Santa Clara, CA Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)

050(a) requires all construction site owners and operators to implement and maintain adequate and effective erosion control, runon and runoff control, sediment control, active treatment systems where appropriate, dewatering, good site management, and nonstormwater management through every phase of construction, including grubbing, clearing, grading, filling, excavation, leveling, building, landscaping, and finishing of lots, until the site is fully stabilized by landscaping or permanent erosion control measures; temporary measures must then be removed. Subsection (b) requires owners and operators to submit an erosion and sediment control plan for City review and approval, built from seasonally appropriate best management practices (BMPs) described in the City's Municipal Regional Stormwater NPDES Permit (MRP).

Subsection (c) raises the bar for larger sites: any site disturbing one acre or more of soil must file a Notice of Intent (NOI) for coverage under the state construction general permit and develop a site-specific Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) through a qualified developer, with evidence of permit coverage due before the City issues building, grading, demolition, or site improvement permits. Subsection (d) requires owners and operators to give City representatives access to inspect BMPs before ground disturbance, during construction, and after completion, and to produce the SWPPP and permit coverage evidence on request. 070, with citation authority held by the City Manager or designated agents.