Petaluma, CA Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

060 forbids discharging anything other than stormwater into the city's MS4, the network of streets, curbs, gutters and storm drains that empties into local waterways without treatment. 070 exempts specific low-risk flows including diverted stream flows, foundation and footing drains, air conditioning condensate, individual residential car washing, dechlorinated swimming pool discharges and incidental over-spray from landscape irrigation, but only if the director has not identified that activity as a significant pollutant source. 100 separately bans illicit connections, meaning pipes or channels that let pollutants reach the MS4; anyone maintaining one when the chapter took effect in 2005 had thirty days to disconnect it or apply to the city for a permit to keep it.

New development and redevelopment projects that add five thousand square feet or more of impervious surface must install and maintain best management practices consistent with the California Stormwater Quality Association handbooks before the city will grant final occupancy. 230 authorizes a written notice to comply that can require monitoring, cease-and-desist of the discharge, remediation and a fine; a discharger has seventy-two hours to abate a spill, or as soon as possible for high-risk releases, and thirty days for uncontrolled pollutant sources. If the responsible party does not fix the problem, the city can abate it directly and bill the owner, and unpaid abatement costs become a special assessment lien against the property. the next business day, confirmed in writing within three business days.