Novato, CA Environmental Rules: Boat Dock Permits (2026)

Section 19.16.050 of the Novato Zoning Ordinance creates the Flood Hazard (F) overlay district. The F1 overlay applies to lands within a primary floodway, including water channels and adjacent flood plains. Under subsection B.1, allowable land uses in F1 are limited to boat docks, with Use Permit approval. Section 19.42.050 sets the Use Permit processing requirements, and the zoning tables note that Design Review can also apply under Section 19.42.030.

The base districts add their own rule. In Table 2-2 of Section 19.08.030, the row for marinas, docks and piers shows UP in each of the A, OS, ROS and C districts. The zoning ordinance defines marinas, docks and piers as facilities for storing, servicing, fueling, berthing and securing and launching of private pleasure craft or commercial boats.

Where a site also carries the Baylands (B) overlay, Section 19.16.030 requires Use Permit approval for any development, alteration to land or new land use in addition to the primary district permit, except routine maintenance of existing facilities. It also calls for a constraints analysis prepared under the City's Constraints Analysis Guidebook and a Habitat Restoration and Management Plan for any disturbance within sensitive habitat. Buffers between tidal areas and developed uses are a minimum of 100 feet from mean highest high water, except for access and recreation. Jetties, piers and outfalls cannot alter the movement patterns of the bay tides and currents so that significant adverse impacts would result, and in tidal areas only water dependent land uses are permitted with a use permit.

The City permit is not the only one. Section 19.01.040.G says nothing in the zoning ordinance eliminates the need to comply with the regulations of any County, regional, State, or Federal agency.