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Land Operations Permit Links
Land Operations Permit Forms
The following forms are provided in pdf format.  (pdf viewer)
When a Land Operations Permit is Not Required:
A Land Operations Permit shall not be required for the following:
- Grading or paving for street improvement, when a City street improvement permit is required.
- Excavation or fill below finished grade for basement and/or foundation of an aboveground structure, swimming pool or underground structure, on a lot with an average existing slope less than twenty-five (25%) or when a building permit is required.
When a Land Operations Permit is Required:
A Land Operations permit is required for the following activities:
- Grading/excavation/fill involving:
a. 50 cubic yards or more;
b. An excavation or fill that is both five (5) feet or more in vertical depth (at its deepest point as measured from the natural ground surface) and on slope with a gradient of 25% or more;
c. Excavation below finished grade for basement, cellar, and/or foundation of any aboveground structure, swimming pool, or underground structure on a lot with an average existing slope of 25% or more;
d. An easement for a public sewer, water main, storm drain, or power line;
e. An encroachment on or alteration of an existing drainage channel or watercourse.
- Surface mining involving 50 cubic yards or more.
- Removal of trees, vegetation or other natural ground cover,
a. Over an area in excess of 10,000 square feet;
b. Or on any slope with a gradient in excess of 25%, when in the opinion of the Bureau of Building Inspection, the removal of such ground cover could affect the stability of the existing slope.
- Surfacing and paving of land (other than streets or ways) with hard surface or compacted non-permeable material such as asphalt, concrete or slag, with an area in excess of 10,000 square feet.
- Transportation of any material over public streets for disposal purposes, where the total quantity of material exceeds 1,500 cubic yards.
- Any “major excavating, grading, or filling” operation as so defined in section 903.02 and permitted as a conditional use under the Zoning Ordinance.
The Use Table (Section 911.02) of the Zoning Code defines Excavation/Grading/Fill, Major as:
Excavation/Grading/Fill, Major means any operations other than in connection with the construction of a foundation for a structure, involving:
1. Strip or other mining or coal or other minerals, excavating or sand or rock and the crushing of rock, sanitary and other fills, recovery of metal or other natural resources and similar operations;
2. Or a volume of earth movement exceeding 16,000 cubic yards;
3. Or a change in ground elevation exceeding 25 feet.
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How to Obtain a Land Operations Permit:
- Download or obtain a Land Operations Permit Application and a Land Operations Checklist at the Bureau of Building Inspection (BBI) located at 200 Ross Street, Third Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.
- Complete the Land Operations Permit Application and submit to BBI.
The applicant’s signature must be witnessed by a registered notary. If the applicant does not have access to a notary, please leave the applicant signature line blank and complete at the Zoning Counter after submitting the application to BBI. The Zoning Counter offers the notary service.
- BBI will log the application information and will begin the review process. BBI will not approve the application until the other agencies have approved the application. BBI will instruct the applicant to take the application to the Zoning Office.
- Take the application to the Department of City Planning – Development Administration and Review (Zoning Office) located at 200 Ross Street, Third Floor, Pittsburgh, PA for review, approval and authorized signature.
a. If not already notarized by a private notary, the applicant will sign Page 2 of the application at the Zoning Counter where it will be witnessed by a Notary.
b. If the proposed project involves any “major excavating, grading or filling” operation as so defined in Section 903.02 then a Conditional Use review will be required. A Conditional Use Classification requires Planning Commission and City Council approval.
c. Once the Planning Commission and City Council have approved the application, a resolution number will be assigned. Then a Zoning Specialist and the Zoning Administrator can approve the Zoning section of the application.
- After signatures have been obtained from the Zoning Permit Counter, take the application to the Department of Public Works (DPW) located at City-County Building, Room 301, 414 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA for review, approval and authorized signature.
- Next, take the application to the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) located at 441 Smithfield Street, Second Floor, Pittsburgh, PA for review, approval and authorized signature.
