Santa Cruz County, CA Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- SCCC Ch. 7.79, Runoff and Pollution Control
- Core prohibition
- No nonstormwater discharge off-site
- Rainy-season BMP window
- October 15 to April 15
- Illicit connection correction deadline
- 1 year of 2012 ordinance
- Penalty class
- Infraction under Ch. 1.12 SCCC
- Appeal deadline
- 14 calendar days
Summary
Santa Cruz County bans any nonstormwater discharge from leaving private property or entering the storm drain system, receiving waters, or groundwater. New development and redevelopment must control runoff volume, rate and pollutant load under County BMP design criteria, and violations are enforced as public nuisances.
(A) Discharges Prohibited. No person shall commence, continue, or permit any nonstormwater discharge to leave private property, enter the storm drain system, enter receiving waters of the County, or percolate into groundwater. ... (7) Individual residential car washing where the discharge is minimized by use of a bucket, hose with automatic shut-off valve or pressure washer; (8) Swimming pool discharges that cannot be discharged to landscaping or sanitary sewer system and which do not have detectable levels of chlorine or bromine or harmful levels of pH or other constituents.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 5004302; v11 updated 2026-05-19; through 05-19-2026).
Full Breakdown
040, no person may commence, continue, or permit any nonstormwater discharge to leave private property, enter the storm drain system, enter receiving waters of the county, or percolate into groundwater. The chapter carves out narrow exemptions: unpolluted water-line flushing, emergency firefighting flows, unpolluted groundwater, discharges covered by an NPDES permit or County-issued written exemption, contained irrigation water, bucket-and-hose residential car washing, and dechlorinated pool water discharged where it lacks harmful chlorine, bromine or pH levels. 050, including pre-existing connections, which had to be corrected within one year of the 2012 ordinance's effective date.
070. 100 requires a stormwater pollution control plan with BMPs before the County issues permits under Titles 12, 13, 14, 16 and 18, with rainy-season measures required to be installed from October 15 through April 15 each year. 22 SCCC, so as to prevent runoff in excess of predevelopment conditions and maintain predevelopment groundwater recharge; a violation of stormwater conditions attached to a land use entitlement or building permit is independently a violation of this chapter. 030.
Violations & Fines
The County issues a written notice of violation under § 7.79.190 that can order monitoring, elimination of illicit connections, cessation of the offending discharge, installation of BMPs, and remediation of any drainage damage, all on a set compliance timeline; if the deadline is missed the County or its contractor can do the work and bill the violator for costs, fines and fees. Any violating condition is separately deemed a public nuisance subject to abatement under § 7.79.200. Section 7.79.230 sets the penalty for violating the chapter as an infraction under Chapter 1.12 SCCC. Decisions may be appealed to the relevant department director within 14 calendar days under § 7.79.210, and administrative exceptions to chapter requirements can be requested under § 7.79.220 where special site circumstances justify relief.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I wash my car in my driveway in unincorporated Santa Cruz County?
What triggers a stormwater pollution control plan for construction?
What happens if I violate the runoff and pollution control chapter?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Cruz County
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Cruz County to another location·View the California environmental rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.