Design, Implement & Manage

The purpose of the Engineering Department, under the direction of the City Engineer, is to design, implement, and manage all civil improvement projects outlined in the City’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), such as street and utility improvements. The Engineering Department participates in long term City-wide planning efforts and coordinates with public works staff on day to day operations. The Engineering Department reviews all proposed development and re-development projects within the City for adherence to City requirements, municipal, state, and federal codes and regulations, and best engineering practices. The Engineering Department reviews all development plans, civil improvement plans, grading and drainage plans, utility plans, lot mergers, lot line adjustments, parcel maps, tentative maps, tract maps, and so forth, as part of any proposed project’s plan check review and prior to issuance of a grading or building permit.  The Engineering Department reviews and issues encroachment permits for all work proposed within the City’s Right of Way. In addition, the Engineering Department manages and oversees the City’s municipal storm water program.

The City Engineer is Leon Gomez with Harris & Associates. Since 2019, the local office of Harris & Associates has provided municipal engineering services to the City of Sand City. Harris & Associates is located at 450 Lincoln Avenue, Ste. 103 Salinas, CA 93901; Telephone (831) 789-8670.

For links to permit applications and forms, go to (planning department page with links to applications/forms)

Contact the Engineering Department for the Following:

• Encroachment Permit Applications and/or Questions
• City Standard Details
• Engineering Requirements for Development Projects
• Storm Water Management Requirements for Development Projects
• Construction Site Storm Water Management Requirements
• Grading and Drainage Requirements
• Lot/Parcel Merger Information

Utilities within Sand City

Drinking Water System

All water service within the City of Sand City is provided by the California American Water Company (Cal-Am) Monterey Water System. The Cal-Am Monterey Water System is a community drinking water system that serves the City of Sand City and other Cities on the Monterey Peninsula.

Desalination Facility

The Sand City Water Supply Project (SCWSP) consists of four intake wells located on the beach, a reverse-osmosis (RO) plant, an injection welt for concentrate disposal, and associated pipelines. The City is now accepting permit applications for new development as the City has an adequate water supply via the new desalination facility. The desalination plant is located at 321 Shasta Avenue in Sand City, California.

On tour of the Sand City Desalination Plant, former City Engineer Richard Simonitch is interviewed by Jaymi Heimbuch of Green Planet (A Discovery Company). Click here.

For more information on the Sand City Water Supply Project and the development of a municipal desalination plant, refer to Desalination Plant Seaside Post June 2010.

For questions regarding the drinking water system, to obtain system maps, or for tours of the Desalination Plant, please contact California American Water at (831) 646-3205

Sanitary Sewer System

The sanitary sewer collection system within Sand City is owned and maintained by the Seaside County Sanitation District (SCSD). For sewer system information, system maps, or to report a sewer spill, please contact the SCSD at (831) 899-6825

Storm Drain System

The storm drain system within Sand City is composed of surface drainage features, inlets, underground pipes, manholes, and underground interceptor and infiltration systems. All surface runoff within the City either enters the storm drain inlet and underground collection system or storm water interceptor and percolation systems. The City’s storm drain inlet and collection system eventually outfalls to the Monterey Bay via a 90-inch outfall structure located at Bay Avenue. The 90-inch outfall structure is owned and maintained by the City of Seaside.

Maintenance of the City’s storm drain inlet and underground collection system is performed by the City’s Public Works Department. Maintenance of the storm water interceptor and percolation systems within the City is performed by contract with Storm Water Inspection and Maintenance Services (SWIMS). Storm Drain System Maps are available by contacting the City Engineer, Leon Gomez, Harris & Associates.