Dock, pier and float rules in Pasadena, California
Pasadena's ordinances we reviewed don't regulate docks, piers or floats; the city is inland with no harbor or lake frontage in its code. Any structure near the Arroyo Seco slope bank needs a Hillside Development Permit, and structures can't extend over the slope bank's top edge.
| Dock/pier rules | None in the code reviewed [1] |
| Structures at the Arroyo Seco slope bank | None over or below the top edge on mapped lots [1] |
No dock rules
The Pasadena municipal code chapters we reviewed (zoning, animals, fire, floodplain and hedges/fences) don't mention docks, piers, floats or boat launches. Pasadena is an inland city, and the code we reviewed has no harbor, lake or shoreline provisions.
Structures near the Arroyo Seco
The closest related rule protects the Arroyo Seco: on lots shown on the Arroyo Seco Slope Bank Map, no structure may extend over or below the top edge of the slope bank [1], and any structure within 20 feet of the top edge needs a Hillside Development Permit. A platform, deck or similar structure projecting toward the Arroyo would fall under that rule.
What to do
For any structure in or over a stream channel, talk to the Planning Division first and see the Building Near the Water page; state Fish and Wildlife notification may also apply.
See how Pasadena compares with 8+ other California towns on docks, piers & floats →
Next steps
- Contact the Pasadena Planning Division before placing any structure near the Arroyo Seco or another watercourse.
- See the Building Near the Water page for slope-bank and floodplain rules.
Common questions
- Are docks or piers regulated in Pasadena, California?
- Pasadena's ordinances we reviewed don't regulate docks, piers or floats. The city is inland with no harbor or lake frontage in its code.
- Can I build a structure near the Arroyo Seco in Pasadena, California?
- It depends. Any structure near the Arroyo Seco slope bank needs a Hillside Development Permit, and structures can't extend over the slope bank's top edge.
- Who do I contact before building near a watercourse in Pasadena, California?
- Contact the Pasadena Planning Division before placing any structure near the Arroyo Seco or another watercourse.
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. 17.29.050.D, Zoning Code Chapter 17.29 - Hillside Overlay Districts (Arroyo Seco slope bank)
No structure shall extend over or below the top edge of the Arroyo Seco slope bank on a lot identified on the Arroyo Seco Slope Bank Map, dated May 11, 2004, a copy of which is maintained by the City Clerk.