Environmental Rules in Pinal County, AZ (2026)
4 rules for unincorporated Pinal County, Arizona.
Verified from official government sources
Stormwater Management
In the urbanized unincorporated county, it is illegal to introduce anything but stormwater into the county's MS4 or storm drains. Pinal County's stormwater management title bans illicit non-stormwater discharges and illicit connections, with civil penalties up to $2,500 per day per violation.
Stormwater Discharge Rules in Unincorporated Pinal County
Some RestrictionsPinal County Code § 20-37(a)
No person shall throw, drain, or otherwise introduce, cause, or allow others under its or their control to throw, drain, or otherwise introduce into the county MS4 or into the storm drainage system within the county MS4 any pollutants, waters containing any pollutants, or water other than stormwater.
Erosion Control
Unincorporated Pinal County requires a stormwater site plan and department approval before disturbing an acre or more of land. The plan must define best management practices that keep erosion in check and manage sediment transport throughout construction, per Code of Ordinances Section 20-66.
Erosion & Sediment Control in Pinal County
Some RestrictionsPinal County Code § 20-66(e)(2)
This pre-construction and construction phase stormwater site plan must consider possible water quality impacts and explain in sufficient detail the construction best management practices (BMPs) to be followed by the owner and all who work on the site. The site plan defines the BMPs to ensure that erosion will be minimized, sediment transport managed and that controls for other wastes are in pla...
Flood Zones
Anyone building, placing a manufactured home, filling, or putting up a wall or fence inside a regulatory floodplain or erosion hazard zone in unincorporated Pinal County must first get a floodplain use permit from the Floodplain Administrator. Critical facilities need one even in the wider 0.2 percent annual chance floodplain.
Floodplain Development Permit Rules in Pinal County
Some RestrictionsPinal County Floodplain Management Ordinance §§ 5.05.010, 5.05.020
A floodplain use permit shall be obtained before construction or development, including placement of manufactured homes, structures, and accessory structures, construction of walls or fences, and additions, modifications or repairs to an existing structure, within any regulatory floodplain or erosion hazard zone. ... For critical facilities/critical structures, ... a floodplain use permit shall...
Flood Elevation Requirements
Unincorporated Pinal County requires new construction and substantial improvements inside a regulatory floodplain to have their lowest floor built to or above the Regulatory Flood Elevation, one foot of freeboard above the base flood elevation. Zone AO lots need one to four feet of elevation above natural grade, certified by a registered engineer or surveyor.
Base Flood Elevation and Freeboard Rules in Pinal County
Some RestrictionsPinal County Floodplain Management Ordinance § 6.05.030(A)
New construction and substantial improvement/repair of any structure (except shade structures) shall have the lowest floor, including basement and/or attached garage, elevated to or above the regulatory flood elevation. Non-residential structures may meet the standards in subsection B of this section 6.05.030. Upon the completion of construction of the building, the elevation of the lowest floo...
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