The County recognizes the current requirements of the State Water Resources Control Board general permits for construction, industrial and municipal activities. In addition to the requirements of these general permits, the County may adopt additional requirements identifying BMPs for any activity, operation, or facility which may cause or contribute to pollution or contamination of storm water, a County-owned storm drain system, or waters of the United States.
(Added by Ord. No. 3438, effective 9-13-12)
(a) 
The Director shall adopt requirements identifying appropriate Best Management Practices to control the volume, flow rate, and potential pollutant load of storm water runoff from residential, commercial, or industrial activities and processes carried on within the unincorporated areas of the County, as may be appropriate to minimize the generation, transport and discharge of pollutants, the likelihood of polluting storm water, the need for maintenance, and the chance of failure. Design guidelines are outlined in the most recent version of the California BMP Handbooks prepared by the California Stormwater Quality Association (CASQA).
(b) 
Notwithstanding the presence or absence of requirements pursuant to subsection (a), any responsible party engaged in activities or operations, or owning facilities, premises or property which will or may result in pollutants entering storm water or a County-owned storm drain system, shall implement Best Management Practices to the extent they are technically feasible and the costs would not be prohibitive, as determined by the Director, to prevent and reduce such pollutants.
(Added by Ord. No. 3438, effective 9-13-12)
Where BMP requirements are adopted by the County or any Federal, State of California, or regional agency for any activity, operation, or facility which may cause or contribute to storm water pollution or contamination, illicit discharges, and/or discharge of non-storm water or pollutants to a County-owned storm drain system or water of the United States, every person undertaking such activity or operation, or owning or operating such facility, shall comply with such requirements as may be prescribed by the Director within the time limit or under the conditions set forth in the BMP for compliance.
(Added by Ord. No. 3438, effective 9-13-12)
Prior to issuing any improvement plan approval, the applicant must submit to the County a State issued project WDID number to confirm preparation of a SWPPP prior to construction. This section applies only to projects that are already required by the State to prepare a SWPPP.
(Added by Ord. No. 3438, effective 9-13-12)
Whenever the Director finds that a project may pose a higher risk to cause or contribute to storm water pollution, illegal discharges, and/or non-storm water discharges to a County-owned storm drain system, then the Director may require the SWPPP be submitted and reviewed. The SWPPP would be reviewed to confirm that the SWPPP includes detailed information describing the potential sources of pollution that may be created by the project being permitted and the recommended BMPs that will be applied. The information provided shall be sufficiently detailed as to be used to direct a contractor to perform the BMPs and to recognize whether the BMP is achieving the required effect.
(Added by Ord. No. 3438, effective 9-13-12)
The County will adopt, by resolution, design standards requiring appropriate post construction improvements, to control the volume, rate, and potential pollutant load of storm water runoff from new development projects to minimize the generation, transport and discharge of pollutants. Such requirements are incorporated, unless specifically waived by the Director, in any land use entitlement and construction or building-related permit to be issued relative to such development insofar as the waiver is in compliance with all current State and Federal regulations. The owner and developer shall comply with the terms, provisions, and conditions of such land use entitlements and building permits as required in this Chapter. This article shall be implemented in compliance with the Post-Construction Standards outlined in Section XIII of the California Storm Water General permit, 2009-0009-DWQ, as amended.
(Added by Ord. No. 3438, effective 9-13-12)
Projects that include a grading permit or any other permit that is likely to create a source of pollution may require a NPDES Compliance Assurance Deposit. Developers are required to submit a deposit as required in the County of Tulare Development Fee Schedule with issuance of the grading permit to ensure NPDES compliance in accordance with the permittee's approved SWPPP. Should a permittee have inadequate BMPs, resulting in an illegal discharge, and fail to implement or maintain necessary BMPs to comply with this Article immediately upon receiving notice from the County or its contractor, permittee will install the BMPs and subtract payment for this service from the compliance deposit. If that occurs, the developer must replenish the deposit. The County will issue a stop work order on the project until the deposit is replenished to the original amount. The balance of funds will be returned to the permittee at the time the permit receives final clearance. The permittee is subject to further penalties and fines as provided for in this Chapter.
(Added by Ord. No. 3438, effective 9-13-12)
Any person engaged in activities or operations, or owning facilities or property which will or may result in pollutants entering storm water or the storm drain system, shall implement BMPs to prevent and reduce such pollutants. The owner or operator of a commercial or industrial establishment shall provide protection from accidental discharge of prohibited materials or other wastes into a County-owned storm drain system. Facilities to prevent accidental discharge of prohibited materials or other wastes shall be provided and maintained at the owner or operator's expense.
(Added by Ord. No. 3438, effective 9-13-12)
For the purposes of implementing Section 374 of the California Penal Code and the requirements of this Chapter, property owners are required to mark and/or post all drainage inlets that have a connection to the waters of the United States, either directly or through a portion of the storm drain system, as follows:
(a) 
Signs. Owners of an apartment complex consisting of four or more units shall be responsible for causing a sign to be posted in a conspicuous location as close as possible to each drainage inlet with the following wording in English and Spanish:
YOU DUMP IT, YOU DRINK IT
PENAL CODE 374
COUNTY OF TULARE
(b) 
Placard. Owners of new developments shall be responsible for ensuring a placard, or stencil, conforming to County standards and County-approved wording, be installed at each drainage inlet.
(c) 
Maintenance. All owners shall be responsible for maintaining any storm water markings, and/or postings on their property ensuring they remain legible.
(Added by Ord. No. 3438, effective 9-13-12)