Environmental Rules in Ceres, CA (2026)
4 verified environmental rules for Ceres, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Stormwater Management
Ceres bans any non-storm water discharge into the City's storm drain system, with narrow exemptions, to keep pollutants out of local waterways under its NPDES permit.
Ceres Storm Water Discharge Ban
Some Restrictions§ 13.20.050; § 13.20.120
Except as provided in section 13.20.060, it is unlawful for any person to make or cause to be made any non-storm water discharge... Any person owning or occupying a premises, who has knowledge of any release of pollutants or non-storm water discharge... shall immediately take all reasonable action to contain and abate... and shall notify the enforcement official at City of Ceres within 24 hours...
Erosion Control
Every construction project in Ceres, regardless of size, must run BMPs for erosion and sediment control, soil stabilization, and dewatering whenever soil is disturbed and exposed to storm water.
Ceres Construction Erosion & Sediment Control
Some Restrictions§ 13.20.110(B)
All construction projects, regardless of size, having soil disturbance or activities exposed to storm water must, at a minimum, implement BMPs for erosion and sediment controls, soil stabilization, dewatering, source controls, pollution prevention measures, and prohibited discharges.2.Any person subject to a construction activity NPDES storm water discharge permit shall comply with all provisio...
Flood Zones
Any construction or land-disturbing development within a FEMA-mapped special flood hazard area in Ceres requires a floodplain development permit from the City Engineer before work begins, under Municipal Code Chapter 18.40.
Ceres Floodplain Development Permit
Some RestrictionsCeres Municipal Code § 18.40.030
A development permit shall be obtained before any construction or other development begins within any special flood hazard area established in subsection 18.40.020.B of this chapter. The term development shall include any manmade change to improved or unimproved real estate, including, but not limited to, buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or d...
Flood Elevation Requirements
New homes in Ceres flood hazard areas must have their lowest floor built at or above the base flood elevation, with at least one extra foot of freeboard outside A zones.
Ceres Base Flood Elevation Rules
Some RestrictionsCeres Municipal Code § 18.40.040
Residential construction, new or substantial improvement, shall have the lowest floor, including basement: (1) In an A zone, elevated to or above the base flood elevation...The State of California recommends the lowest floor be elevated at least two feet above the base flood elevation, as determined by the community...(3) In all other zones, elevated at least one foot above the base flood eleva...