Fresno County, CA Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- Fresno County Code Chapter 15.28
- State code adopted
- 2022 CBC/CRC Chapters 18, 33 and Appendix J
- Trigger
- Final inspection withheld until erosion control complete
- Enforcing official
- County Grading Official
- Cross-effect
- Building permit final approval waits on grading closeout
Summary
Fresno County requires every grading permit to complete erosion-control measures before the county will approve final inspection. Chapter 15.28 adopts the California Building Code's Appendix J grading standards, amended locally so that drainage facilities, protective devices and erosion control must all be finished and verified before the Grading Official closes out the permit.
The permittee shall notify the Grading Official when the grading operation is ready for Final Inspection. Final approval shall not be given until all work, including installation of all drainage facilities and their protective devices, and all erosion-control measures have been completed in accordance with the final approved Grading Plan, and the required reports have been submitted.
If an owner or contractor completes his portion of the work described when the Grading Permit was issued, he may request a Completion Notice for this portion of work prior to the Final Completion Notice or the expiration of the Grading Permit.
9.Concurrent Permits. Any grading work which is done in preparation for a structure, must obtain final approval of the Grading Permit prior to final approval of the corresponding Building Permit unless other provisions have been made.
V.Appendix J, Section J111 and Chapter 35 Referenced Standards is amended to add the following referenced standards: ASTM D 1556, In Place Density of Soils by the Sand-Cone
ASTM D 2167, In Place Density of Soils by the Rubber-Balloon Method
ASTM D 2922 In Place Density of Soil by Nuclear Methods (Shallow Depth)
ASTM D 2937, In Place Density of Soils by the Drive-Cylinder Method.
ASTM D 2922 and D 3017, In Place Moisture Contact and Density of Soils by Nuclear Methods.
ASTM D 3017, In Place Water Content of Soil by Nuclear Methods (Shallow Depth).
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
020 rewrites several of those state provisions with county-specific amendments. U, spells out the completion sequence: the permittee has to notify the Grading Official when the grading operation is ready for final inspection, and the county withholds final approval until all work, including installation of every drainage facility and its protective devices, and all erosion-control measures, has been completed in accordance with the approved Grading Plan and the required geotechnical reports have been submitted. The same amended section requires professional inspection during the work itself: a retained Soils Engineer has to observe grading and compaction testing, and a Civil Engineer and Engineering Geologist cover their own technical specialties, with any discrepancy from the approved plan reported immediately in writing to both the permittee and the Grading Official.
If the engineer of record changes mid-project, grading stops until the replacement accepts responsibility in writing. Concurrent building permits cannot receive final approval until the corresponding grading permit closes out first, which ties erosion-control completion directly to a project's ability to finish construction. These amendments were most recently carried forward by Ordinance No. 23-001 on February 28, 2023.
Violations & Fines
A grading operation that has not finished its erosion-control measures, drainage facilities and protective devices cannot pass final inspection. The Grading Official can refuse to issue the Notice of Completion, which in turn blocks final approval of any related building permit, and can require the permittee, Civil Engineer or Soils Engineer to submit revised plans before work proceeds further.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Fresno County require erosion control to be finished?
Who checks that erosion control was actually installed?
Can I get my building permit finaled before the grading permit is done?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fresno County
California rules heatmap·Compare Fresno County to another location·View the California environmental rules overview
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