Ventura County, CA Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Coastal Development Permit for grading
- Report required
- Hydrology and hydraulics report
- Storm events analyzed
- 2-, 10-, 50-, 100-year
- Reviewing agencies
- Public Works & Resource Management
Summary
Grading in unincorporated Ventura County's coastal zone requires a Coastal Development Permit, and applicants must submit a hydrology and hydraulics report showing storm flow won't increase beyond pre-development rates.
Development shall be designed so that any difference (i.e., increase) in storm flow rate or amount must either be percolated into the ground onsite or released at the undeveloped flow rate from the site. ... (a) Grading permit applications must include a hydrology and hydraulics report, prepared by a civil engineer, that includes a map showing the entire drainage area and the estimated runoff of the area.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 51).
Full Breakdown
The County's Coastal Zoning Ordinance requires a Coastal Development Permit before grading in the unincorporated coastal zone; the rule doesn't reach the ten incorporated cities or inland areas outside the coastal zone. Development must be designed so any increase in storm flow is either percolated on-site or released at the pre-development rate. Grading permit applications must include a hydrology and hydraulics report from a civil engineer, mapping the drainage area and estimating runoff, examining 2-, 10-, 50-, and 100-year storm events. The Public Works Agency and Resource Management Agency review applications for conformance.
Violations & Fines
Grading or development that increases off-site storm flow beyond the pre-development rate, or that proceeds without an approved hydrology report, violates the permit standards and can block or revoke the Coastal Development Permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to grade land in unincorporated Ventura County?
Can grading increase runoff onto my neighbor's property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ventura County
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