All work in the public Right-of-Way requires an approved encroachment permit. Please visit the City’s Encroachment Permit web page to learn more about how to apply for an encroachment permit.

Above certain thresholds, all projects that create or replace impervious areas are subject to the Regional Water Quality Control Board’s Post Construction Requirements. Please visit the City’s Post Construction Requirements web page for more information about how to properly design, construct, and maintain these improvements in a compliant way.

Development in a floodplain must comply with FEMA requirements. Typically, this includes elevating residential structures above Base Flood Elevations (BFE) and/or flood-proofing structures to reduce the risk of damage during a flood. The City participates in the National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System which helps reduce and avoid flood damage to insurable property, strengthen and support the insurance aspects of the NFIP, and fosters comprehensive floodplain management. Below are useful links for property owners, residents, and permit applicants looking to comply with the City’s floodplain management regulations:

FEMA Map Service Center

FEMA Elevation Certificate Form (with instructions)

FEMA Floodproofing Certificate

Flood Brochure

Letter for Property Owners in a FEMA Flood Zone

Letter for Realtors – Flood Service Notice

Letter for Repetitive Loss Area Properties

City of SLO Waterway Management Plan

In addition to FEMA Requirements, the City, in collaboration with the County of San Luis Obispo Zone 9 Flood Control District, established the Waterway Management Plan in 2003. Volume 3 (the Drainage Design Manual) includes requirements for all projects within the San Luis Obispo Creek watershed to manage flood risks.

City of SLO Flood/Stormwater Public Mapping Portal

Please use this mapping tool, in addition to the FEMA Map Service Portal, to locate properties within an area of special flood hazard, as identified by FEMA, the City’s Mid-Higuera area of special flood hazard (Drainage Design Manual), and other important property-specific data points.

Applicants looking to obtain construction permits for development on private property must adhere to the City’s grading and drainage requirements. City staff have developed a useful guide to help inform applicants when a licensed professional is required to prepare grading and drainage designs for their projects. Please use the Grading and Drainage Design Requirements for Development Projects  in conjunction with the City’s other Building Permit Application Checklists when applying for permits.

The City of San Luis Obispo reviews applications for Final Subdivision Maps, Lot Line Adjustments, Lot Mergers and Certificates of Compliance in accordance with the requirements of the California Subdivision Map Act. To apply for one of these approvals, please use the appropriate checklist located in the Additional Resources section below.

Dev Rev Documents Online

Public Works Documents Online