Alternative Review Program (ARP)
If you own a farm, ranch, are an engineering or grading contractor the ARP may benefit you.
The US-LT RCD has partnered with the County of San Luis Obispo and Coastal San Luis RCD to provide an alternative grading permit to obtaining a County grading permit.
The alternative offers a low cost engineering review for eligible agricultural projects within the District's boundary and includes environmental review, permit assistance with regulatory agencies and erosion control training. If you are outside the US-LT District, contact the Coastal San Luis RCD (CSLRCD)
office.
How do you determine when a grading permit is required?
How do I know if I am eligible for ARP?
Eligible projects may include but are not limited to:
* Grading for new orchards/vineyards on slopes of 30% or more
* Grading on vegetation removal on new rangeland on slopes greater than 30%
* New agricultural roads
* Ponds, dams and reservoirs
* Streambank protection or conservation projects
* Conservation, restoration, and enhancement projects
* Recreational trails
* Waste management systems
* Grading and erosion control laws
Once a project is determined to be an ARP project a County Agricultural Grading Form will need to be filled out and returned to the County for processing.
The County of San Luis Obispo Department of Planning and Building has developed a User's Guide intended to provide an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand resource for those interested in pursuing grading for agricultural purposes. This guide is meant to complement the grading ordinance
(Chapter 22.52 of the San Luis Obispo County Land Use Ordinance) and to present the ordinance’s requirements in a more user-friendly manner.
All projects must be in compliance with the County Grading Ordinance and NRCS Practices to be eligible. For more information check out the Agricultural Grading At a Glance - for a brief overview of the RCD grading review process.