Salt Lake County · Point of the Mountain
Excavation, Grading & Sitework — Draper, UT
Draper sits at the Point of the Mountain, where the Traverse range pinches the valley — the same geology that made this a sand and gravel district for a century. Ground here is generally granular and workable, but the east bench climbing toward Corner Canyon gets steep fast, and steep means cut/fill, retaining, and drainage done properly. Draper is Salt Lake County, so permitting and inspection run differently than our Utah County work, and we're set up for both.
Sitework built for Draper
Point of the Mountain ground
Sand and gravel deposits dig and compact well — but granular soil still needs correct moisture and lift thickness to hit engineered density.
Steep east benches
Lots climbing toward Corner Canyon need engineered cut/fill and retaining, plus drainage that moves water away from structures.
Commercial redevelopment
Draper's corridor redevelopment means demo, utility tie-ins, and pad work on constrained sites next to occupied buildings.
What we focus on here: Commercial sitework, bench grading, retaining walls, underground utilities, and concrete across Draper and the Point of the Mountain.
What Draper requires before you dig
Every rule and number below comes from Draper's own code, fee schedule, or published guidance — each one linked. Last verified 2026-08-22.
Small grading jobs are exempt — geohazard sites aren't
Draper exempts excavation under 50 cubic yards with a cut slope no steeper than 5 feet at 2:1 from its Land Disturbance Permit requirement. That exemption disappears entirely in areas of adverse geological conditions or where the work alters a drainage course — those need a permit regardless of size. The Land Disturbance Permit itself costs $50.
Source: Draper City Code §18-2-020Cutting into a Draper street needs its own Encroachment Permit
Any work that connects to or cuts a public street or right-of-way in Draper requires an Encroachment Permit from the City Engineer, separate from a building permit's site plan review. The application fee is $25 for up to two reviews, and cutting into pavement runs $120 plus $0.45 per square foot for a narrow trench, up to $1,500 plus $0.40 per square foot if the surfacing is under two years old. A Secondary Driveway Permit costs $100.
Source: Draper City Code §11-6-020Draper's SWPPP rule kicks in well before the state's 1-acre trigger
The state UPDES stormwater permit only kicks in at 1 acre disturbed, or less if part of a common plan of development since October 1992. Draper layers its own rule on top: a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan is required before the city issues any Land Disturbance Permit or Building Permit not otherwise covered by a state permit — in practice, the same low threshold as the Land Disturbance Permit itself. SWPPP inspections cost $50.
Source: Draper City Code §16-2-150Steep lots trigger mandatory geotechnical review
A lot with more than 15% slope needs a geotechnical report with a slope-stability evaluation and retaining-wall design before Draper issues a building permit. Under the separate Land Disturbance Permit process, any proposed cut or fill slope of 3H:1V or steeper triggers a full slope-stability analysis, even outside a mapped Geologic Hazards Study Area. Geologic Hazard Report review deposits run from $1,000 up to $10,000.
Source: Draper City Code §9-5-120Draper FAQs
Do you work in Salt Lake County as well as Utah County?
Yes. Draper and the Point of the Mountain are regular work for us. We hold Utah E100 General Engineering and B100 General Building licenses, which cover us statewide.
Can you handle steep hillside lots in Draper?
Yes — the east bench toward Corner Canyon is exactly the kind of terrain our retaining wall and cut/fill work is built for. The key is engineering the wall and the drainage together.
How much can I grade in Draper before I need a Land Disturbance Permit?
Not much. Draper exempts excavation only if it's under 50 cubic yards and the cut slope stays under 5 feet at 2:1 — and even that exemption vanishes if the site is in an area of adverse geological conditions or the work alters a drainage course. Anything past that needs a Land Disturbance Permit, which runs $50. We pull these routinely and can tell you which side of the line your project falls on.
Do I need a separate permit to put in a driveway in Draper?
If it connects to a public street, yes — Draper requires an Encroachment Permit from the City Engineer for any work that cuts or ties into the right-of-way, on top of whatever your building permit covers. Application review is $25, and the pavement cut fee scales with how new the street surface is. We handle the Encroachment Permit application as part of driveway and utility tie-in work.