Santa Barbara County Municipal Code Art. XIV Geologic Hazards

A. Where the general condition of the soil or underlying rock of a building site is such that it may present a potential for failure, or a hazard to the health, safety and welfare of the public, the building official may require any additional information as necessary to ascertain the safety and stability of the site and any building or structures constructed or to be constructed on said site.

B. When determined by the building official that the soil or underlying rock on a given site has the potential for failure, slippage, subsidence, or other movement, the building official may require that the plans for a proposed building or structure on said site be prepared by a licensed engineer and approved by a licensed engineering geologist and the building official.

(Ord. No. 5270, § 1, 11-18-2025)

A. It shall be unlawful for any building or structure in the Isla Vista bluffs area, as identified in the Local Coastal Plan, to be constructed or located in violation of the provisions of Policy 3-4 of the Local Coastal Plan and subsequent revisions of the policy.

Exceptions:

1. Structures or improvements specifically designed to protect existing buildings or structures from damage caused by soil erosion or subsidence of the bluff and consistent with Policy 3-4 of the Local Coastal Plan.

2. Structures or improvements specifically designed to protect the bluff against further subsidence and erosion consistent with Policy 3-4 of the Local Coastal Plan.

B. Buildings constructed in the Isla Vista bluffs area shall have roof, ground surface, and subsurface drainage designs approved by the building official.

C. Except for the required safety fence five feet to the top of the bluff and in compliance with the required set-back of the Section 1808.7 of 2019 California Building Code. For setbacks of buildings, see section 35-67 of the coastal zoning ordinance.

D. It shall be unlawful for any improved property adjacent to the Isla Vista Bluffs to fail to have in place, within five feet of the bluff face or at such other location as is approved by the building official, a safety fence at least six feet in height and compliant with the safety and structural provisions of the guardrail requirements of the current adopted version of the California Building Code.

1. Owners of such properties shall make application for installation of such fencing within sixty days of the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter and shall have the required fencing in place with one hundred eighty days of the effective date of the ordinance.

2. Should soil or other conditions make it unsafe to place the safety fence within five feet of the bluff face, the building official may authorize alternative placement (i.e. balcony or patio railings).

3. Should further recession of the bluff face so require, the owner shall move the safety fence as may be necessary.

4. Any such fence shall be marked at least each fifty feet or once per lot, whichever is greater, with a warning sign approved by the building official for this purpose.

5. The provisions of this section shall not apply to the property commonly identified in the county records as assessor parcel number 075-181-035.

(Ord. No. 5270, § 1, 11-18-2025)

It shall be unlawful for any building or structure in the Naples bluffs area, as identified in the Local Coastal Plan, to be constructed or located in violation of Policy 3-4 of the Local Coastal Plan. All such buildings and structures shall have a roof, ground surface, and subsurface drainage designs approved by the building official.

(Ord. No. 5270, § 1, 11-18-2025)

New buildings constructed within soil contaminated areas, as determined by the building official and the director of environmental health shall meet the requirements of the County of Santa Barbara Hazardous Material Recovery and Soil Remediation Program.

(Ord. No. 5270, § 1, 11-18-2025)