The Saluda Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a new zoning ordinance related to erosion and sediment control after brief discussion during a public hearing held Monday, Sept. 12.
Property owners wishing to disturb more than one acre of land, under state restrictions, must submit for an application. In cases of someone wishing to dig on less than one acre, the individual must apply for a zoning compliance certificate.
“What the ordinance says is that you have to state in your application that you are going to go by the state guidelines,” said Saluda commissioner George Sweet. “The state guidelines are really relatively simple and what they say is if you are going to grade and there is any creation of erosion and mud, you have to keep it on your property… so it’s not causing damage for someone else.”
Development requiring removal of more than 500 cubic yards of earth material will mandate the need for an application to the city. That application must include a grading plan, according to the ordinance.
The city has not yet discussed possible permit fees for excavation nor has it created a permit application. City administrator Erny Williams said those pieces couldn’t be completed until the city actually had an ordinance in place.
Meanwhile, officials said this ordinance is simply a stop-gap until the planning and zoning board can draft a more specific plan for erosion and sediment control within Saluda.
“The planning department is working on a more comprehensive plan… I do anticipate some restrictions on slope, how close you can get to the property line with your cut, etc.,” Sweet said. “I don’t expect you to see something that says you can’t dig a hole bigger than X.”
Sweet said he does expect the planning and zoning board to tighten restrictions in regards to what kind of hazards digging a hole or removing dirt might cause for others.