Environmental Rules in Santa Maria, CA (2026)
4 verified environmental rules for Santa Maria, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Stormwater Management
Santa Maria bans any non-storm water discharge to public or private property and requires storm water discharges to conform with the City's Phase II MS4 permit and Central Coast post-construction standards. The Director of Utilities enforces Chapter 8-12A, can order corrective Best Management Practices, and treats violations as a misdemeanor and public nuisance subject to abatement.
Santa Maria Storm Water Discharge Prohibitions
Significant RestrictionsSanta Maria Municipal Code § 8-12A.04(a)
Discharges prohibited. No person shall commence or continue, and no responsible party shall permit, any direct or indirect non-storm water discharge to public or private property. Moreover, no person shall commence or continue, and no responsible party shall permit, any discharge of storm water unless the discharge is in conformance with each of the following: (1) This Code; (2) The terms of th...
Erosion Control
Santa Maria's storm water ordinance requires anyone doing grading, paving, concrete work, or landscaping to implement Best Management Practices that stop soil sediment and construction runoff from reaching the storm drain system, enforced by the Director of Utilities under Chapter 8-12A.
Santa Maria Construction Erosion & Runoff Control
Some RestrictionsSanta Maria Municipal Code § 8-12A.08 (Requirement to Prevent, Control, and Reduce Storm Water Pollutants)
(a) Requirement to Implement Best Management Practices (BMPs). All responsible parties shall implement appropriate BMPs adopted by the City of Santa Maria for any activity, operation, or facility, which may cause or contribute to pollution or contamination of the storm drain system or receiving waters. (b) New Development and Redevelopment. All responsible parties shall implement City of Santa ...
Flood Zones
Any construction or development inside a mapped special flood hazard or mudslide area in Santa Maria needs a development permit from the floodplain administrator before work begins, under Municipal Code Section 9-68.201. The Director of Community Development administers the program.
Santa Maria Development Permit Required in Flood Hazard Areas
Some RestrictionsSanta Maria Municipal Code § 9-68.201 (Establishment of development permit)
A development permit shall be obtained before construction or development begins within any area of special flood hazard or areas of mudslide (i.e., mudflow) established in Section 9-68.107. Application for a development permit shall be made on forms furnished by the floodplain administrator and may include, but not be limited to, plans in duplicate drawn to scale showing the nature, location, ...
Flood Elevation Requirements
New construction and substantial improvements in a Santa Maria special flood hazard area must have the lowest floor, including any basement, elevated to or above the base flood elevation under Municipal Code Section 9-68.301(c)(1), certified by a registered engineer or surveyor.
Santa Maria Requires Lowest Floor at Base Flood Elevation
Some RestrictionsSanta Maria Municipal Code § 9-68.301(c)(1)
New construction and substantial improvement of any structure shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated to or above the base flood elevation. Nonresidential structures may meet the standards in Section 9-68.301 (c) (3). Upon completion of the structure the elevation of the lowest floor, including basement, shall be certified by a registered professional engineer or surveyor, or ...
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