Rialto regulates grading and on-site drainage through Title 15 (Buildings and Construction), which adopts California Building Code Appendix J. A grading permit is generally required for any earthwork exceeding 50 cubic yards, any cut or fill over 5 feet, or work that alters established drainage patterns. Drainage must convey runoff to an approved point of disposal without discharging concentrated flows onto adjacent property.
Title 15 of the Rialto Municipal Code adopts the latest California Building Standards Code (Title 24), including CBC Appendix J for grading, excavation, and earthwork. A grading permit issued by the Building & Safety Division is required for: cuts exceeding 5 feet or 50 cubic yards, fills exceeding 5 feet or 50 cubic yards, any grading that alters established drainage patterns affecting another parcel, and clearing within Hillside Overlay or floodway areas. The application package typically requires a soils/geotechnical report (per CBC §1803), drainage plan stamped by a California-licensed civil engineer, erosion/sediment BMP plan, and SWPPP if ≥1 acre. Concentrated runoff cannot be discharged onto adjacent properties (Cal. Civil Code §3479 nuisance and common-law drainage rules); flows must reach a public storm drain, channel, or approved retention/detention basin. Hillside grading along the foothills near the Cajon Pass requires additional slope stability analysis. Imported or exported soil exceeding 1,000 cubic yards typically requires a haul route approval. Projects within the San Bernardino County Flood Control District easements need separate encroachment permits.
Grading without a permit triggers stop-work, double-fee penalties under Title 15, and possible code-enforcement misdemeanor charges under Rialto Code §1.16. Discharge of concentrated runoff onto a neighbor's land is actionable as both a nuisance under Cal. Civil Code §3479 and a Title 13 stormwater violation. Failure to provide soils reports can lead to permit revocation and structural deficiencies that affect occupancy.
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