Public Works Project Clean Water

Activities That Require Public Works / Project Clean Water Department Review

All discretionary development or redevelopment projects that meet any of the following criteria must install measures to treat and remove anticipated pollutants from storm water runoff: - Residential development equal to or greater than 1.0 acre - Commercial, industrial , and transportation / vehicle facilities which are 0.5 acres or greater - Single-Family Hillside Residences - 100,000 Square Foot Commercial Developments - Automotive Repair Shops - Retail Gasoline Outlets - Restaurants - Home Subdivisions with 10 or more housing units - Parking lots 5,000 square feet or more or with 25 or more parking spaces and potentially exposed to storm water runoff Treatment measures can be flow-through (i.e., filter) or detention Fixed fees are collected by Planning and Development for development review A deposit is collected by Public Works for Plan Check. (*Water quality treatment facilities may or may not be associated with Flood Control detention facilities in accordance with the Floodplain Management Ordinance; however, please note that these are two separate programs.

Public Works Department Review Process

Plans are submitted and reviewed in accordance with the Standard Conditions for Project Plan Approval –Water Quality. Review will evaluate overall system performance, based on the following recommendations: - Simple, low maintenance treatment methods are preferable - Treatment measures should be distributed throughout the development, thereby treating smaller discreet areas - Pollutants are best removed by combining methods in a treatment train approach Design guidelines and resources for protecting water quality and treating storm water runoff are available on the Project Clean Water website.

Additional Role Of Planning and Development

Planning and Development will review and approve projects with conditions to protect water quality, except those required by Public Works / Project Clean Water, described in Sections I and II above. Examples of measures that may be required by Planning and Development may include, but are not limited to, the following examples: - Use of permeable surfaces such as turf block, porous pavement, unit pavers on sand, or intermittent permeable surfaces such as French drains shall be used for all parking areas, driveways, patios, sidewalks around buildings, etc.     - Onsite retention of storm water runoff, infiltration, and recharge where feasible     - Labeling of storm drains that dumping waste is prohibited (i.e., “Don’t dump, drains to ocean”)     - Biofilters/bioswales for projects of 5 or more lots     - Roof runoff collection and disposal system through infiltration, French drains, irrigation system, or landscaped areas     - Fuel dispensing areas shall be covered with runoff directed away to prevent drainage across fueling area vii. Parking lot cleaning program for lots greater than 5,000 square feet     - Submittal of a Storm Water Quality Management Plan for any project identified as having a significant storm water quality impact Design guidelines and resources for protecting water quality and treating storm water runoff are available on the Project Clean Water website.

Contact

Cathleen Garnand, Project Clean Water Civil Engineering Associate
(805) 568-3561
Santa Barbara County Water Agency
123 E. Anapamu Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Reception line: (805)568-3440
http://www.countyofsb.org/project_cleanwater

We welcome your questions and comments on this site.

Created by the County of Santa Barbara for the benefit of its citizens and inhabitants.