Building Permits for Projects on Residential Lots

In addition to the construction of a new single-family home, many other projects such as remodeling, repairs, alterations, decks, and porches also require a residential building permit.

You may have a limit on the amount of impervious surface that is allowed on your lot — this is dependent on the development plan for your subdivision. You may check your recorded plat for any impervious surface limit at the Wake County Register of Deeds or Chatham County Register of Deeds websites. Try searching for the name of your subdivision. If you need assistance, contact 311 and request your lot's impervious surface limit.

For the construction of new single-family homes, you must submit an Impervious Surface Certification. This will be submitted after the completion of construction.

Erosion Control for Projects on Residential Lots

A land-disturbing/grading permit is required when development activities on a single residential lot or on multiple residential lots owned by the same person within the same subdivision exceed one acre of disturbed land.

Although there is no requirement to obtain a land-disturbing permit for residential projects with less than one acre of land disturbance, the installation of erosion control measures is still required regardless of the amount of disturbed area.

Examples of typical erosion control minimum required measures include:

Silt fencing: installed at the project limits along low areas and/or along the back of the curb to prevent sediment from leaving the property or entering the street. Standard Detail #4000.01 provides helpful guidance on design specifications for a silt fence.

 

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Wattles: can be used within ditches and yard swales to help retain and filter sediment from water runoff. They are also sometimes used to help protect storm drains and inlets from sediment. Wattles are commercially manufactured and sold. Standard Detail #4000.06 provides helpful guidance on design specifications for wattles. 

 

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Straw or hay bales: often used in place of wattles at low points or within drainage ditches to retain and filter sediment from water runoff.

 

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Construction entrance: for more substantial residential projects that might require larger construction or earth-moving equipment, a construction entrance measuring a minimum 12 feet in width by 20 feet in length and composed of two- to three-inch sized stone, #57 stone, or at least six inches of surge stone may also be needed to limit construction equipment tracking sediment onto the street. View the Standard Detail #4000.08 for Residential Construction Entrances. Note that construction entrances for larger development projects should refer to Standard Detail #4000.07.

 

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Seeding and stabilization: once a project is completed or if no work has occurred for more than 15 days, all disturbed areas must be seeded and stabilized according to the above seeding schedule.

Floodplain Development Permits for Projects on Residential Lots

Sometimes residential projects may also include work within floodplain areas. Even if a building permit is not required for the project, any work located within the floodplain requires a floodplain development permit to ensure that it will not result in an increase to the flood level or adversely impact adjacent properties. In addition to recorded plat maps, Cary’s Property Research Map  can be used to research whether there might be a floodplain located on a property. 

• Floodplain Development Permit Form & Checklist (Residential)

Projects within Stream Buffers on Residential Lots

For proposed residential projects located on a property with stream buffers, Cary's Environmental Specialist or the NC Division of Water Resources (NC DWR) should be consulted prior to beginning work to determine whether any proposed impacts to the buffer will need additional permitting. In addition to recorded plat maps, Cary’s Property Research Map can be used to research whether there might be stream buffers located on a property.