Ventura, CA Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Rainy season
- November 1 through April 15 each year
- Grading cap
- 250 cubic yards max if hazardous
- Device deadline
- Erosion control devices in by November 1
- Plan approval deadline
- City Engineer approval by October 1
- Enforcing agency
- City Engineer, Community Development
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $1,000 fine or 6 months jail
Summary
Ventura caps rainy-season grading and requires erosion control devices under Municipal Code Section 12.215.030(L). Between November 1 and April 15, no grading job over 250 cubic yards can start on a permitted site if the City Engineer finds it a safety risk. Contractors must install anti-erosion devices, desilting basins and drainage controls before November 1 each year, enforced by the City Engineer's office.
That period between the first day of November and the following fifteenth day of April is hereby determined to be the period in which heavy rainfall normally occurs in the city of San Buenaventura. During this period, no grading work in excess of 250 cubic yards will be authorized to start on any single grading site under permit where the city engineer determines that such work will endanger the public health or safety. ... Previously authorized grading work which extends into the rainy season shall be protected by incorporating temporary erosion control devices. ... All persons performing any grading operations during that period designated as the rainy season shall put into effect all safety precautions which are necessary in the opinion of the city engineer. All loose dirt shall be removed from the grading site and adequate anti-erosion or drainage devices, debris basins and other safety controls to protect the public health, safety and welfare and private and public property from damage of any kind shall be installed. All temporary erosion control devices, including desilting basins, shall be installed not later than the first day of November of each year.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-008, passed May 12, 2026).
Full Breakdown
030(L)(1)). During that window, the City Engineer will not authorize any grading job exceeding 250 cubic yards on a single permitted site if the work is found to endanger public health or safety. 030(L)(2)). 030(L)(3)). 030(L)(4)). 030(L)(6)). The City Engineer administers the whole division and can suspend a permit outright if site conditions turn out to differ from what the application described.
Violations & Fines
Grading division violations, including a failure to install required erosion control devices under Section 12.215.030(L), are misdemeanors under Section 12.220.040(E). Each day a violation continues is a separate offense, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both. The City Engineer can also issue a written stop-work order under Section 12.220.040(E)(3) halting any grading until the erosion hazard is corrected and approval is regained.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Ventura's rainy-season grading restriction apply?
What happens if I do not install erosion control devices in time?
Who reviews my erosion control plan before the rainy season?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ventura
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Erosion Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Ventura County handle erosion control.