Environmental Rules in Tulare County, CA (2026)
5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Tulare County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Stormwater Management
Tulare County bans dumping refuse, animal waste or any non-storm-water pollutant into its storm drain system (MS4) in the unincorporated area. The Storm Water Quality and Regulation Ordinance requires permits for drain connections, mandates Best Management Practices on construction and industrial sites, and backs enforcement with misdemeanor penalties.
Tulare County Stormwater Discharge Rules
Significant RestrictionsTulare County Ordinance Code § 4-27-1145(a)
Waste Disposal Prohibitions. No Person shall throw, deposit, leave, maintain, keep, or permit to be thrown, deposited, left or maintained in or upon any public or private property, driveway, parking area, street, road, alley, sidewalk, component of a County-owned storm drain system, or Water of the United States, any refuse, rubbish, garbage, litter or other discharged or abandoned objects, art...
Erosion Control
Tulare County requires a grading permit before excavation, fill, or dredging on unincorporated land, under Ordinance Code § 7-15-1360, adopted specifically to control erosion and stop sedimentation of watercourses under the Article 7 purpose clause, § 7-15-1350.
Tulare County Grading Permit Erosion Control
Some RestrictionsTulare County Ordinance Code §§ 7-15-1350, 7-15-1360
The purpose of this article is to safeguard the public, minimize hazards to property, control erosion and protect against sedimentation of watercourses and protect the safety, use and stability of public rights-of-way by establishing standards and providing regulations to control excavation, grading and earthwork construction. ... A grading permit shall be obtained before beginning any grading,...
Flood Zones
Unincorporated Tulare County requires a Building Permit before any construction or development begins in a special flood hazard area shown on the county's Flood Insurance Rate Maps. The Planning and Development Director and Public Works Director jointly administer the program as Floodplain Administrators, and applications must include site elevations and flood data.
Tulare County Flood Zone Development Permit Rules
Some RestrictionsTulare County Ordinance Code § 7-27-1090
A Building Permit shall be obtained in accordance with Chapter 15 of this Part before construction or development is commenced within any area of special flood hazard established in section 7-27-1020 of this Chapter. In addition to the requirements of Chapter 15, an application for a Building Permit shall be made on forms furnished by the Planning and Development Director and may include, but n...
Vehicle Idling Restrictions
Tulare County caps diesel-fueled commercial vehicle idling at 5.0 minutes at any location under Ordinance Code § 3-04-1020, mirroring the state's Title 13 CCR § 2485 rule. It applies only to vehicles over 10,000 pounds GVWR operating in the unincorporated county, and a violation carries a minimum $300 civil penalty on top of possible criminal fines.
Tulare County Diesel Commercial Vehicle Idling Limit
Some RestrictionsTulare County Ordinance Code § 3-04-1020(a)
(a) Idling: The driver of any vehicle subject to Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations, Section 2485 and this Chapter shall comply with the following requirements, except as noted in Section 3-04-1030 below: (1) The driver shall not idle the vehicle's primary diesel engine for greater than 5.0 minutes at any location. (2) The driver shall not operate a diesel-fueled auxiliary power sys...
Flood Elevation Requirements
New construction and substantial improvements in unincorporated Tulare County flood zones must have the lowest floor elevated to the minimum set by the California Building Code and ASCE 24. When no base flood elevation exists on the flood map (Zone A), the county can require elevation to at least two feet above the highest adjacent grade or the design flood elevation, whichever is higher.
Tulare County Base Flood Elevation Standards
Some RestrictionsTulare County Ordinance Code § 7-27-1180(c)(2)
If the Planning and Development Director and Public Works Director determine that it is unreasonable to determine the base flood elevation pursuant to Section 7-27-1100(b) then the Planning and Development Director and Public Works Director may require that any new construction or substantial improvement of any structures defined in ASCE 24 shall have the bottom of the lowest floor, including b...
Environmental Rules by City in Tulare County
1 cities in Tulare County have their own environmental rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Tulare County ordinances
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