Brentwood, CA Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit trigger
- any grading, filling or excavation
- No-permit disturbance limit
- 10,000 sq ft or less
- No-permit soil volume limit
- 50 cubic yards or less
- Watercourse buffer for exemption
- 50 feet minimum
- First-violation fine
- $100
- Third-and-later fine
- $1,000 each
- Grading work hours
- 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. weekdays
Summary
Brentwood requires a grading permit for most land-disturbing work and mandates erosion and sediment control measures on every graded site. Small disturbances under 10,000 square feet can skip the permit if strict size and slope limits are met.
1. The site upon which land area is disturbed or filled is ten thousand square feet or less; ... ... 1. Erosion and sediment control measures shall be implemented as specified by the approved interim and final sediment and erosion control plans. Erosion and sediment control measures shall be consistent with the Manual of Sediment and Erosion Control Practices and the California Storm Water Best Management Practices Handbook, published by the Storm Water Task Force, 1993. 2. No grading shall be conducted as to cause erosion or flooding of any natural drainage. ... Fines shall be one hundred dollars for the first violation, two hundred fifty dollars for the second occurrence of the same violation (regardless of subcontractor) and one thousand dollars for each subsequent violation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4604307; v5 updated 2025-12-09).
Full Breakdown
030(A). A project of one acre or more must first file a notice of intent with the Regional Water Quality Control Board and prepare a stormwater pollution prevention plan before the city will issue the grading permit. 030(B) lets small jobs skip the permit only if all seven conditions are met together: the disturbed area is 10,000 square feet or less, natural and finished slopes are under 10 percent, disturbed or stored soil volume is 50 cubic yards or less, diverted runoff comes from an area under 5,000 square feet, any new impervious surface is under 5,000 square feet, no drainageway is blocked, and the work stays at least 50 feet from a watercourse bank or wetland.
060(F) requires erosion and sediment control measures consistent with the Manual of Sediment and Erosion Control Practices and the California Storm Water Best Management Practices Handbook, bars grading that causes erosion or flooding of natural drainage, and requires sediment basins to detain runoff and trap sediment, with temporary dams and collected silt removed once work is done. m. with the city engineer's written approval, with no weekend or holiday work absent that approval.
Violations & Fines
Section 15.52.180 lets the city enforce Chapter 15.52 through the administrative citation procedure in Chapter 1.24 or any other code, state, or federal remedy, and can issue verbal warnings, correction notices, citations, or a stop-work order for failing to follow approved construction best management practices. Fines run $100 for a first violation, $250 for a second occurrence of the same violation regardless of subcontractor, and $1,000 for each subsequent violation, with the permit holder responsible for its agents' and subcontractors' compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a grading permit for a small backyard project in Brentwood?
What happens if a Brentwood construction site violates erosion control rules?
Can grading happen on weekends in Brentwood?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brentwood
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Erosion Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Contra Costa County handle erosion control.