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Environmental Rules in Daly City, CA (2026)

5 verified environmental rules for Daly City, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.

Verified from official government sources

Stormwater Management

Daly City is a co-permittee under the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board Municipal Regional Stormwater NPDES Permit (Order R2-2015-0049, as amended by R2-2019-0049) and a member of the San Mateo Countywide Water Pollution Prevention Program (SMCWPPP / Flows To Bay). Discharges of anything other than rainwater into the storm drain system are prohibited.

Daly City Stormwater Management & NPDES Compliance

Heavy Restrictions

Erosion Control

Erosion and sediment control on Daly City construction sites is required by the Bay Area Municipal Regional Stormwater Permit (Order R2-2015-0049 Provision C.6), the statewide Construction General Permit (Order 2009-0009-DWQ) for projects disturbing 1 acre or more, and the California Building Code Appendix J grading provisions adopted in Title 12.

Construction Site Erosion & Sediment Control

Heavy Restrictions

Coastal Development

A narrow strip of western Daly City along the Pacific coast (Mussel Rock area, west of Skyline Boulevard) falls within the California Coastal Zone established by the California Coastal Act of 1976 (Cal. Public Resources Code §30000 et seq.). Development in the Coastal Zone requires either a Coastal Development Permit (CDP) issued under a certified Local Coastal Program (LCP) or, in the absence of a certified LCP, a CDP issued directly by the California Coastal Commission.

Coastal Development & California Coastal Act

Some Restrictions

Flood Zones

Daly City participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and adopts FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for San Mateo County. The city sits on coastal hills with no major riverine Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs); the primary water-related hazards are coastal cliff erosion at Mussel Rock / Northridge and tsunami inundation along the Pacific shoreline rather than 100-year floodplains.

Daly City Flood Zones, FEMA FIRMs & NFIP Participation

Some Restrictions

Grading & Drainage

Grading and drainage in Daly City are governed by California Building Code Appendix J (grading) as adopted in Title 12 of the Municipal Code. A grading permit from the Daly City Building/Engineering Division is required for cuts or fills exceeding the Appendix J thresholds, and all sites must direct drainage to an approved point of discharge without creating runoff onto neighboring properties.

Grading Permits & Site Drainage Requirements

Heavy Restrictions

Looking for San Mateo County county-wide rules?

County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Daly City city rules.

Environmental Rules in San Mateo County