Environmental Permitting
Leon County's Development Support and Environmental Management (DSEM) Division of Environmental Services manages environmental permits. An environmental management permit from DSEM is required for stormwater management, floodplain, landscaping, tree protection and tree removal projects.
For information on Leon County's Environmental Services Division, click here.
Depending on the type of permit issued, DSEM will perform a Natural Features Inventory and or/ an Environmental Impact Analysis to ensure preservation requirements are met. A Natural Features Inventory is important in identifying environmentally significant features on a piece of land that is proposed for development or subdivision. Environmentally significant features include wetlands, waterbodies, watercourses, floodplains, native forests and habitats of endangered plants and animals. This Inventory also identifies any regulatory issues that are sufficiently significant to have an impact on the development potential of a parcel or piece of land. Additional issues can include canopy roads, stormwater discharge availability and Special Development Zones. An Environmental Impact Analysis addresses the specific environmental impacts of any proposed development activity. Environmental impacts are regulated under Leon County Code and include such things as stormwater runoff, tree removal, land clearing, grade changes and paving. Other development issues such as landscaping requirements and buffer requirements are also included.
Permits may also be necessary for the following:
- When a project is discharging into a Leon County right-of-way; and
- When a project is to be on a public subdivision.
To apply for a permit, visit the Tallahassee/Leon County Permit Portal by clicking here. Depending on your project, you may require additional permits from the following agencies:
City of Tallahassee
300 South Adams Street
Tallahassee, FL 32302-1731
Contact: (850) 891-7150
- When a project is discharging to the City's right of way or stormwater system;
- When a project is in the City limits.
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Northwest District, Tallahassee Branch Office
3800 Commonwealth Blvd., Suite 115
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Contact: (850) 245-2984
- When a stormwater systems is constructed;
- When impervious surfaces are constructed;
- When docks or sea walls are constructed;
- When dredge and fill activity is in a water course or in jurisdictional wetlands;
- When industrial wastewater is discharged; and
- When solid waste disposal for dumping of clean debris is requested.
Northwest Florida Water Management District
The Delaney Center Building, Suite 2-D
2252 Killearn Center Blvd.
Tallahassee, FL 32309
Contact: (850) 921-2986
- When connection to a Works of the District;
- When a water well is constructed or abandoned;
- When a dam or retaining wall is ten feet or more in height, or impounds more than 50 acre-feet of water;
- When diverting or rerouting streams; and
- When generating stormwater and wetland impacts under a specific size.
Florida Department of Transportation
Midway Facility Route One, Box 2860
Havana, FL 32333
Contact: (850) 922-7900
- When discharge of stormwater is to the FDOT right-of-way; and
- When installation of a drive onto a state road.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Jacksonville District Federal Building 400 West Bay Street
Jacksonville, FL 32232-0019
Mail: Post Office Box 4970
Contact: (904) 232-1672
- When a stormwater system is constructed;
- When docks or sea walls are constructed; and
- When dredge and fill activity is in a water course or jurisdictional wetlands.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4
Water Management Division
Atlanta Federal Center
61 Forsyth Street
Atlanta, GA 30303
Contact: (404) 562-9345
- When a project disturbs 5 acres or more.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
620 South Meridian Street
Tallahassee, FL 32301
Contact: (850) 488-6661
- When endangered, threatened or special concern species are on a proposed site.
Other Programming
The Greenspace Reservation Area Credit Exchange (GRACE) Program
The GRACE program provides the ability for developers within the Urban Services Area (USA) of unincorporated Leon County to reduce the amount of area on their project site that must be committed to landscaping or to natural area if the areas are not preservation features. In exchange, the developer is required to convey to the County other environmentally sensitive lands, specifically flood-prone lands, that are vested or allowed to be developed. The program allows developers to meet 25% to 95% of their landscaping and 75% to 100% of their natural area requirements "off site" by conveying an area equivalent to twice the amount of land area that would otherwise be devoted to landscaping or natural area. The program allows the greatest amount of flexibility for development within zoning districts intended to be the most intensely developed, and provides less flexibility for districts intended to be developed at more moderate intensities. The GRACE Program regulations are found in Section 10-4.346 of the Leon County Land Development Code.
For a listing of potential flood-prone lands that would qualify for the program, please contact the Environmental Services Division at (850) 606-1300.