My Stormwater Plans

Stormwater and Permitting

Stormwater is rain and snow melt from rooftops, streets, highways, and parking lots. As stormwater runs, it collects pollutants, such as fertilizers, pesticides, soil, trash, etc. Eventually this runoff flows into streams, lakes, wetlands, and The Puget Sound.

As part of our permitting process at DCD, your project will be reviewed for stormwater mitigation, or how the project will manage its stormwater runoff. This review process serves to protect sensitive environmental areas and provide community protection within Critical Drainage Areas, which have a high potential for drainage and water quality problems.

Projects are subject to specific stormwater requirements based on how many square feet of hard surface (impervious surface) they create, and how much land they disturb. These requirements come from the Washington Department of Ecology and are detailed in the 2021 Kitsap County Stormwater Design Manual.

Where Do I Start? - Worksheets and PREP Report

Stormwater Worksheet

The first step in determining your project's stormwater requirements is to fill out a Stormwater Worksheet.

Use the Residential Stormwater Worksheet if you have a residential project that requires a building permit, but not a Site Development Activity Permit. (single family residences, ADUs, garages etc.).

Use the Site Development Stormwater Worksheet if your project requires a Site Development Activity Permit, or if the project requires a commercial permit and a Stormwater Worksheet.

This Stormwater Worksheet asks a series of questions about your project which will guide you in identifying what will be needed for stormwater in your permit application. The Stormwater Worksheet will be a required submittal item for your permit.

Drainage Review

The Stormwater Worksheet directs you to the type of drainage review required for your project. Use the Stormwater Worksheet to Identify your drainage review and the required submittal documents.

PREP Report

Next, view the PREP Report for your parcel. If there are any critical areas on your property there may be additional professional reports required such as a geologic assessment or wetland delineation.

Submittal Checklists

The following documents may be required for submittal depending on the size and scope or your project. The Permit Application Portal will provide a detailed list of required submittal items specific to your project when you apply.

Abbreviated Drainage Review Site Plan Checklist
Abbreviated Drainage Review - Engineered Civil Plans Checklist
Construction Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) Narrative Checklist
Construction Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan Drawing Checklist
Drainage Report Checklist
Full Drainage Review Civil Plans Checklist
Simplified Drainage Review - Engineered Civil Plan Checklist
Site Sediment Transport Potential Worksheet

Building or Modifying a Driveway

Road Approach and Driveway Permits

A Road Approach is the section of a driveway that connects to a public road. You must apply for a Road Approach Permit to build a new driveway or make significant changes to an existing one. This permit is necessary because the connection between your driveway and the road involves the public right of way, and it ensures that the access point is safe and meets regulations. See the Road Approach Permit Brochure for more details.

An SDAP may be required to construct or modify the part of the driveway located on your property. Typically, this is reviewed and approved as part of the building permit. However, if you need access to your property to install utilities, a septic system, or a well before applying for a building permit, you can apply for a stand-alone Road Approach Permit.

Building a Road within an Easement

Road construction will be needed if access to a property is via a private access easement and a road does not exist. It is essential first to determine that the property has the right to use the access easement. This may be stated in the property description, or a title company can assist in this determination.

Depending on the square footage of new or replaced hard surfaces created by road construction, the square footage of land disturbed, and other factors, a Site Development Activity Permit may be required. Completing the Stormwater Worksheet will help identify the level of drainage review required, whether a civil engineer is required to design the road/stormwater facilities, and whether a Site Development Activity Permit is required.

Build a Road in County Right-of-Way

If access to a property is via a County Right-of-Way and a road does not exist, road construction will be needed. Construction of a road in the County Right-of-Way requires the following permits:

1. Site Development Activity Permit - The road and stormwater facilities are required to be designed by a civil engineer. This permit is managed by the Department of Community Development.
2. Permit to Use/Improve County Right-of-Way - This permit is applied through the Department of Public Works. For more information visit the link here.

Grading, Filling, or Clearing Your Property

Grading and Filling Your Property

Grading is the movement of dirt, both cut (removal of dirt from an area) and fill (placement of dirt in an area). Grading also refers to stump removal during logging operations. If you are doing any of these for your project, you must know the volume of dirt you will be moving. The following volumes require a Site Development Activity Permit:

Less than 150 cubic yards – Site Development Activity Permit Minor Grading**
150 – 499 cubic yards – Site Development Activity Permit Grading 1
500 – 4,999 cubic yards – Site Development Activity Permit Grading 2
5,000 cubic yards and greater – Site Development Activity Permit Grading 3

**SDAP Minor Grading is required when a building permit is not required and any of the following apply:

Grading of more than one cubic yard in critical areas
Clearing of more than one cubic yard in critical areas
More than 7,000 square feet of clearing proposed outside of critical area buffers
More than 2,000 square feet of impervious surface is proposed

Additional considerations may warrant applying for a Site Development Activity Permit, such as creating or developing on slopes, creating water impoundment, altering drainage (including drainage entering or exiting property), construction in a critical drainage area, or where drainage may contribute to existing drainage problems.