- Once approval has been obtained from the above listed departments, take the application to BBI for Final Review and authorized signature.
- BBI will contact the applicant when the permit application has been approved by all parties. BBI will inform the applicant of the amount of the permit fees that will be assessed.
- The final step is at the License & Cashier’s Counter where payment is made by check or money order to the Treasurer, City of Pittsburgh and the permit is issued.
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What to Bring with You:
Initial submission:
- Completed Land Operations Checklist and Application.
- Plot Plan
- Plot Plan Requirements
- Identification of site involved
- Official street address
- Property dimensions
- Lot and Block Number
- Plan shall show existing and proposed buildings and other structures and adjacent streets and public or private property.
- Plans or statements clearly describing the nature and extent of the operations.
- General plan of work, cross sections, contours, soil & rock strata description, coal workings, locations of utilities, details of surface protection, details of walls or other structures on property.
- Where a fill is involved, the following additional information:
- Plan showing preparation of natural ground surface by benching and removal of top soil, vegetation and other materials.
- Description of surface and subsurface draining control.
- Results of stability and analysis.
- Description of kind of material to be used in fill.
- Statement of intended moisture density control of fill.
- Statement of method of compacting fill and thickness of layers to be used in such compacting.
- Statement of tests to be made prior to and during the process of filling and the names of persons or agencies responsible for making the tests.
- Specifications
- Special Inspector Forms
- Special Inspector Requirements
- Special Inspector Initial Report
Subsequent submission – After permit application is reviewed by BBI and before permit is issued:
- Insurance certificate for work
- Performance Bond
- A check or money order to pay for the permit.
The Fee
Go to our Permit Fee Table.
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Permit Issuance Conditions:
If the permit application, plans, specifications and description filed comply with all applicable requirements, then the permit may be subject to issuance conditions which may include but shall not be limited to:
- A reasonable time limit for completion of the work.
- Limitations upon the hours of day, days of the week and travel on public streets.
- Construction of additional drainage facilities, berms, terracing or cribbing.
- Tests of soil or other material used or involved in the operation, the results of which shall be made available as soon as possible to the Code Official.
- Restrictions upon the size, type and number of pieces of equipment to be used, including trucks on public streets or thoroughfares.
- Planting of appropriate ground cover on slopes to provide retention of soil and to control erosion.
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Inspections:
- It is the responsibility of the permit holder to arrange for all required inspections by contacting the appropriate inspector.
- Two inspectors will be required on site:
- A City Building Inspector
* The BBI inspector’s name and phone number may be found in bold print
on the permit. It is the responsibility of the permit holder to contact the
BBI Inspector.
- Special Inspector
*It is the responsibility of the permit holder to hire a Special Inspector to
inspect the site.
- Instructions To Special Inspectors
- Special Inspector Requirements
- The Inspectors shall submit weekly inspection reports to the BBI Chief.
- Special Inspector Initial Report
- Special Inspector Final Report
- Special Inspector Report Log
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Helpful Hints:
- A Land Operations Permit application must be completed by a Contractor, registered by the City of Pittsburgh. If the work is to be performed by the owner of the property, where that owner is resident, the property owner will need to obtain a General Contractor’s License.
- Use the Land Operations Permit checklist to determine which activity best describes the proposed project.
- Refer to Land Operation Control, Title 10, Chapter 1009 of the City of Pittsburgh Code of Ordinances.
- If the area of operation is greater than 5,000 sq. ft., contact the Allegheny County Conservation District (ACCD). An Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan will need to be submitted to the ACCD for review and approval.
- Plans shall be dated and shall bear the name and seal of a registered professional engineer who prepared the plans.
- Transportation of Materials – The proposed use of public streets or thoroughfares for the transportation of material for disposal or fill purposes shall have the approval of the Department of Public Works (DPW).
- Approval times for operation (including transportation and movement of material) are typically between the hours of 7:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M.
- Performance Bond – The term of each bond shall begin upon the date of filing and shall remain in effect until one (1) year from the date of the completion of the permit.
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