Chapter 83.09 — INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT STANDARDS

San Bernardino County Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · updated 2026-07-25 · San Bernardino County

§ 83.09.010 Purpose. ¶

The purpose of this Chapter is to establish the infrastructure improvements required for proposed development in order to ensure that the development does not result in fiscal liabilities to County residents. The intent is to require an appropriate range of infrastructure facilities and services to support areas of high intensity development and areas of low intensity development. The requirements are based upon the direct relationship between the intensity of land uses and the amounts of facilities and services that are needed to support the uses. (Ord. 4011, passed - -2007)

§ 83.09.020 Applicability. ¶

The standards provided in this Chapter apply to all new residential and nonresidential subdivisions and nonresidential development in the Valley Region, Mountain Region, and Desert Region of the County. Where indicated, some of these standards may apply to ministerial permits (e.g., Building Permits). Infrastructure requirements for residential development on existing lots of record are listed in § 84.21.030 (Minimum Residential Construction Standards) and § 84.16.040 (Development Standards Applicable to All Multi-Family Projects).

The road dedication and street improvement standards provided in this Chapter do not apply to: (1) the alteration or enlargement of an existing building or structure on a lot or parcel of land if the total square footage of such alteration or enlargement, and all other alterations or enlargements completed three years prior to the date of the application for a permit for such alteration or enlargement, does not exceed one-half of the original square footage of all buildings and structures on such lot or parcel of land, or (2) the erection of one or more accessory structures (not including accessory dwellings) as defined in § 810.01.030(g) of the County Code. For purposes of this section, “original square footage” means the square footage of all buildings and structures that existed on such lot or parcel of land three years prior to the date of the application for such permit.

(Ord. 4011, passed - -2007; Am. Ord. 4181, passed - -2012)

§ 83.09.030 Infrastructure Improvement Standards - Valley Region. ¶

Table 83-9 identifies the infrastructure improvements required for all new residential and nonresidential subdivisions and non-residential development in the Valley Region.

Table 83-9 identifies the infrastructure improvements required for all new residential and nonresidential subdivisions and non-residential development in the Valley Region.

	Table 83-9 Infrastructure Improvement Standards Valley Region
Standards	Residential and Agricultural Land Uses (Lot sizes are the size of the resultant parcels after subdivision)			Commercial and Institutional Land Uses	Industrial Land Uses
	1 acre or less	More than 1 to less than 2.5 acres	2.5 acres or greater	All lot sizes	All lot sizes
	*Y = Yes* *NA =*	*Not Allowed* *N = Not required*

Table 83-9

Infrastructure Improvement Standards

Table 83-9 Infrastructure Improvement Standards
	Valley Region
Standards	Residential and Agricultural Land Uses (Lot sizes are the size of the resultant parcels after subdivision)			Commercial and Institutional Land Uses	Industrial Land Uses
	1 acre or less	More than 1 to less than 2.5 acres	2.5 acres or greater	All lot sizes	All lot sizes
	*Y = Yes* *NA =*	*Not Allowed* *N = Not required*
Legal and physical access	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Grants of Easements(1)(9)	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Paved Access(9)
Internal access (internal roads)	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Perimeter access (road abutting subject property)	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Off-site access (paving to nearest paved road)	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Curbs and gutters(2)(9)	Y	Y	Y(3)	Y	Y
Sidewalks(2)(9)	Y (2 sides)	Y(4) (1 side)	N	Y	Y
Street lights
Standard spacing including intersections	Y	N	N	Y	Y
Intersections only	N	N	Y	N	N
Water
Water purveyor(5)	Y	Y	Y or Y(6)	Y	Y
Substantiated water well	NA	NA		N	N
Sanitation
Sewer(7)	Y or Y	Y or Y	Y or Y	Y	Y
Septic systems(8)				N	N
Drainage improvements(9)	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Fireflow	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Notes:
(1) Necessary rights-of way for transportation	and circulation, drainage and flood control facilities, and utilities included.
(2) These requirements may be waived within infill areas where there is no plan or financing mechanism in place to provide such improvements to other existing properties and where, as a result, such improvements will not be connected to other infrastructure.

(3) The Public Works Department shall require curbs and gutters, if necessary, to control vehicle access and street drainage. May be required by Caltrans on State highways. (4) Sidewalks may be required on both sides of the street by the Public Works Department if needed for pedestrian safety. (5) Projects shall connect to a water purveyor when the nearest property line is within 200 ft. of a water line. This requirement shall be increased by 100 ft. for each dwelling unit in the project. (6) Individual well allowed if no water purveyor is available and when consistent with Water Master requirements in adjudicated groundwater basins. (7) Sewers shall be required within established sewer service districts and outside such districts when required by the WQCB. Projects shall connect to a sewer system when the nearest property line is within 200 ft. of a sewer line. This requirement shall be increased by 100 ft. for each dwelling unit in the project. (8) Septic systems are allowed only if the subject parcel is larger than one-half acre or meets WQCB requirements. (9) Waivers or modifications to these requirements may be considered pursuant to § 83.05.070 of this Code.

