Redding's Environmental Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles environmental rules a little differently. In Redding, California, there are 4 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Flood Zones

Redding's 'FP' Floodplain Overlay District, adopted to keep the city eligible for the National Flood Insurance Program, splits every mapped floodplain into a floodway where development is largely prohibited and a flood fringe where only limited or use-permitted activity is allowed. Structures other than those specifically listed cannot be located in the floodway at all under Section 18.51.040.

Key details: Governing authority: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program mandate. Floodway: Development generally prohibited. Setback, Sacramento River: 30 feet from base floodplain line. Setback, creeks: 15 feet from base floodplain line. Minimum floor elevation: 1 foot above base floodplain, FP district.

Grading, filling, or building in the base floodplain without the approvals this chapter requires is prohibited outright under Section 18.51.030(B)(1). Development that would raise the base flood elevation is barred unless the applicant obtains a FEMA map revision and written consent from every property owner affected by the higher water level, and any structure placed in the floodway that is not on the permitted-use list can be required to be raised to the flood protection elevation or removed as a nonconforming use.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Redding actively enforces its flood zones requirements.

Stormwater Management

Redding bans discharging any pollutant into the city's stormwater conveyance system or receiving waters when it violates a receiving water limitation or the municipal NPDES permit. The public works director administers Chapter 14.19, and illicit connections must be disconnected within thirty days of notice or the connection itself becomes a separate violation.

Key details: Governing chapter: RMC Chapter 14.19, adopted 2015. Enforcing official: City Public Works Director. Illicit connection cure period: 30 days after notice. Spill record retention: 3 years for commercial/industrial spills. Misdemeanor penalty: Up to $1,000 fine or 6 months jail.

The public works director can issue a written notice of noncompliance and a cease-and-desist order under Sections 14.19.300 and 14.19.310, and may require the discharger to eliminate the source of the discharge at their own expense. Because the city's general penalty applies, a code violation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, six months in county jail, or both, unless the city attorney reduces the charge to an infraction, which carries escalating fines of $100, $200, and $500 for repeat convictions within a year.

Erosion Control

Redding's Grading Ordinance requires a city engineer permit before clearing, grading, or importing or exporting earth material on most sites, with narrow exemptions for small excavations and fills. Any grading within fifty feet of a seasonal watercourse or in a hundred-year floodplain needs a permit regardless of size, and erosion controls must follow the city's design manual.

Key details: Permitting authority: City Engineer's office. Exempt excavation threshold: Under 50 cubic yards, 3-ft depth. Mandatory permit trigger: Within 50 ft of seasonal watercourse. Design standard: City Erosion and Sediment Control Manual. Post-grading maintenance: 1-year erosion control contract required.

Section 16.12.260 expressly declares it unlawful to clear, grade, excavate, or fill without first obtaining the required permit, or to violate any term of an issued permit, and each day a noncompliance continues beyond the first day counts as a separate violation. Because the chapter sets no unique fine schedule, the citywide general penalty applies: a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, six months in county jail, or both.

Flood Elevation Requirements

New residential construction in Redding's mapped flood zones must have its lowest floor at least one foot above the base flood elevation under Municipal Code Section 18.51.080(D)(1), and any levee built for flood protection needs a minimum of three feet of freeboard above the base flood water surface under Section 18.51.080(G)(1)(a).

Key details: Residential floor elevation: 1 foot above base flood elevation. Levee freeboard: 3 feet above base flood surface. Near structures/bridges: Extra 1 foot of levee freeboard. Elevation certificate: FEMA Form FF-206-FY-22-152. Flood vent sizing: 1 sq in per sq ft of enclosed area.

Building without the required elevation certificate is grounds for the city to issue a stop-work order on the project. The Floodplain Administrator, working with the Building Official, also reviews any remodel, addition, or repair to determine whether its cost triggers 'substantial improvement' status; once it does, the full flood-resistant construction standards of Section 18.51.080 apply retroactively to the whole structure, not just the new work.

This is one of the stricter rules in Redding's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

The Bottom Line

Redding is tougher than many cities when it comes to environmental rules. Out of the 4 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Redding, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

Keep in mind that Redding can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.