2024
May 15, 2024Â /Â June 12, 2024
June 12, 2024Â /Â July 10, 2024
July 17, 2024Â /Â August 14, 2024
August 14, 2024Â /Â September 11, 2024
September 11, 2024Â /Â October 9, 2024
October 16, 2024Â /Â November 13, 2024
November 13, 2024Â /Â December 11, 2024
*All necessary materials must be included.
BCWD staff will review submittal for completeness within 15 business days.Â
BCWD Guidance
The most common permit for homeowners is for erosion control while building homes or outbuildings. You may use your site survey as your base map and include the elements from the MN Pollution Control Agency's Stormwater Manual: 10 Steps to Stormwater Pollution Prevention on Small Residential Construction Sites.