When landscaping or excavating your yard, there are some protective measures homeowners should take to prevent soil runoff/erosion and water pollution.
Runoff is water flowing over land surfaces; as it wears away soil and rock, it causes erosion. What runs off can cause problems by choking vegetation, causing water pollution, and creating maintenance problems for the city's storm sewer system. Furthermore, the soil can move onto adjacent properties. Keeping soil on your property saves time, money and helps to keep the peace with the neighbors.
A property owner or contractor who removes substantial vegetation, which exposes soil for any reason including landscaping and excavating, or adds soil or fill to their property, must obey erosion control standards contained in the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency publication, Protecting Water Quality in Urban Areas, the City of Farmington's Comprehensive Plan and any other applicable water management plan for the city or other governmental units.
Failure to comply and maintain these protective methods could result in an order by the city to stop the work. If necessary, the city may hire a contractor to make corrections and bill the property owner for all costs associated with the corrective work.
Control Information