Land Operations Permits
A commercial land operations permit is required for the following work:
- Site grading that:
- Exceeds 50 cubic yards.
- Is performed on a slope exceeding 25% with a depth of 5 feet or more.
- Is performed for an easement for a public sewer, water main, storm drain or power line.
- Is performed for an encroachment on or alteration of an existing drainage channel or watercourse systems.
- Placing impermeable / semipermeable surfacing for an area exceeding 10,000 square feet.
- Removal of Vegetation, Trees and/or Ground Cover that:
- Exceeds 10,000 square feet.
- Is performed on any slope exceeding 25%.
- Surface mining exceeding 50 cubic yards.
- Remediation of a landslide
Please see Permit Home for the definition of commercial structures and work types. Please see work not requiring a permit for work that can be performed without a PLI permit. Please visit our Contacts page for the Construction Inspector's contact information.
Work Scopes:
- Site Work (Grading): excavation and/or fill.
- Impermeable / Semipermeable Surfacing: installing impermeable or semipermeable surfacing.
- Removal of Vegetation, Trees, and/or Ground Cover: removal of vegetation, trees, and/or ground cover.
- Surface Mining: surface mining.
- Construction of Private Roadway: construction of a roadway on private property and not regulated by DOMI.
Permit Process
See these web pages for additional information regarding the permitting process:
- Application Submission
- All Work Types require submission of drawings to OneStopPGH.
- Application Review
- Permit Issuance
- Permit Inspections
- Special Inspections are required for all work performed under a land operations permit.
- Permit Completion
Please see Other Agency Coordination for processes related to other agencies that may relate to your permit scope. For commercial land operations permits:
- Zoning Development Review application submission is required for all land operations permits.
- Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI)
- Required to review transportation of materials over city streets. A route map shall be provided to DOMI.
- Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA)
- Required to confirm the land operations work does not impact PSWA infrastructure.