San Diego's Coastal Overlay Zone under SDMC §132.0401 et seq. applies to all property within mapped coastal boundaries. A Coastal Development Permit (CDP) may be required before any construction permit is issued. The Coastal Height Limit Overlay Zone limits buildings to 30 feet between the Pacific Ocean and I-5 per §132.0505. Sea level rise regulations under §132.0404 apply supplemental standards within a 75-year horizon. Changes require California Coastal Commission certification as Local Coastal Program Amendments.
San Diego's coastline stretches from La Jolla and Torrey Pines in the north through Mission Beach, Ocean Beach, and Point Loma to the southern border. The city maintains a certified Local Coastal Program with the California Coastal Commission. Coastal Development Permits are required for most construction, grading, or land use changes within the Coastal Zone. Torrey Pines and La Jolla bluffs have strict protections due to geological instability and endangered habitat. The city has adopted sea level rise adaptation planning with vulnerability assessments for coastal infrastructure. Public beach access must be preserved in all coastal development.
Unpermitted coastal development: Coastal Commission enforcement action. Restoration orders. Fines up to $15,000 per day of violation under the Coastal Act.
San Diego, CA
San Diego allows backyard recreational fires under San Diego Fire Code Section 511.0307 (adopting 2022 California Fire Code Section 307) when the fire is no ...
San Diego, CA
San Diego enforces 2022 California Residential Code Section R314 and California Health and Safety Code Sections 13113.7 and 13114 through the San Diego Build...
San Diego, CA
San Diego has no city ordinance regulating residential lawn ornaments, statuary, or religious displays on private property. California Civil Code § 4710 limi...
San Diego, CA
San Diego has no city ordinance specifically regulating residential inflatable holiday displays. Inflatables are permitted on private property subject to SDM...
San Diego, CA
San Diego has no city ordinance specifying installation dates, removal deadlines, or brightness limits for residential holiday lights. Amplified outdoor audi...
San Diego, CA
Built-in outdoor kitchens in San Diego require multiple permits through the Development Services Department: a building permit for the structure, a gas-line ...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in San Diego County.
See how other cities in San Diego County handle coastal development.
See how San Diego's coastal development rules stack up against other locations.
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