Civil Engineering in Williston, North Dakota.
We work with developers, architects, and landowners on civil engineering for Williston land development, from residential and commercial plats to energy service, industrial, and heavy-truck sites across Williams County.
Licensed Professional Engineer in North Dakota. The engineer designing your Williston project is the same engineer answering your call.
(612) 567-2154 →How stormwater is regulated in Williston.
Williston ties subdivision approval directly to stormwater, and the ordinance is specific about who has to prepare the plan and how quickly the city has to answer.
No landowner or developer receives subdivision approval without first meeting the post-construction stormwater requirements or obtaining a waiver. Drainage is not a parallel track here, it is a condition of the plat.
The ordinance requires the stormwater management plan to be prepared by a licensed professional engineer. The city then has to inform the applicant within 14 business days whether the plan is approved or disapproved.
Any site disturbing one acre or more, or forming part of a common plan of development of one acre or more, needs coverage under the state construction stormwater general permit NDR11-0000. The SWPPP is written first, then the Notice of Intent goes through CERIS-ND at least seven days before construction starts.
Who reviews a Williston project.
City engineering and public works carry the review, with county, state, and federal layers depending on where the site sits.
Stormwater management plan review under the post-construction ordinance, grading, storm sewer, water and sanitary design, and right-of-way permits. The city responds within 14 business days on the stormwater plan.
Erosion and sediment control for construction sites, including the BMP requirements that apply to all construction within city limits.
Plat, zoning, and land development review under the subdivision regulations. Stormwater compliance or a waiver is required before subdivision approval.
Zoning and subdivision review outside city jurisdiction and county road access, which matters on the energy corridor parcels outside town.
Access and drainage permits on US 2, US 85, and the state highway system. Drainage structures follow current NDDOT standard specifications.
Construction stormwater coverage under NDR11-0000 through CERIS-ND, and Corps review where a project touches waters of the US, including the Missouri and Yellowstone corridors.
What is different about engineering in Williston.
Williston grew fast and wrote its development rules to match. The requirements are specific and the review clock is short.
- •The stormwater plan has to be sealed by a PE. The ordinance says the stormwater management plan shall be prepared by a licensed professional engineer. That is not a general expectation, it is written into the code, and it means the plan needs an engineer licensed in North Dakota from the start.
- •The city answers within 14 business days. Williston has to inform the applicant whether the plan is approved or disapproved within 14 business days. That is a workable schedule if the submittal is complete and an expensive round trip if it is not.
- •Watercourses through a plat become easements. Where a subdivision is crossed by a watercourse, coulee, drainage way, channel, or stream, a stormwater easement, drainage right-of-way, or park dedication has to be provided, with the width set by the City Engineer or the Director of Public Works. That takes area out of the developable yield, so it belongs in the first layout.
- •All utilities go underground in new subdivisions. Power, gas, telephone, and cable all get installed underground in new subdivisions. That affects the utility corridor layout, the trench coordination, and the cost estimate.
- •BMPs and silt fence on every site. Best management practices are required on all construction work within city limits, with silt fence used on all development sites. Erosion control is a baseline expectation rather than a site-by-site negotiation.
- •Energy traffic sets the loading. Truck and equipment loading on service, laydown, and industrial sites is heavier than a comparable commercial site elsewhere. Pavement sections, turning movements, and access design get built for what will actually use them.
What we work on in Williston.
Subdivision layout, grading, drainage, and utilities, with the PE-prepared stormwater plan cleared ahead of subdivision approval.
Heavy equipment circulation, large gravel and paved areas, erosion control, and post-construction stormwater treatment.
Pavement design for heavy loading, turning movement analysis, NDDOT access, and drainage structure design to state specifications.
Projects outside the city under county zoning and subdivision review, with county road access coordination.
Common questions about civil engineering in Williston.
Does Williston require a licensed engineer for the stormwater plan?
Yes, explicitly. The post-construction stormwater ordinance states that the stormwater management plan shall be prepared by a licensed professional engineer. Plans submitted to a North Dakota jurisdiction have to carry the seal of an engineer licensed in the state, and Paul is licensed in North Dakota.
How long does stormwater plan review take?
The city has to inform the applicant within 14 business days whether the stormwater management plan is approved or disapproved. That is a short, predictable clock, which makes the completeness of the first submittal worth more here than in cities with open-ended review.
Can I get subdivision approval before the stormwater plan is settled?
No. No landowner or developer receives subdivision approval without first meeting the stormwater requirements or obtaining a waiver. Drainage is a condition of the plat rather than a later step, so it has to be designed alongside the layout.
What happens if a coulee or drainage way runs through my site?
Where a subdivision is traversed by a water course, coulee, drainage way, channel, or stream, a stormwater easement, drainage right-of-way, or park dedication has to be provided with adequate width for stormwater drainage. The width is determined by the City Engineer or the Director of Public Works. That area comes out of the developable yield, so it belongs in the first layout rather than a later revision.
Do utilities have to be underground?
Yes. Underground installation of all utilities, including power, gas, telephone, and cable television, is required in new subdivisions. That shapes the utility corridor layout and the trench coordination, and it belongs in the cost estimate from the start.
Are you licensed in North Dakota?
Yes. Paul Wallick is a licensed Professional Engineer in North Dakota, along with Minnesota, Colorado, and Utah. The engineer who seals your drawings is the engineer you talk to.
Working on a Williston project?
Tell us about the site. You will get a same-business-day response from Paul, with a real read on the civil scope, the regulatory path, and the likely permitting timeline.