Article 8 — GRADING AND CLEARING

ARTICLE 8 - GRADING AND CLEARING[[1]]

Footnotes:

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Note— (Added by Ordinance 83-003 C.S., adopted January 18, 1983; amended by Ordinance 95-03, adopted January 10, 1995)

SEC. 10-8.00 - PURPOSE.

The purpose of these provisions is to safeguard life and property and to implement City plans and policies concerning the protection of both natural and man-made environmental features when grading or clearing activities are undertaken.

SEC. 10-8.01 - SCOPE.

This article sets forth rules and regulations for grading and clearing and establishes procedures for issuance of permits required therefor.

SEC. 10-8.02 - DEFINITIONS.

(a)

Building Pad. The portion of a site that underlies or will underlie a building other than an accessory building as defined in the Zoning Ordinance.

(b)

Civil Engineer. A professional engineer registered in the State of California to engage in practice of civil works.

(c)

Clearing. The removal or destruction of plant materials.

(d)

Development Plan. A plan that shows the proposed utilization of a site and the grading or clearing intended to accommodate that use or activity. Development plans include, but are not limited to, tentative, final and parcel

maps, planned development plans, and site plans.

(e)

Earth Material. Naturally occurring superficial deposits overlying bedrock.

(f)

Erosion. The wearing away of the ground surface as a result of the movement of wind, water, or ice.

(g)

Excavation. The removal of earth material.

(h)

Fill. A deposit of earth material placed by artificial means.

(i)

Grading. Any excavating or filling or combination thereof.

(j)

Manual of Standards. Manual of Standards for Erosion and Sediment Control Measures, prepared by the Association of Bay Area Governments, a copy of which is on file in the Office of the City Engineer.

(k)

Retention or Sediment Basin. A reservoir constructed for the purpose of temporary storage and trapping of storm water and its sediment while releasing the storm water at controlled rates.

(l)

Sediment. Any material carried in suspension by water which would settle to the bottom if the water lost velocity.

(m)

Site. Any lot or parcel of land or contiguous combination thereof, under the same ownership, where grading or clearing is performed or permitted.

(n)

Slope. An inclined ground surface, the inclination of which may be expressed as a ratio of horizontal distance to vertical distance or as a percentage.

(o)

Soils Engineer or Geotechnical Engineer. A civil engineer, or soils engineer registered by the State of California to engage in the practice of civil engineering, who is experienced in and is engaged in the practice of soils engineering. (No person may use the title "Soil Engineer," "Soils Engineer," or "Geotechnical Engineer," unless he or she is currently authorized to do so by the California State Board of Registration of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.)

(p)

Waterway. Any natural or artificial channel or depression in the surface of the earth which provides a course for water flowing either continuously or intermittently.

(Amended by Ordinance 17-09, adopted June 20, 2017)