Pismo Beach, CA Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)

Erosion control in the City of Pismo Beach comes from two places: the Stormwater Quality Ordinance in Chapter 13.28 and the grading appendix the city adds to its building code in § 15.08.010.

Under § 13.28.150, a person with a project that includes a grading permit or any other permit likely to create a source of pollution submits an erosion control plan. Before the city issues a permit for activities that could contribute to pollution of the storm drain system, the applicant must also submit a storm water pollution prevention plan, called a SWPPP, which the Public Works Director approves. The SWPPP is a living document that must be adjusted during construction to meet unforeseen conditions and changing work. If BMPs are inadequate, an illegal discharge results and the permit holder fails to fix it immediately after notice, the city issues a stop work order until it is fixed (§ 13.28.150 E). Section 13.28.160 B repeats the stop work consequence for failing to maintain construction BMPs.

Section 13.28.260 B is the hard stop: at a construction site with inadequate erosion and sediment controls, the director gives verbal notice and issues a notice of violation, and the city allows no other site work until the controls are in place.

The grading appendix in § 15.08.010 adds site rules. Erosion control measures must conform to the City of Pismo Beach Storm Water Management Plan, the Erosion and Sediment Control Field Manual published by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region, NPDES permit requirements and the 2025 California Green Building Standards Code (J110.3). Hillside areas are properties with slopes of 10 percent or more, and no grading starts on slopes greater than 30 percent unless the Planning Commission or City Council approves (J101.3). Building construction cannot start until the building official or city engineer verifies that rough grading conforms to the approved plan, including any interim or permanent erosion control measures deemed necessary (J101.4). For subdivisions, § 16.52.020 conditions every approved map on grading and erosion control, including prevention of sedimentation or damage to off-site property and wildlife habitats.