Dock, pier and float rules in Los Gatos, California
Los Gatos's ordinances we reviewed don't regulate docks, piers or floats; the town's waterways are creeks. Any structure in a mapped flood hazard area along a creek would need a floodplain development permit and any required state and federal permits.
| Dock/pier rules | None in the code reviewed [1] |
| Development in a flood hazard area | Floodplain development permit required [2] |
No dock rules
The Los Gatos Town Code sections we reviewed don't mention docks, piers, floats or boat launches, and the town has no harbor or shoreline regulations in these documents.
Structures along creeks
If you're considering a footbridge, platform or similar structure along a creek, development in a mapped flood hazard area needs a floodplain development permit from the Floodplain Administrator first [2], and state and federal permits (such as from the State Water Resources Control Board or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) must be obtained before work starts [1]. See the Building Near the Water page for floodplain and riparian rules.
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Next steps
- Contact the Los Gatos Planning Division and Parks and Public Works before placing any structure in or over a creek.
- See the Building Near the Water page for floodplain and riparian rules.
Common questions
- Can I build a private dock in Los Gatos, California?
- Los Gatos's ordinances we reviewed don't regulate docks, piers or floats; the town's waterways are creeks.
- Do I need a permit to build near a creek in Los Gatos, California?
- Any structure in a mapped flood hazard area along a creek would need a floodplain development permit and any required state and federal permits.
- Does Los Gatos, California have rules for piers or floats?
- No. None appear in the code we reviewed.
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.
What the ordinance says
- Sec. 29.90.130, Town Code Chapter 29, Article IX - Floodplain Management, p. 1
The applicant shall obtain all other required state and federal permits prior to initiating work authorized by this Article and shall provide documentation of such permits to the Floodplain Administrator.
- Sec. 29.90.115, Town Code Chapter 29, Article IX - Floodplain Management, p. 1
Any person, owner, or authorized agent who intends to conduct any development in a flood hazard area shall first make application to the Floodplain Administrator and shall obtain the required permit for floodplain development.