Long Beach, CA Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- LBMC 18.75, Grading, Excavations and Fills
- Permit issuer
- Building Official (Sec. 18.04.010)
- Minimum pad drainage slope
- 2% to approved device or street
- Bond trigger
- Over 500 cubic yards cut/fill
- Terrace spacing on slopes
- Required every 30 vertical feet
- General penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine / 6 months jail
Summary
No grading, excavation or fill work in Long Beach may start without a Building Official-issued permit under LBMC Chapter 18.75. The chapter also sets hard drainage numbers: graded pads must slope at least 2% to an approved device or street, and runoff can't be dumped across property lines beyond pre-grading levels.
18.75.010 B. Permits required. Except as exempted in Section 18.04.020, no grading shall be performed without first having obtained a permit as required by Section 18.04.010 therefore from the Building Official. ... 18.75.070 D. Drainage across property lines shall not be permitted except for drainage that does not exceed that which existed prior to grading. Excess or concentrated drainage shall be contained on site or directed to an approved drainage facility. ... E. Site drainage. All pads with cut or fill shall slope a minimum of two percent (2%) to an approved drainage device or to a public street. EXCEPTION: Where the slope of the underlying natural ground does not exceed three percent (3%) and the compacted fill is less than three feet (3') in depth, the slope of the pad may be reduced to one percent (1%).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 52 Update 1 | City Charter: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
75, "Grading, Excavations and Fills," governs any clearing, cutting or filling of land in the city. 020. 07. F). 030 layers on a surety or cash bond requirement for any grading involving more than 500 cubic yards of cut or fill, or work the Building Official deems potentially hazardous; the bond guarantees the work is completed and hazards corrected, and it isn't released until the Building Official signs off. 070 sets the operative drainage standards: pads must slope a minimum of 2% to an approved drainage device or public street (reducible to 1% only where natural ground slope is under 3% and fill is under three feet deep); terraces at least six feet wide are required at 30-foot vertical intervals on cut or fill slopes over that height, with swales graded at a minimum 5% and paved in at least 3 inches of concrete; interceptor drains are required atop cut slopes with a tributary width over 40 feet; and cross-property drainage is capped at pre-grading levels, with excess flow contained on-site or routed to an approved facility. Buildings within five feet of a slope top need dedicated drainage devices carrying water to a public street.
Violations & Fines
Grading without a permit, or grading that violates the approved plans, is enforced by the Building Official under Title 18's general permit and stop-work provisions (Section 18.03.020), and can trigger bond forfeiture under Section 18.75.030 to fund City-ordered corrective work. As a Municipal Code violation generally, it is punishable under Chapter 1.32 as a misdemeanor, up to a $1,000 fine, up to six months in jail, or both, or, where charged as an infraction, up to a $1,000 fine, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to regrade my Long Beach yard?
How much slope does my drainage need after grading?
Can I drain my graded lot onto my neighbor's property?
When does Long Beach require a grading bond?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Long Beach
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