To protect water resources managed by the Santa Clara Valley Water District, modifications, entry, use or access to water district facilities and/or property or easements are regulated by the Water Resources Protection Ordinance . An encroachment or construction permit is required for any activity or construction on District property and for activities or construction on an easement that may interfere with the purpose of the easement. Permits are not required for access to District properties where recreational trails have been constructed. The permit application form provides further explanation of permit requirements and the permitting process.
In November 2010 the Board of Directors adopted a standard rate schedule effective Jan. 3, 2011 establishing fees to recover costs associated with the issuance of encroachment permits and certain other activities.
The District has developed a cost sharing program for common property fences. A permit must be obtained prior to construction. The application for this special type of permit and participation requirements for the cost sharing program is accessible on the Good Neighbor Fencing page.
The Water Resources Protection Manual (see links below) was adopted by the Board of Directors along with the adoption of the Water Resources Protection Ordinance. It provides both requirements and guidance for the issuance of encroachment permits. In addition, the manual incorporates by reference other documents and policies promulgated by the Chief Executive Officer.
For your convenience, this 117-page document has been broken down into five more easily downloadable sections:
A series of informational handouts (see links below) were developed by the Santa Clara Valley Water District for easy reference and to provide summaries of key topics. These handouts are provided below:
For more information regarding obtaining permits for construction on or adjacent to District facilities, and encroachments on district property or easements, please contact the Community Projectes Review Unit at (408) 265-2607, ext. 2650.