Skip to main content
CityRuleLookup
Key FactsOrdinance TextFull BreakdownViolationsFAQSourcesMore in Madera

Madera, CA Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Requirement
Approved storm drain system for every subdivision
Design standard
Sized for watershed's ultimate development
Off-site duty
Protect abutting/off-site property from added runoff
Enforcement point
Required before final or parcel map approval
Reviewed by
City Engineer and City Council
Adopted
Ord. 252 C.S., passed August 3, 1981

Summary

Every new subdivision in Madera must collect and route its storm water runoff through an approved storm drain system sized for the watershed's full future development, not just the subdivider's own parcel. Madera Municipal Code Section 10-2.702.2 also makes the subdivider responsible for protecting neighboring and off-site properties from any increase in runoff the project causes.

Storm water runoff from the subdivision shall be collected and conveyed by an approved storm drain system. The storm drain system shall be designed for ultimate development of the watershed. The storm drain system shall provide for the protection of abutting and off-site properties that would be adversely affected by any increase in runoff attributed to the development; off-site storm drain improvements may be required to satisfy this requirement.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2024 S-50: Current through Ordinance 1010 C.S., passed 6-5-24).

Full Breakdown

Madera's subdivision improvement standards, in Title X, Chapter 2 of the Municipal Code (Ord. 701. 2, titled Storm Drainage, sets the standard governing runoff: the storm drain system serving the subdivision must be an approved system, and it must be engineered for the watershed's ultimate development, meaning the pipes and channels have to be sized for the drainage area as it will look once every parcel upstream is built out, not just for the lots in the current phase. The same section makes the subdivider responsible for the drainage impact on land outside the project boundary: the system must protect abutting and off-site properties from any increase in runoff the development causes, and the city can require the subdivider to build off-site storm drain improvements, such as extending a downstream channel or upsizing a receiving pipe, to satisfy that protection requirement.

5 requires underground utilities along subdivision streets, all reviewed by the City Engineer as part of the same subdivision improvement plan check that covers storm drainage design.

Violations & Fines

Section 10-2.701(B) blocks final approval outright: the City Council will not accept a final map, and the City Engineer will not accept a parcel map, until the subdivider has either built the required storm drainage and other improvements or signed a subdivision improvement agreement committing to complete them. The City Engineer's plan check under Section 10-2.702.2 can reject a drainage design that fails to protect abutting or off-site property from increased runoff.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Madera require new subdivisions to install storm drains?
Yes. Madera Municipal Code Section 10-2.702.2 requires storm water runoff from every subdivision to be collected and conveyed by an approved storm drain system, and the City Engineer will not accept the parcel or final map until that system, or a binding agreement to build it, is in place under Section 10-2.701.
How big does the storm drain system have to be?
The code does not let a developer size the system for just their own lots. Section 10-2.702.2 requires the storm drain system to be designed for the ultimate development of the watershed, meaning it has to handle the runoff expected once the whole drainage area upstream is fully built out.
Who pays for drainage improvements outside the subdivision boundary?
The subdivider does. Section 10-2.702.2 makes the developer responsible for protecting abutting and off-site properties from any increase in runoff the project causes, and the city can require off-site storm drain improvements as a condition of approval if that protection cannot be achieved on-site.
What happens if a subdivider skips the storm drainage requirement?
The map cannot be approved. Section 10-2.701(B) bars the City Council from accepting a final map, and the City Engineer from accepting a parcel map, until the required storm drainage and other improvements are either built or covered by a recorded subdivision improvement agreement.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Madera

Parking Rules: RV & Boat ParkingSome RestrictionsFlood ZonesSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Decibel LimitsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Driveway RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesHeavy RestrictionsParking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSignificant Restrictions

All Madera rules

California rules heatmap·Compare Madera to another location·View the California environmental rules overview

Get notified when Stormwater Management in Madera, CA changes

We'll email you the moment we detect a change in the code. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We'll never sell or share your email. One-click unsubscribe in every email.

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.