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Chapter 54 — STORM WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND DISCHARGE CONTROL

§ 54.022 DEFINITIONS.

Eureka Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · updated 2026-07-25 · Eureka

The terms used in this chapter shall have the following meanings:

BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. Activities, prohibitions, practices, or maintenance procedures that prevent or reduce the discharge of pollutants or discharges directly or indirectly to the municipal storm drain facilities and waters of the State and/or United States. Best Management Practices include but are not limited to: treatment facilities to remove pollutants from storm water; operating and maintenance procedures; facility management practices to control runoff, spillage or leaks of non-storm water, waste disposal, and drainage from materials storage; erosion and sediment control practices; and the prohibition of specific activities, practices, and procedures and such other provisions as the city determines appropriate for the control of pollutants.

CITY. The City of Eureka.

CLEAN WATER ACT. The federal Water Pollution Control Act, also known as the Clean Water Act, 33 USC § 1251 et seq., and any subsequent amendments thereto.

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY. Activities subject to NPDES Construction permits. These include construction projects resulting in land disturbance of one acre or more. Such activities include but are not limited to clearing and grubbing, grading, excavating and demolition.

DIRECTOR. The City of Eureka Public Works Director.

DISCHARGE OF POLLUTANTS. The introduction of pollutants into the city's storm drainage facilities or any waters of the United States.

DISCHARGER. The person, corporation, partnership or other entity directly causing or allowing the discharge.

HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES. Without limitation, any material that because of its quantity, concentration, or physical or chemical characteristics, poses a significant present or potential hazard to human health and safety or to the environment if released into the work place or the environment. HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES include, but are not limited to, those substances included within the definitions of “hazardous substance,” “hazardous waste,” “hazardous material,” “toxic substance,” “solid waste,” or “pollutant or contaminant” in any local, state or federal law or regulation. (California Health and Safety Code § 25117). ILLICIT CONNECTIONS. An ILLICIT CONNECTION is defined as either of the following:

(1) Any drain or conveyance, whether on the surface or subsurface, which allows an illicit discharge to enter the storm drain

facilities, including but not limited to any conveyances which allow any non-storm water discharge, including sewage, process wastewater, and wash water to enter the storm drain facilities and any connections to the storm drain facilities from indoor drains and sinks, regardless of whether said drain or connection had been previously allowed, permitted or approved by a government agency; or

(2) Any drain or conveyance connected from a commercial or industrial land use to the storm drain facilities which has not been documented in plans, maps or equivalent records and approved by the city.

ILLICIT DISCHARGE. Any direct or indirect non-storm water discharge to the storm drainage facilities, except as exempted in § 54.040.

INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY. Activities subject to NPDES Industrial permits as defined in 40 CFR, § 122.26(b)(14). NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES) STORM WATER DISCHARGE PERMITS. Permit issued pursuant to § 402 of the Clean Water Act, 33 USC. 1342, and administered by the State of California under the authority of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, permitting the discharge of pollutants into navigable waters of the United States.

NON-STORM WATER DISCHARGE. Any discharge to the storm drain facilities that is not composed entirely of storm water. POLLUTANT. Anything which causes or contributes to pollution. POLLUTANTS may include, but are not limited to: paints, varnishes, and solvents; oil and other automotive fluids; non-hazardous liquid and solid wastes and yard wastes; refuse, rubbish, garbage, litter or other discarded or abandoned objects and accumulations, so that same may cause or contribute to pollution; floatables; pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers; hazardous substances and wastes; sewage, fecal coliform and pathogens;

dissolved and particulate metals; animal wastes; wastes and residues that result from constructing a building or structure (including but not limited to sediments, slurries, and concrete rinsates); and noxious or offensive matter of any kind. A pollutant shall also include any increment or increase in the total volume or rate of storm water runoff resulting from any activity or development occurring after the effective date of this chapter in which a storm water limit had been set as a condition of approval.

POLLUTION. The human-made or human-induced alteration of the quality of waters by pollutant(s) to a degree which unreasonably affects, or has the potential to unreasonably affect, either the waters for beneficial uses or the facilities which serve these beneficial uses (California Water Code § 13050).

PORTER-COLOGNE ACT. The Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act and as amended (California Water Code § 13000 et seq.).

PREMISES. Any building, lot, parcel of land, or portion of land whether, improved or unimproved, including adjacent sidewalks and parking strips.

STORM DRAINAGE FACILITIES. The storm and surface water drainage systems comprised of storm water control facilities and any other natural facilities which store, control, treat and/or convey storm and surface water. STORM DRAINAGE FACILITIES shall include all natural and constructed elements used to convey storm water from the first point of contact with the surface of the earth to a suitable receiving body of water or location, internal or external, to the boundaries of the city. They shall include: pipes, appurtenant features, culverts, streets, curbs, gutters, pumping stations, channels, streams, ditches, wetlands, detention/retention basins, ponds, and other storm water conveyance and treatment facilities whether public or private.

ntact with the surface of the earth to a suitable receiving body of water or location, internal or external, to the boundaries of the city. They shall include: pipes, appurtenant features, culverts, streets, curbs, gutters, pumping stations, channels, streams, ditches, wetlands, detention/retention basins, ponds, and other storm water conveyance and treatment facilities whether public or private.

