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Development Projects in Ogden
Developing Property in Ogden
It could be anything from making a small lot subdivision from your existing property to something bigger, like developing a larger parcel into a hotel, an apartment building or a larger housing development.
Whatever the case may be, it's always best to familiarize yourself with laws, ordinances and requirements governing not only the property you want to develop, but the type of development you are wanting to build. The best first step in this process is to present your idea to the Concept Review Team.
Concept Review Team (CRT)
Ogden City's Concept Review Team (CRT) is comprised with representatives from Planning, Building Services, Engineering, Water, Sewer and Ogden Fire Department. Combined, this group is able to meet with the Developer and give an initial review to proposed projects.
Please visit the Concept Review Team Webpage for more information.
Project Reviews
- After the initial CRT review of the project, the developer submits site/civil plans to Ogden City Planning.
- The plans are then reviewed by all necessary departments.
- The Developer / Contractor is given a list of corrections needed and/or additional documentation required.
- The "Correction Report / Resubmit Required" cycle may happen multiple times.
- Once all of the specified corrections are satisfied, the developer procures the necessary permits for the project.
- The permitting process will include Financial Guarantees, Building Permits and Engineering Permits.
Predevelopment Reviews (Subdivisions, Lot Combinations, Boundary Line Adjustments, etc)
"Predevelopment" is preparing a property, or group of properties for a development project. The most common Predevelopment projects are Subdivisions, Lot Combinations and Boundary Line Adjustments.
Lot Combinations are the combining of two or more parcels to make a larger parcel for development, while Boundary Line Adjustments can move the boundary between two parcels, whether for reasons of development or to adjust the official land records to match existing conditions on the ground.
Subdivisions divide a property into smaller parcels for individual ownership.
For Subdivisions, a mylar plat of the project is required, where owners, lienholders, utility companies and Ogden City officials have approved and signed off on the project. The mylar must be recorded at Weber County BEFORE any permits can be issued.
Development Reviews (Site Plan Review)
This review is a staff-level review of the site, and how the proposed developments will fit onto the property.
Some items reviewed are:
- Zoning: What type of building or development is allowed per zoning ordinance
- ROW/Easements: Existing utility or access easements, and rights-of-way that may be located on the property.
- Setbacks: The required setbacks for the Front, Sides and Rear of the property.
- Parking: Parking requirements for the proposed development.
- Driveway/Lane/Street: Width requirements for paved access to (or into) the property. Internal lanes and streets have the same minimum width requirements as a city street.
- Fire Access: If the proposed development is large enough, or extends far enough from the city street, a hammer-head turnaround or a cul-de-sac may be required to accommodate emergency equipment.
- Utility Requirements: Flow and pressure tests may be required to make sure the city utility mains have adequate capacity to accommodate the needs of the proposed development.
- Landscaping: The trees, shrubs and other landscaping required by ordinance for the new development.
Predevelopment and Site Plan Reviews CAN be run concurrently.
Building Plan reviews, however, cannot start until all necessary Predevelopment infrastructure improvements have reached substantial completion (Water and Sewer mains are in place, and roadways are paved).
Building Plan Reviews
Building plans are taken in and reviewed by Plan Examiners to make sure that all aspects of the design are compliant with the latest editions of Residential and Commercial Building Codes, as well as all state and local amendments to the code.
Building Plan reviews can start once the Site Plan review is complete and has been approved by Planning.
If the property that the building is being constructed on is going through any Predevelopment work (subdivision, etc), that work must reach a point of substantial completion (utility mains and stub-outs are installed, roads are paved) before Building Plans can be received by the City for review.
| IMPORTANT NOTE: If your project involves a change in use, and includes new residential units, additional building and fire codes may apply! Please contact Ogden City Building Services for more information. 801-629-8950 |
Financial Guarantee
There are two financial guarantees required for most projects: the Site-Civil and the Landscaping guarantees.
The Site-Civil guarantee is the calculated amount of the cost of the utility improvements, while the Landscaping guarantee is the calculated cost of all required landscaping for the project. These guarantees can be submitted in one of three different forms:
This document explains the difference between the three Financial Guarantees.
*** Ogden City does NOT accept any other form of Financial Guarantee than those listed above. ***
When the project is completed, and passes final inspections, 90% of the financial guarantee is released back to the developer, while the remaining 10% is held for a 1 year warranty period.
Developer, Contractor & Subcontractor Prequalifications
Any Developer, Contractor or Subcontractor wishing to do work in the City Right-of-Way (ROW) must be a licensed professional with one of these classifications, and who has insurance and bond on record with Ogden City.
Pre-Construction Meeting
Prior to beginning construction, a Pre-Construction Meeting will take place, usually at the Ogden City Municipal Building. This meeting includes all of the Construction professionals (contractors and sub-contractors) who will be working on the project, as well as many people from the Development Review Team. At this meeting, the approved plans will be reviewed one last time, schedules for utility taps finalized
Once the Financial Guarantee and Contract are received by the Project Coordinator, and the Pre-Construction Meeting has been held, the Engineering Permits can be issued. Most projects will be issued both a ROW/Site Work Permit and a SWPP Permit.
