Excavation and Earthmoving Permit Requirements in Charlotte County

• •All excavation and earthmoving activities are governed by Chapter 3-5, Article XXIII of the Charlotte County Code of Laws and Ordinances.
• •Excavation is defined as removing material below the seasonal high groundwater table.
• •Earthmoving is defined as any activity that repositions terrain, including digging lakes, stockpiling, or creating berms.
• •Tier 1 (Exempt Earthmoving): Small-scale activities like gardening, grave digging, or maintenance dredging require an 'Excavation Exemption Request' and approval before proceeding.
• •Tier 2 (Standard Earthmoving Permits): Required for site plan development, residential ponds, septic system repairs, and raising lot elevations up to one foot above natural grade.
• •Tier 3 (Specific Earthmoving Permits): Required for major projects including lake reconfiguration, new canals, raising lot elevations more than one foot, and commercial excavation operations.
• •Certain activities like installing irrigation pipes, driveways, or seawalls do not require a separate earthmoving permit if they are covered under other applicable county regulations.
• •The Excavations Section of the Public Works Department's Engineering Division oversees these regulations.
• •Contact for inquiries is the Excavation Coordinator at 941.575.3615.

Property owners must secure approval from the Community Development Department before altering terrain, digging ponds, or removing soil to ensure compliance with county ordinances and avoid potential code violations.

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.