STORM WATER. Any flow occurring during or following any form of natural precipitation, and resulting therefrom, including snow melt, surface runoff and drainage.

WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES. Surface watercourses and water bodies as defined at 40 CFR § 122.2, including all natural waterways and definite channels and depressions in the earth that may carry water, even though such waterways may only carry water during rains and storms and may not carry storm water at and during all times and seasons. (Ord. 705-C.S., passed 1-17-06)

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Contents — Eureka Zoning Code
Eureka Zoning Code
  1. Article I — NAME AND SEAL; FORM OF GOVERNMENT; BOUNDARIES; MUN…
  2. Article II — ELECTIONS
  3. Article III — CITY COUNCIL
  4. Article IV — MAYOR
  5. Article V — ORDINANCES
  6. Article VI — ADMINISTRATION
  7. Article VII — FISCAL ADMINISTRATION
  8. Article VIII — OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES
  9. Article IX — FRANCHISES
  10. Article X — INITIATIVE, REFERENDUM AND RECALL
  11. Article XI — MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
  12. Chapter 10 — GENERAL PROVISIONS
  13. Chapter 30 — CITY COUNCIL
  14. Chapter 31 — CITY OFFICIALS
  15. Chapter 32 — CITY DEPARTMENTS
  16. Chapter 33 — BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES
  17. Chapter 34 — PERSONNEL POLICIES
  18. Chapter 35 — FINANCE, REVENUE AND TAXATION
  19. Chapter 36 — HEALTH FACILITY REVENUE BONDS
  20. Chapter 37 — ELECTIONS
  21. Chapter 38 — CIVIL EMERGENCIES
  22. Chapter 39 — CITY POLICY
  23. Chapter 40 — TRANSFERS OF CITY-OWNED REAL PROPERTY
  24. Chapter 50 — SEWERS
  25. Chapter 51 — SOLID WASTE
  26. Chapter 52 — UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICTS
  27. Chapter 53 — WATER
  28. Chapter 54 — STORM WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND DISCHARGE CONT…
  29. Chapter 55 — ENERGY
  30. Chapter 56 — STREETS
  31. Chapter 70 — GENERAL PROVISIONS
  32. Chapter 71 — TRAFFIC RULES
  33. Chapter 72 — STOPPING, STANDING AND PARKING
  34. Chapter 73 — BICYCLES
  35. Chapter 75 — MOBILE VENDORS OPERATING UPON A STREET
  36. Chapter 90 — ABANDONED VEHICLES
  37. Chapter 91 — ANIMALS
  38. Chapter 92 — FIRE PREVENTION
  39. Chapter 93 — PARKS AND RECREATION
  40. Chapter 94 — HEALTH AND SANITATION
  41. Chapter 95 — MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
  42. Chapter 96 — PARADES AND ASSEMBLIES
  43. Chapter 97 — SMOKING
  44. Chapter 98 — STREETS AND SIDEWALKS
  45. Chapter 99 — TRAINS AND RAILROADS
  46. Chapter 100 — HARBOR REGULATIONS
  47. Chapter 101 — FILMING
  48. Chapter 102 — BEEKEEPING
  49. Chapter 103 — PRIVATE SECURITY AND FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS
  50. Chapter 104 — MILITARY EQUIPMENT USE
  51. Chapter 110 — BUSINESS LICENSES
  52. Chapter 112 — AMBULANCES
  53. Chapter 113 — AMUSEMENTS
  54. Chapter 114 — CABLE TELEVISION SYSTEMS
  55. Chapter 115 — FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS AND OUTDOOR DINING AREAS
  56. Chapter 117 — MASSAGE PARLORS
  57. Chapter 118 — SOLICITORS, CANVASSERS, AND SIDEWALK VENDORS
  58. Chapter 119 — SECOND-HAND DEALERS
  59. Chapter 120 — TAXICABS AND LIMOUSINES
  60. Chapter 121 — OTHER VEHICLES FOR HIRE
  61. Chapter 122 — FOREIGN-TRADE ZONE
  62. Chapter 130 — OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC PEACE AND SAFETY
  63. Chapter 131 — PROPERTY OFFENSES
  64. Chapter 132 — DRUG OFFENSES
  65. Chapter 133 — WEAPONS OFFENSES
  66. Chapter 134 — ABATEMENT OF CHRONIC NUISANCE PROPERTIES
  67. Chapter 150 — BUILDING REGULATIONS
  68. Chapter 151 — AIRPORT ZONING
  69. Chapter 152 — PLANNING AND ZONING ADMINISTRATION
  70. Chapter 153 — FLOOD HAZARD AREA REGULATIONS
  71. Chapter 154 — SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS
  72. Chapter 155 — ZONING REGULATIONS
  73. Chapter 155 — ZONING REGULATIONS (old)
  74. Chapter 156 — COASTAL ZONING REGULATIONS
  75. Chapter 157 — HISTORIC PRESERVATION
  76. Chapter 158 — CANNABIS
  77. Chapter 159 — WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES

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