The Engineering Division is responsible for the implementation of the City’s adopted five-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP), which consists of a variety of projects to construct, maintain, repair, and rehabilitate the City’s infrastructure and identifies future street improvement projects. The City's five-year CIP is based on the City's Pavement Management Plan and is consistent with the City's General Plan Circulation Element.

If you are interested in bidding for any of the City’s Projects, please visit the Procurement page for more information on current opportunities. 

Interactive Map of the upcoming City Projects coming soon!

Lot Line Adjustments, Lot Mergers, Final Parcel Maps, Final Tract Maps, Certificates of Compliance, and Offers of Dedication are processed through the Engineering Division. Applications and the process for each are found below. The Engineering Fee Schedule will help determine the City costs associated with Land Division Approvals and other Engineering related fees. Tentative Parcel and Tract Maps should be submitted to the Planning Department.

• Lot Line Adjustment Application
• Lot Merger Application
• Dedication Offer Application (with easement)
• Dedication Offer Application (without easement)

In 1972 the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, also referred to as the Clean Water Act, was amended to provide that the discharge of pollutants to the waters of the United States from any point source is effectively prohibited unless the discharge is in compliance with a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The City of Big Bear Lake along with 15 other cities, the San Bernardino County Flood Control District (District), and the County of San Bernardino (County), are co-permittees on an area-wide NPDES permit for the Santa Ana River watershed.

The City Local Implementation Plan (LIP) describes how the City implements the requirements of the MS4 permit within its own jurisdiction. More information can be found regarding stormwater quality management below:

Information for Businesses

To comply with the permit the City is required to inspect certain businesses annually to ensure effective implementation with Best Management Practices (BMP’s) to reduce the likelihood of pollutants entering the storm drain system. In addition, the City conducts FOG (Fats, Oils, and Grease) inspections annually to prevent FOG from clogging the sewer system.

Construction Projects

New development and redevelopment activities often offer opportunities to design and implement modern, permanent site and building features that may reduce or eliminate stormwater runoff and pollution throughout the lifetime of a facility or development. On the other hand, construction activities associated with development can contribute significant amounts of pollutants if BMPs are not properly deployed or "housekeeping" practices are not implemented.

As part of the 2010 Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Permit (MS4 Permit), adopted by the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB), and issued to San Bernardino County, all new development and significant redevelopment projects covered by this Order are required to incorporate Low Impact Development (LID) Best Management Practices to the maximum extent practicable (MEP).

New development and significant redevelopment projects are defined HERE. Any new building plans submissions or formal planning application submission will require prior review from the engineering department to determine the necessity of a Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP).

Water Quality Management Plans (WQMPs)

As part of the Building Permit submission process, all plans submission will be required to complete this checklist to determine if a project (as submitted) requires a project-specific Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP) for review by the Engineering Department PRIOR to permit application. Plan ahead for any new building plans submissions and formal applications through Planning. All checklists will be reviewed with the proposed plans submission. Checklists and plans can be emailed directly to engineering@citybigbearlake.com.

Submitting a Water Quality Management Plans (WQMP)

If your project is deemed a priority project according to the above, and the checklist that will be reviewed by the engineering department, the following will be required to submit your WQMP:

If any responses are “YES” then, hire a licensed civil engineer to prepare the plan using the guidance from the San Bernardino Public Works Department and the template for the Santa Ana River watershed. There is also a Technical Guidance Document that may help an engineer prepare the plan. The WQMP will be reviewed by the Engineering Department for completeness and conformity to the 2010 Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Permit (MS4 Permit), adopted by the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB).

Plan Review Fees. Pay the plan check review fee according to the project type, and acreage. Download the fee schedule HERE.

Preliminary WQMP. Commercial projects will require the preparation of a preliminary WQMP, which will set the basis for the Final WQMP. The Preliminary WQMP needs to be submitted as part of the DRC application and must be reviewed and approved prior to scheduling Planning Commission approval.

Final WQMP. The Final WQMP will be based upon the approved preliminary WQMP. Both PWQMP and FWQMP fees need to be paid for review. The FWQMP must be submitted PRIOR to building and safety plan check submittal.

Submit Hardcopies of the WQMP to the Engineering Department. Two (2) hardcopy submissions need to be in 3-ring binders, with all necessary sections filled out, and full size sheets of the site plan, drainage plan, and any exhibits need to folded and included in the binder. Incomplete submissions will not be accepted. For the first submittal for a residential WQMP, an electronic submission is acceptable. For preliminary WQMP and commercial final WQMPs the first submission must be two (2) hardcopies.

Reviewer will contact Engineer of Record for revisions. Our contract WQMP reviewer will contact the engineer to work through any revisions that may need to be made. Once all revisions have been made and the WQMP is approved, grading permit will be issued and one binder will need to be at the construction site at all times.

Construction Begins. Construction related to drainage structures will need to be inspected and photographed. Any field changes related to the WQMP must be approved in writing from the Engineering Department, and make require updated plans to be submitted for review to the Engineering Department.

Construction Completed. When seeking permit final approval applicant will need to submit the WQMP Maintenance Agreement. All fields will need to be filled out, including the owner’s notarized signature, then the document will need to be recorded with the San Bernardino County Recorder’s Office, and a copy will need to be provided to the Engineering Department before project is Final and Certificate of Occupancy is issued (for commercial projects). The Maintenance Agreement needs to be signed and notarized AFTER construction is completed.

Questions regarding the WQMP template or the process for review should be directed to engineering@citybigbearlake.com.

There are two different types of permits that the Engineering department issues:

Encroachment Permits

Driveway approach, street cut (utility and private), temporary (or permanent) placement of objects in the ROW

If you are planning on performing work in the City ROW please fill out the application, and email it to the Engineering Division.

Specifications for Street Cuts and Trenching can be found HERE. Contact the Engineering Division and for any permits for street cuts.

Sanitary Sewer System

Work performed on the City Sewer System, including new sewer lateral connections, sewer lateral repairs, and sewer cap-offs require a sewer permit. Please contact the Engineering Division for the application and process. Any work performed on the City Sewer system needs to be performed by one of the City Approved Contractors.

-Need help locating your sewer lateral or depth? Please contact the Engineering Division for a sewer map.

-New Sewer Connection Fees are updated every Fiscal Year (July 1)- the most recent schedule can be found here.

For improvements within the City ROW, the City uses the standard plans below.

• • • • Residential Driveway Approach (with curb and gutter)
      • Residential Driveway Approach (without curb and gutter)