7 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Tuolumne County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Tuolumne County regulates stormwater through its grading ordinance and development review process. The Engineering Division reviews projects for drainage, erosion control, and stormwater management compliance.
Tuolumne County requires erosion control measures for all grading and development projects. The county's steep Sierra foothill terrain and seasonal rains make erosion prevention a significant concern during construction.
Tuolumne County is an inland Sierra Nevada foothill county with no coastline. The California Coastal Act and Coastal Development Permits do not apply. The county is located approximately 130 miles east of the Pacific coast.
California Coastal Commission — Coastal Zone Boundary Maps (Public Resources Code § 30103; Coastal Act of 1976)
ate the need for a formal boundary determination. 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 Divis...
Tuolumne County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA flood maps designate flood hazard areas along waterways including the Tuolumne River and its tributaries. The county maintains emergency alert systems for flood events and provides flood preparedness information.
Tuolumne County requires grading permits for significant earthwork. The Engineering Division reviews all grading plans for drainage, erosion control, and slope stability in the Sierra foothill terrain.
Tuolumne County regulates development along waterways and lake shorelines to protect water quality and natural habitats. The county's General Plan and zoning ordinances establish setback requirements and development restrictions near rivers, streams, and reservoirs including Don Pedro Reservoir, New Melones Lake, and the Tuolumne and Stanislaus Rivers. Projects within riparian buffer zones require additional review.
Property owners in unincorporated Tuolumne County must maintain 100 feet of defensible space around all structures under California Public Resources Code 4291 and Tuolumne County Ordinance Code Chapter 8.14 (Hazardous Vegetation Management). Most of the county is a State Responsibility Area protected by CAL FIRE Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit (TCU), and AB 3074 added a mandatory 0-5 foot ember-resistant Zone 0 to the framework.
California Public Resources Code Section 4291
4291. (a) A person who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains a building or structure in the state responsibility area shall at all times do all of the following: (1) (A) Maintain defensible space of 100 feet from each side and from the front and rear of the structure, but not beyond the property line, except as provided in subparagraph (B). The amount of fuel modification necessary sha...
2 cities in Tuolumne County have their own environmental rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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