Pensacola planning board signals support for lot‑grading plan with 5%‑or‑400‑sq‑ft threshold

On May 12, 2026, the City of Pensacola Planning Board reviewed proposed language requiring lot‑grading plans and as‑built certifications for residential work that could change drainage patterns. In a nonbinding straw vote the board signaled unanimous support for drafting a threshold defined as the lesser of 5 percent of the lot area or 400 square feet.

The change responds to repeated citizen complaints about historic and new development redirecting stormwater onto neighboring properties. "We want both the engineer of record and the property owner to sign saying it's good now," city engineer Brad Heiner told the board, describing a process that would require a civil engineer to both design and later certify that the installed grading conforms with the approved plan. Heiner said the intent is to "protect existing property owners from the detrimental impact that can occur from improper construction methods."

Board members pressed staff on how the rule would affect small, incremental projects. One member warned that requiring stamped engineering and as‑built surveys could "disproportionately impact small incremental changes to housing," while others said typical small‑project costs reported by local engineers fall in the low thousands. Public commenter Colin Gold asked whether the lot‑grading plan differs from a stormwater‑management plan; Heiner clarified that they are separate procedures: the lot‑grading plan addresses local grading impacts on neighbors, whereas a stormwater‑management plan addresses broader treatment and attenuation obligations to the city and state.

The board discussed several ways to define the threshold—by absolute disturbed area, impervious surface, or as a percentage tied to lot size—and noted that neighboring jurisdictions use varying approaches, often case‑by‑case. To balance equity on small lots with neighbor protections on denser lots, members proposed a hybrid: 5 percent of the lot area or 400 square feet, whichever is smaller. Chair read the draft direction aloud and called a straw vote; members raised hands and said "aye." "So that straw vote, which was non binding, does carry unanimously," the chair announced.

The straw vote is advisory. Staff and consultant Inspire Placemaking will incorporate the board’s direction into revised code language, with the intention of returning to the board for formal action and, if approved, forwarding a recommendation to City Council for consideration. The board instructed staff to draft a clear definition of "disturbed area" and to work with public‑works engineering on technical language and unintended consequences.