Environmental Rules in San Luis Obispo County, CA (2026)
6 rules for unincorporated San Luis Obispo County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Stormwater Management
Section 8.68.080 of the County Code bans any non-stormwater discharge into San Luis Obispo County's storm drain system, with narrow exceptions for permitted NPDES discharges, firefighting flows, certain agricultural discharges, and incidental flows like landscape irrigation runoff and car-washing. Violations default to a misdemeanor and can be prosecuted as a continuing daily nuisance.
San Luis Obispo County Storm Drain Discharge Ban
Heavy RestrictionsSan Luis Obispo County Code § 8.68.080
Non-stormwater discharges to the county storm drain system are prohibited. (1)Exceptions to Discharge Prohibition. The following discharges are exempt from the prohibition set forth above:a.Any discharge regulated under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued to the discharger and administered by the State of California under authority of the United States Enviro...
Erosion Control
Cut and fill slopes on graded sites in San Luis Obispo County must be protected with approved BMPs, and no grading or structure inspection proceeds until those controls are in place.
SLO County Grading Erosion Control
Some RestrictionsSan Luis Obispo County Code § 19.12.140
(a)Slopes. The top, toe, and faces of cut and fill slopes shall be prepared and maintained to control against erosion. This control shall consist of approved best management practices (BMPs) shown on the grading plans and the stormwater pollution prevention plan as applicable. The protection for the slopes shall be installed as soon as practicable and prior to calling for final approval. ... (c...
Coastal Development
Coastal development in unincorporated SLO County is governed by Title 23 (Coastal Zone Land Use Ordinance) and the certified Local Coastal Program. Most development between the sea and the first coastal road requires a Coastal Development Permit. Cayucos, Pismo Beach (county-adjacent), Cambria, and Los Osos all sit within the LCP area.
Environmental: Coastal Development
Some RestrictionsCal. Pub. Resources Code § 30103 (California Coastal Act - Coastal Zone Boundary)
Public Resources Code (PRC) Section 30103(a) specifically defines California's Coastal Zone as that land and water area of the State of California from the Oregon border to the border of the Republic of Mexico depicted on maps identified and set forth in Section 17 of that chapter of the Statutes of the 1975-76 Regular Session enacting PRC Division 20 (the Coastal Act of 1976). PRC Section 3010...
Flood Zones
San Luis Obispo County applies a Flood Hazard (FH) combining designation to parcels facing 100-year flood or coastal high-hazard inundation risk, mapped on the county's Land Use Element Official Maps. The designation adopts FEMA's 1985 Flood Insurance Study by reference and triggers mandatory drainage-plan review before any building or land use permit issues.
SLO County Flood Hazard (FH) Zoning
Some RestrictionsSan Luis Obispo County Code §§ 23.07.060, 23.07.062, 23.07.064
The Flood Hazard combining designation is applied to specific parcels by the Official Maps (Part III) of the Land Use Element to areas where terrain characteristics would present new developments and their users with potential hazards to life and property from potential inundation by a 100-year frequency flood or within coastal high hazard areas. These standards are also intended to minimize th...
Boat Dock Permits
San Luis Obispo County requires a planning department permit before anyone builds a dock, marina or similar floating structure in county waters. Section 19.20.126 sets the application paperwork, engineering thresholds, and stacking permits, while Sections 19.20.128 and 19.20.130 add safety and sanitary standards for the finished facility.
SLO County Marine Dock Construction Permit Rule
Some RestrictionsSan Luis Obispo County Code § 19.20.126
A permit shall be obtained from the planning department as set forth in Chapter 19.02 of this title prior to any construction of docks, marinas and work of a similar nature as follows:(1)Application Content and Filing. Plans to be submitted for approval shall include: complete working drawings, plot plan with parking layout, schematics of electrical and mechanical work, and such other plans as ...
Flood Elevation Requirements
San Luis Obispo County requires subdivision applicants to identify Special Flood Hazard Areas and Base Flood Elevations on any project of 50 lots or 5 acres or more, whichever is smaller, and to prove flood-free building sites before a tentative map is approved. The rule sits in the subdivision design standards and reaches mobile home park proposals too.
SLO County Subdivision Flood Elevation Rule
Some RestrictionsSan Luis Obispo County Code § 21.03.010(5)(a)-(c)
(5)Flood Hazard and Drainage.a.Where all or any portion of the subdivision is located within a flood hazard combining designation, evidence must be submitted to show that the parcels will have flood free building sites which satisfy the requirements of Title 22 or Title 23 of this code and shall have public utilities and facilities such as sewer, gas, electrical and water systems located and co...
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