Storm water change impacts land disturbance permits

Storm Water change impacts land disturbance permits

(May 2, 2023) — A change to the Sikeston’s Storm Water Management Program that was approved by City Council on Monday will impact permits related to land disturbance.

A recent audit of the city’s Storm Water Management Program by the Department of Natural Resources found deficiencies, with one concerning permits related to land disturbance.

Currently the city requires a permit be obtained when disturbing one acre or more of land. However, in addition to requiring a Land Disturbance permit for one acre or more, DNR also requires a permit for projects that would disturb less than an acre, if the project is part of a larger common plan or development or sale.

Darren Martin, Sikeston’s storm water management director, said that an example would be a subdivision that is being put in.

“As it was, the lots they sold from that subdivision that were less than one acre, didn’t have to have this permit,” Martin said. “With this ordinance, they will have to receive a permit from us and the state.”

The additional permit from the state will cost nothing and can be obtained fairly quickly.

“We had several things we needed to get fixed, but (DNR) was very adamant about this,” Martin said of the change.