Dock, pier and float rules in Danville, California
Danville's municipal code sections we reviewed don't regulate docks, piers or floats. Danville is an inland town with creeks but no harbor, lake or navigable shoreline.
No dock rules
Danville is an inland town. None of the documents we reviewed (the single-family zoning chapter, the ADU ordinance, the Planning Division's accessory structure and setback handouts, and the Bay Area Air District's burning rule) mention docks, piers, wharves or floats.
Building near creeks
The 2019 single-family zoning text says additions and new structures on lots next to creeks must meet creek setbacks set by the County Flood Control District or the City Engineer, so check with the Town before building anything near a creek.
Waterfront elsewhere
State and federal agencies regulate docks on tidelands and navigable waters; see the state rules for details.
See how Danville compares with 8+ other California towns on docks, piers & floats →
Next steps
- We found no Town dock permit process; contact the Danville Planning Division (925-314-3310) or Engineering about any structure near a creek on your lot.
Common questions
- Does Danville, California regulate docks or piers?
- No. The Danville municipal code sections and Planning handouts we reviewed don't mention docks, piers, wharves or floats. Danville is an inland town with creeks but no harbor, lake or navigable shoreline.
- Can I build near a creek in Danville, California?
- Possibly, with Town review. The 2019 single-family zoning text says additions and new structures on lots next to creeks must meet creek setbacks set by the County Flood Control District or the City Engineer, so check with the Planning Division or Engineering before building near a creek.
- Who regulates docks on waterways near Danville, California?
- State and federal agencies regulate docks on tidelands and navigable waters. We found no Town dock permit process in Danville.
California state rules for docks and piers
A private dock or pier often needs several approvals beyond a city building permit.
- State Lands Commission lease: the Commission controls state-owned tidelands and submerged lands and the beds of navigable rivers, lakes and bays (Pub. Res. Code §6301). A private dock or pier on those lands generally needs a lease. The Commission must charge rent for private recreational piers on state lands, based on local fair rental values (§6503.5). In some harbors the Legislature has granted tidelands to a city, county or port district, which manages them instead.
- Coastal development permit: in the coastal zone a dock needs a CDP (§§30106, 30600). On tidelands, submerged lands or public trust lands, the Coastal Commission issues it, even where the city has a certified Local Coastal Program (§30519(b)).
- San Francisco Bay (BCDC): around the Bay you need a permit from the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission to place fill. Under the McAteer-Petris Act, "fill" includes pilings, structures on pilings, and floating docks moored for long periods (Gov. Code §66632). BCDC's jurisdiction covers the Bay and a 100-foot shoreline band (§66610). The Coastal Act's coastal zone does not include BCDC's area.
- Streams and lakes: work that changes the bed, bank or channel of a river, stream or lake requires notifying the Department of Fish and Wildlife (Fish & Game Code §1602).
- Federal: structures in navigable waters generally need a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit.
- Local: many harbors and marinas also require a city or harbor-district permit.