Clearing Trees On Your Property

A permit may be required depending on the specifics of your proposed tree-clearing project.
To learn if your tree removal project requires a permit, please visit the Timber Harvest/Tree Removal website page for tree removal permit application and issuance information.

If there are critical areas on the property, please refer to the Protect My Natural Environment page.

If the clearing limits of your proposed project exceed 5,000 board feet of timber, the property owner may be required to report the income tax to the Washington Department of Revenue. The load ticket provided by the logger will provide the revenue information. This information, when applicable, should be emailed to you with this income amount. DORDLFTPermits@DOR.WA.GOV.

How Do I Get My SDAP Issued?

Acceptance Letter

Once all of the review steps are approved the project lead will prepare and send out an acceptance letter.

The acceptance letter will outline any additional documents that are required prior to scheduling a Pre-Construction Meeting (Pre-Con). All SDAPs require a pre-construction meeting prior to issuance. No work shall take place on a project site prior to the pre-construction meeting.

Pre-Con Documents

Pre-Construction Documents are the documents required to be uploaded before requesting the Pre-Construction Meeting. Common Pre-Con documents may include but are not limited to the following: Certificate of Liability Insurance, Erosion Control Bond or Covenant, Copy of NPDES Permit Coverage or Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA).

Once the documents are submitted you may request your Pre-Con meeting by following the instructions in the SDAP Pre-Construction Meeting Brochure . After the Pre-Con meeting is held, the Pre-Con meeting packet must be uploaded to the permit (for virtual meetings) or given to the inspector (for in-person meetings). Once uploaded and processed, the permit will be issued.

**Information on permit expiration timelines can be found in KCC 12.10.055, KCC 12.16.110. Information on Permit Extension and Renewal can be found in KCSDM Vol II 1.5.6.

What is an NPDES, and When Does it Apply to my Project?

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

When a project exceeds 1 acre (43,560 square feet) of area that is disturbed during construction, a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Construction Permit from the State Department of Ecology is required. Sites that are smaller than one acre that are part of a larger common plan of development that will ultimately disturb one acre or more and discharge stormwater to surface waters must apply for an NPDES.

NPDES Permit coverage is also required for sites of any size that:

discharge to state waters that the Dept. of Ecology determines to be a significant contributor of pollutants and/or
the Dept. of Ecology reasonably expects to cause a violation of any water quality standard

More information about this permit can be found on the Department of Ecology Website.

The NPDES permit is required prior to issuance of your permit with DCD.

Covenants, Bonds, and Sureties

Common Covenants, Bonds and Sureties may include:

Erosion Control

Erosion Control Covenant - This covenant is required to be recorded prior to the pre-construction meeting for projects that have land-disturbing activity that is less than 1 acre.
Erosion Control Bond - This bond is required if the project disturbs more than 1 acre.

Stormwater Maintenance

Onsite Stormwater Maintenance Covenant - required for privately maintained storm drainage facilities.
Maintenance Bond - required for residential subdivision plats and other projects for which maintenance of the stormwater facilities and/or roads is ultimately to be taken over by the county.

Native Vegetation

Native Vegetation Retention Covenant - required when full dispersion is proposed and approved for stormwater mitigation. The purpose of the Native Vegetation Retention Covenant is to protect and delegate native vegetation area for dispersion of stormwater runoff in accordance with Chapter V of the Stormwater Management Manual for Western Washington.
Native Vegetation Retention Site Plan - required alongside the Native Vegetation Retention Covenant. This plan illustrates the ratio of impervious surface to native vegetation. It must be recorded with the covenant.

Commercial Liability Insurance

A Certificate of Liability Insurance is required for all SDAPs. The owner of any project must provide proof of insurance to Kitsap County prior to the pre-construction meeting. The liability insurance shall meet the requirements of KCC 12.12.050 and remain in force until final project approval is issued by the county.

What Do I Do Once My Permit Has Been Issued?

Permit Conditions

Once your permit has been issued, construction on the project can begin. You will need to be aware of any conditions that have been placed on the permit. These conditions may apply to building setback requirements, critical area restrictions, construction practices, stormwater mitigation and other important items which need to be accounted for as your project progresses. Certain conditions may require the submission of certifications by consultants or project professionals prior to final inspection.

Permit Inspections

Inspections are required to ensure compliance with the approved plans and to keep your permit from expiring. As your project progresses you will be responsible for scheduling these inspections. Your inspections will need to be approved before your project can be finaled.

For Grading Site Development Activity Permits (SDAPs) there must be at least one approved progress inspection every 6 months for the permit to remain active.

For other SDAPs there must be at least one approved progress inspection every 12 months to remain active.

For building permits there needs to be at least one approved inspection every 6 months to remain active.

Your project's conditions and inspections may be viewed in the Online Permit Center.

Permit Closeout Documents

To final your project, all fees shall be paid, and all conditions of approval shall be met.

Required permit close out documents specific to your project can be found in the permit conditions. Common close out documents may include receipts for compost materials, load tickets for harvested timber, as-builts, engineer's certifications, and recorded covenants.