Land Clearing Permits in Bryant & Saline County, AR

Inside the City of Bryant, clearing needs a city stormwater permit when the disturbance is one acre or more or sits adjacent to a lake, stream or creek, whatever its size. No Saline County permit for clearing alone was found. Statewide, the ADEQ construction stormwater permit covers one acre or more, and burning the debris brings a county burn ban check, a city ordinance inside Bryant and, for large piles, a notice to the state.

Each rule below links to its source. Requirements vary by parcel, scope and jurisdiction, and the governing authority makes the determination. Cut Brush can point out what commonly applies and which office to call, but the decision belongs to that office.

Inside Bryant: The City Stormwater Permit

The City of Bryant stormwater office says land-disturbing activity needs a stormwater permit application in these cases:

• One acre or more, under five: a small site, which includes smaller areas that are part of a larger plan totaling one to five acres.
• Five acres or more: a large site, including smaller areas that are part of a plan totaling five acres or more.
• Special sites, whatever the size: any land disturbance adjacent to a lake, stream, tributary creek or other flowing water, road, pipeline and utility work with land clearing, and any new commercial construction site.

Three practical points follow. Check the water first: a small lot beside a creek is where the permit most often surprises owners. Ask early, because the application comes before clearing, not after. And clearing counts on its own, since the office’s trigger is land disturbance, not a building permit.

The stormwater division is at 210 SW 3rd Street, Bryant, AR 72022, phone (501) 943-0453. The page mentions a stormwater impact fee but does not give amounts, so ask the office for the current figure.

Saline County Outside the City Limits

Outside Bryant’s limits, no Saline County permit for clearing or grading on its own was found. That is not proof that none exists, so treat it as unconfirmed and call the county before a large job.

What the county does run is a Planning Board that oversees its subdivision rules and regulations. It is a point of contact if your land is part of a subdivision or will become one, at the Saline County Road Department, 5555 Cynamide Road, Benton, AR 72015, phone (501) 303-5690. Other towns in the service area, such as Benton, Alexander, Sheridan and Malvern, may set their own rules, so check with the town hall rather than assuming the county answer applies inside town limits.

The State Stormwater Permit

Arkansas’s construction stormwater general permit, ARR150000, is run by ADEQ, the state’s Division of Environmental Quality. Its fact sheet sets out who it covers:

• One acre or more of construction activity, or less when the site is part of a larger common plan of development or sale.
• One to under five acres: coverage is automatic, but the notice of coverage has to be posted at the site and a completed stormwater pollution prevention plan kept there.
• Five acres or more: a notice of intent goes to ADEQ at least ten business days before work starts.

The permit’s definitions treat clearing as part of construction activity, even when nothing is being built yet. Mulching helps on the ground because roots stay in the soil and chips cover it, but it does not change the acreage that triggers the permit. The city permit and the state permit are separate, so a Bryant job over one acre can need both.

Burning the Debris

If the plan is to push brush into piles and burn them, three layers apply. Burn bans in Arkansas are issued county by county by the county judges, so the answer can change from week to week, and Saline County has put a countywide ban in place in dry weather, as its August 2026 notice shows. Inside Bryant, a city ordinance passed in September 2020 limits open burning of yard waste to set days and, for commercial burns, calls for equipment such as a trench burner and a $1,500 permit fee, according to local news coverage; confirm the current text with the city. And Arkansas Code 20-22-302 requires notice to the state forestry agency before burning forest vegetation, including land clearing debris, with the landowner or an agent present. That notice applies to a ton or more of material.

A clearing plan that depends on burning depends on the weather, a county judge and a city ordinance. Mulching grinds the material where it stands, so there is no pile and no burn to schedule.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to clear land in Bryant, AR?

If the disturbance is one acre or more, or next to a lake, stream or creek, the city stormwater office wants a permit application first. Ask the office whether your project is covered.

Does Saline County require a clearing permit?

None was found for clearing alone. The county Planning Board handles subdivision rules, so call it if your land is or will be part of a subdivision.

When does the state stormwater permit apply?

From one acre of disturbance, or less if the land is part of a larger common plan. Five acres or more means a notice of intent at least ten business days before work.

Get the Permits and the Price in Line

Permits add steps and time, not rate. The Bryant pricing guide lists every band, the forestry mulching cost guide for Bryant explains the figure, and the Bryant land clearing page covers the local ground. When you are ready, request a free quote and mention any creek or water on the property.