San Diego is taking significant steps to enhance its storm resilience with the advancement of Assembly Bill 3227, known as the "Streamlining Storm Water Channel Maintenance Act."

In partnership with Assemblymember David Alvarez and sponsored by the City of San Diego, this bill, which passed the State Legislature last week, is designed to cut through red tape, allowing San Diego and other California cities to more effectively maintain storm channels. 

Assembly Bill 3227 would specifically expedite routine maintenance of storm water channels and facilities by eliminating administrative delays that are usually imposed by the California Environmental Quality Act. The bills will apply to channels that are fully concrete or have less than a 100-year storm capacity to ensure they are adequately maintained ahead of significant weather events.

Stormwater channel maintenance can be difficult to conduct due to state and federal regulatory and administrative requirements. It typically takes 1-2 years to secure environmental permits and approvals from various agencies for most channel maintenance work as well as a specific commitment for wetland mitigation.

More severe winter storms have increased the urgency to reduce this regulatory burden so that channels can be cleared and reinforced ahead of significant weather events.

“I’m grateful for Assemblymember Alvarez’s partnership in taking this issue on,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “We are making San Diego more storm-resilient amid the changing climate. These crucial bills will significantly ease the exceptionally burdensome regulatory process, enabling San Diego and other local governments to clear and maintain storm channels more efficiently. I urge Governor Newsom to sign these bills into law.”

This bill in conjunction with Assemblymember Alvarez’s AB 2501, which authorizes local governments to fund technical assistance and permitting for stormwater projects, would mean San Diego is better positioned to manage the challenges of a changing climate and the more severe weather expected from it.

“As the San Diego Councilmember who represents the Southcrest community, which was devastated by flooding caused by the January 2024 winter storms, it is clear that quicker project reviews and cutting red tape to improve storm channels will help protect our communities from future disasters, said Councilmember Vivian Moreno. “For these reasons, AB 2501 and AB 3227 are critical to ensuring cities, like San Diego, can upgrade storm water infrastructure expeditiously to prevent future flooding events.”

The Jan. 22 storm caused widespread flooding that damaged hundreds of properties and displaced over 1,000 people from their homes. Following the storm, an emergency declaration allowed the City to perform emergency channel maintenance for 18 miles of channels citywide, including 12 miles in the Chollas Creek watershed. Mayor Todd Gloria has included funding in the Fiscal Year 2025 budget to continue maintaining those 18 miles of channels.

AB 2501 and AB 3227 are currently waiting the Governor’s signature.