Development Permits Issued |
ROW/Site Work Permit
The ROW/Site Work Permit has the same insurance & bond requirements as a standard Right-of-Way permit, but does not have an expiration date, as site work generally takes several months to complete. This permit should include all fees for required infrastructure improvements (taps, meters, excavation fees, etc).
Stormwater Pollution Prevention (SWPP)
In plain English, Stormwater Pollution Prevention (SWPP) is keeping dirt, rocks and other construction materials and debris from leaving a construction (or demolition) site and getting into the gutters and storm water system. Over time, storm drain pipes and culverts can become completely clogged with silt, dirt and debris, rendering them incapable of draining water properly and causing flooded roadways and other hazardous conditions. In addition, construction materials that enter the storm system are washed into local rivers, lakes, and streams without treatment. This can pollute delicate ecosystems that rely on clean water sources to survive.
SWPP remedies this problem through the use of Best Management Practices (BMP's), designed to reduce and eliminate soils tracked off of the site, as well as those that run off during storm events.
**NOTE: SWPP PERMIT AND ALL SWPP BMP's MUST BE IN PLACE BEFORE WORK BEGINS!**
When are SWPP Permits Required?
An Ogden City SWPP Permit is required when:
- Construction activity will disturb land greater than or equal to 5,000 square feet, or
- Construction activity will disturb land within 300 feet of a watercourse, or
- Anytime a Utah Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (UPDES) Permit is required (see below).
A Utah Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (UPDES) Permit is required when:
- Construction activity will disturb land greater than or equal to 1 acre, or
- Construction activity is occurring on a lot that was originally greater than 1 acre but has been subdivided after October 1992 into separate lots that are smaller than 1 acre. This is referred to as a “Common Plan of Development”.
If it is determined that a UPDES Permit is required, then you will need to determine which type of UPDES Permit is needed. Here are some UPDES Permits and when they would be necessary:
- General Permit for Storm Water Discharges from Construction Activities or “Construction General Permit (CGP)” – This permit is required for all projects that disturb land greater than or equal to 1 acre as well as all Common Plan of Development sites intended for industrial or commercial developments.
- General Storm Water Permit for Construction Activity Connected with Single Lot Housing Projects or “Common Plan Permit (CPP)” – This permit is required for all Common Plan of Development projects which are related to residential dwellings.
UPDES Permits are required and administered by the State of Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Division of Water Quality (DWQ). For further information on UPDES Permits, please refer to the Utah DEQ website.
Ogden City has developed the following flow chart to help you determine which SWPP Permits might be required for your project (Click to download PDF version):
When are SWPP Permits NOT required?
A SWPP Permit is not needed on any construction project that doesn’t meet the criteria above. However, contractor MUST abide by all federal, state, and local storm water regulations.
What happens if I violate storm water regulations or do not get a SWPP Permit when one is required?
- Stop Work Order - Ogden City may issue a Stop Work Order on any work conducted in the City without the proper permits or on any work that is in violation of storm water regulations. This Stop Work Order will not be lifted until the proper permits are in place or the violation is remedied.
- Civil Penalty and Fines – Any person that violates federal, state, or local storm water regulations may be subject to civil penalties and fines. Utah Administrative Code Title 19 Chapter 5 Section 115 relating to the Water Quality Act states, “any person who violates the Act, or any permit, rule, or order adopted under it is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000 per day of such violation. Any person who willfully or with gross negligence violates the Act, or any permit, rule or order adopted under it is subject to a fine of not more than $25,000 per day of violation. Any person convicted under 19-5-115 a second time shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $50,000 per day.”
How much do SWPP Permits Cost?
Ogden City SWPP Permit Fees:
- Medium Projects (Between 5,000 square feet and 1 acre in disturbance)
- $50 Permit Fee + $50 monthly Inspection Fee
- Example: a 12-month permit would cost $650
- Large Projects (1 acre or larger disturbance)
- $100 Permit Fee + $50 monthly Inspection Fee
- Example: a 12-month permit would cost $700
UPDES Permit Fees:
Since UPDES Permits are administered by the State of Utah Department of Environmental (DEQ) Quality Division of Water Quality (DWQ), please refer to the Utah DEQ website to learn about UPDES Permit fees.
How do I close or “Terminate” a SWPP Permit?
To terminate a SWPP Permit, follow these steps:
- Step 1: Ensure the site is clean, stabilized, exterior work complete, and BMPs are removed: The site must be clean, all storm water pollutants must be properly contained and/or removed from storm water exposure, all landscaping must be installed, any exposed soils must be stabilized, all exterior work must be complete, and all BMPs must be removed.
- Step 2: Submit a Notice of Termination (NOT) for any UPDES permits associated with the site: Coverage under State UPDES Permits (e.g., Construction General Permit or Common Plan Permit) must be properly terminated. If a NOT is submitted on a State UPDES Permit prior to meeting the condition described in Step 1 above, the NOT will be denied.
- Step 3: Schedule and Pass a Final Inspection: Once the site meets the above requirements, a final inspection should be scheduled with the assigned Sewer Utility Inspector. A contact listed on the permit must be present to sign off on the final inspection.