Santa Clarita, CA Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- SCMC Chapter 10.04, Stormwater and Runoff Pollution Control
- Trigger
- Applying for any grading or building permit
- Required proof
- NOI and SWPPP kept on site during construction
- Erosion BMPs
- Wet-season grading limits, rain inspections, slope covering
- Concrete washout
- Banned citywide except a City-designated wash area
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor under Section 10.04.080
- Enforcement
- Administrator issues notices of violation, Section 10.04.090
Summary
Santa Clarita requires proof of a filed stormwater Notice of Intent and a completed Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan before it issues a grading or building permit on projects that trigger the state construction permit. Municipal Code Section 10.04.070 also forces smaller sites to retain sediment on site and control slope erosion with BMPs, backed by misdemeanor penalties.
Each person applying to the City for a grading or building permit, for projects for which compliance with regulations governing State Construction Activity Stormwater Permits ("GCASPs") is required, must submit satisfactory proof to City (i) that a notice of intent (NOI) to comply with the GCASP has been filed and (ii) that a stormwater pollution prevention plan has been prepared before the City shall issue any grading or building permit on the construction project. ... Each person applying for a grading or building permit for any project for which compliance with regulations governing State Construction Activity Stormwater Permits is not required shall submit to the City for information, and shall implement a grading and construction activity runoff control program adequate to accomplish all of the following: ... 4. Control erosion from slopes and channels through use of effective BMPs, such as limitation of grading during the wet season, inspection of graded areas during rain events; planting and maintenance of vegetation on slopes, if any, and covering any slopes susceptible to erosion.
Full Breakdown
04, the stormwater and urban runoff pollution control ordinance, sets the local erosion and sediment control rules for construction sites. Before the City issues any grading or building permit on a project that triggers the state's General Construction Activity Stormwater Permit (GCASP), the applicant must show the City a filed Notice of Intent to comply with the GCASP and a completed Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP); copies of both documents must stay on site through grading and construction so any City inspector can review and copy them on request.
070(C) still requires a grading and construction activity runoff control program that retains sediment on site with treatment or structural BMPs, keeps construction materials and spills from reaching streets, drains, the storm drain system or neighboring properties, contains non-stormwater runoff from equipment and vehicle washing on site, and controls erosion from graded slopes and channels through measures such as limiting grading during the wet season, inspecting graded areas during rain events, planting and maintaining slope vegetation, and covering slopes prone to erosion. 070(F)). 090.
Violations & Fines
Section 10.04.080 makes any violation of Chapter 10.04, of an approved SWPPP, of a stormwater permit condition, or of an administrative order issued under the chapter a misdemeanor. The Administrator can issue a notice of violation or an administrative order under Section 10.04.090 to force compliance on the site, and failing to comply with that order is itself a separate, additional violation of the chapter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Santa Clarita require a SWPPP for construction projects?
What erosion control measures does the code require on graded slopes?
Can I wash out a concrete truck on a Santa Clarita job site?
What happens if a contractor violates the erosion control rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Clarita
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