(Ord. 4011, passed - -2007; Am. Ord. 4242, passed - -2014)

§ 83.09.040 Infrastructure Improvement Standards - Mountain Region. ¶

Table 83-10 identifies the infrastructure improvements required for all new residential and nonresidential subdivisions and non-residential development in the Mountain Region.

Table 83-10

Table 83-10 identifies the infrastructure improvements required for all new residential and nonresidential subdivisions and non-residential development in the Mountain Region.
Table 83-10
	Infrastructure Improvement Standards Mountain Region
Standards	Residential and Agricultural Land Uses (Lot sizes are the size of the resultant parcels after subdivision)			Commercial and Institutional Land Uses	Industrial Land Uses
	1 acre or less	More than 1 to less than 2.5 acres	2.5 acres or greater	All lot sizes	All lot sizes
	*Y = Yes* *NA =*	*Not Allowed* *N = Not required*

Table 83-10

Table 83-10
	Infrastructure Improvement Standards Mountain Region
Standards	Residential and Agricultural Land Uses (Lot sizes are the size of the resultant parcels after subdivision)			Commercial and Institutional Land Uses	Industrial Land Uses
	1 acre or less	More than 1 to less than 2.5 acres	2.5 acres or greater	All lot sizes	All lot sizes
	*Y = Yes* *NA =*	*Not Allowed* *N = Not required*
Legal and physical accessY	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y

Grants of Easements(1)(10)	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Paved Access(10)
Internal access (internal roads)	Y	Y	N	Y	Y
Perimeter access (roads abutting subject property)	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Off-site access (paving to nearest paved road)	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Curbs and gutters(2)(3)(10)	Y	Y	N	Y	Y
Sidewalks(3)(4)(10)	N	N	N	Y	N
Street lights at intersections only (collectors or higher)(5)	Y	Y	N	Y	Y
Water
Water purveyor(6)	Y	Y	Y or Y(7)	Y or Y(7)	Y
Substantiated well water	NA	NA			N
Sanitation
Sewer(8)	Y or Y	Y or Y	Y or Y	Y	Y
Septic systems(9)				N	N
Drainage improvements(10)	Y	Y	N	Y	Y
Fireflow	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Notes:
(1) Necessary rights-of way for transportation	and circulation, drainage and flood control facilities, and utilities included.
(2) The Public Works Department shall require curbs, gutters and sidewalks if necessary to control vehicle access, street drainage, and to provide pedestrian safety. Curb and gutters may be required by Caltrans on State highways.
(3) These requirements may be waived within infill areas where there is no plan or financing mechanism in place to provide such improvements to other existing properties and where, as a result, such improvements will not be connected to other infrastructure.
(4) Sidewalks may be required on both sides of the street by the Public Works Department if needed for pedestrian safety.
(5) Shall be in compliance with the requirements of Chapter 83.07 (Glare and Outdoor Lighting).
(6) Projects shall connect to a water purveyor when the nearest property line is within 200 ft. of a water line. This requirement shall be increased by 100 ft. for each dwelling unit in the project.
(7) Individual well allowed if no water purveyor is available for residential and institutional uses.
(8) Sewers shall be required within established sewer service districts and outside such districts when required by the WQCB. Projects shall connect to a sewer system when the nearest property line is within 200 ft. of a sewer line. This requirement shall be increased by 100 ft. for each dwelling unit in the project.
(9) Septic systems are allowed only if the subject parcel is larger than one-half acre or meets WQCB requirements.
(10) Waivers or modifications to these requirements may be considered pursuant to § 83.05.070 of this Code.

(Ord. 4011, passed - -2007; Am. Ord. 4242, passed - -2014)

§ 83.09.050 Infrastructure Improvement Standards - Desert Region.

Table 83-11 identifies the infrastructure improvements required for all new residential and nonresidential subdivisions and non-residential development in the Desert Region.

Table 83-11

Table 83-11 identifies the infrastructure improvements required for all new residential and nonresidential subdivisions and non-residential development in the Desert Region.
Table 83-11
	Infrastructure Improvement Standards Desert Region
Standards	Residential and Agricultural Land Uses (Lot sizes are the size of the resultant parcels after subdivision)			Commercial and Institutional Land Uses	Industrial Land Uses
	1 acre or less	More than 1 to less than 2.5 acres	2.5 acres or greater	All lot sizes	All lot sizes
	*Y = Yes* *NA =*	*Not Allowed* *N = Not required*

Table 83-11

Table 83-11
	Infrastructure Improvement Standards Desert Region
Standards	Residential and Agricultural Land Uses (Lot sizes are the size of the resultant parcels after subdivision)			Commercial and Institutional Land Uses	Industrial Land Uses
	1 acre or less	More than 1 to less than 2.5 acres	2.5 acres or greater	All lot sizes	All lot sizes
	*Y = Yes* *NA =*	*Not Allowed* *N = Not required*
Legal and physical access	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Grants of Easements(1)(16)	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Paved Access
Internal access (internal roads)	Y	Y	Y(2)(3)	Y(2)(3)	Y(4)
Perimeter access (roads abutting subject property)	Y	Y(2)(3)	Y(2)(3)	Y(2)(3)	Y
Off-site access (paving to nearest paved road)	Y	Y(2)(3)	Y(2)(3)	Y(4)	Y
Curbs and gutters(5)(6)(16)	Y	N(7)	N(7)	N(7)	N(7)
Sidewalks(6)(16)	Y (2 sides)	Y(8)(1 side)	N	N(8)	N(8)
Street lights
Standard spacing including intersections(9)	Y	N	N	Y	Y
Intersections only(9)	N	Y	N	N	N
Water
Water purveyor(10)	Y	Y(11)	Y or Y(12)	Y or Y(12)	Y or Y(12)

Substantiated water well	NA	N(11)
Sanitation
Sewer(13)	Y or Y	Y or Y	N	Y or Y	Y or Y
Septic systems(14)			Y
Drainage improvements(16)	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Fireflow(15)		Y	Y	Y	Y
Notes:
(1) Necessary rights-of way for transportation	and circulation, drainage and flood control facilities, and utilities included.
(2) This requirement shall not apply to subdivisions where the resultant parcel sizes are at least twice the minimum lot size for the land use zoning district in which they are located.
(3) This requirement applies to all subdivisions creating 5 or more parcels. It will not apply to subdivisions created by Parcel Map unless the subdivision is adjacent to an existing paved road.
(4) Required on driveway approach when accessed from a paved road. For alternate paving standards in parking areas, refer to § 83.11.090 (Parking and Loading Development Standards).
(5) A rolled asphalt berm may be substituted at the discretion of Public Works.
(6) These requirements may be waived within infill areas where there is no plan or financing mechanism in place to provide such improvements to other existing properties and where, as a result, such improvements will not be connected to other infrastructure.
(7) The Public Works Department shall require curbs and gutters, if necessary, to control vehicle access and street drainage. May be required by Caltrans on State highways.
(8) Sidewalks may be required on both sides of the street by the Public Works Department if needed for pedestrian safety.
(9) Shall be in compliance with the requirements of Chapter 83.07 (Glare and Outdoor Lighting).
(10) Projects shall connect to a water purveyor when the nearest property line is within 200 ft. of a water line. This requirement shall be increased by 100 ft. for each residential lot in the project.
(11) This requirement applies to all subdivisions creating 5 or more parcels. It will also apply to subdivisions created by Parcel Map if the provisions of § 83.09.060 cannot be met.
(12) Individual well allowed if no water purveyor is available and when consistent with Water Master requirements in adjudicated groundwater basins.
(13) Sewers shall be required within established sewer service districts and outside such districts when required by the WQCB. Projects shall connect to a sewer system when the nearest property line is within 200 ft. of a sewer line. This requirement shall be increased by 100 ft. for each residential lot in the project.
(14) Septic systems are allowed only if the subject parcel is consistent with the WQCB requirements or is not within sewer service district.
(15) Shall not be required for single-family dwellings and accessory structures on parcels of 2.5 acres or greater where such structures are located 50 ft. from the property lines. Structures on the same parcel shall be separated in compliance with County fire standards.
(16) Waivers or modifications to these requirements may be considered pursuant to § 83.05.070 of this Code.

(Ord. 4011, passed - -2007; Am. Ord. 4242, passed - -2014)

§ 83.09.060 Infrastructure Improvement Standards - Countywide. ¶

The water and sanitation provisions in Table 83-11 shall be met for proposed subdivisions created by Parcel Map in the Desert Region unless the following standards can be met:

(a) Wells shall be setback from all leach lines by 100 feet and from seepage pits by 150 feet.
(b) Wells shall be set back from all property lines where no leach lines exist on the adjacent property by 50 feet.
(c) Septic systems with leach lines shall be setback from all wells by 100 feet.
(d) Septic systems with leach lines shall be setback from property lines where no leach lines exist on the adjacent property by 50 feet.
(e) Septic systems with seepage pits shall be setback from all wells by 150 feet.
(f) Septic systems with seepage pits shall be setback from property lines where no leach lines exist on the adjacent property by 75 feet.
(g) Applicants providing a preliminary Composite Development Plan showing the envelope locations of the

building/house pad, septic tanks/pits/leach fields, and water well do not have to meet these requirements for the requirements listed above when supporting engineering data is provided demonstrating feasibility of septic systems and wells. The location will be denoted on the final Composite Development Plan that accompanies a Final Map or Parcel Map.

(Ord. 4011, passed - -2007)

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