Any development in the city shall comply with the standards and specifications for soil erosion and sediment control as adopted by the Thornapple Grand Soil Conservation District on April 15, 1974.
(1) Compliance. No site plan, except for single-family residential structures which must meet standards approved for the plat, shall be approved unless it includes soil erosion and sediment control measures in accordance with the technical standards of the Thornapple Grand Soil Conservation District. No certificate of occupancy of any building may be granted unless and until all needed erosion control measures have been completed or substantially provided for in accordance with this chapter and the standards and specifications of the Thornapple Grand Soil Conservation District. The developer shall bear the full responsibility for the installation and construction of all required erosion control measures according to the provisions of this chapter and to the standards and specifications of the Thornapple Grand Soil Conservation District.
(2) Data required. The developer must submit the following for the entire tract of land, whether or not the tract will be developed in stages:
(a) A boundary line survey of the site on which the work is to be performed;
(b) Description of the features, existing and proposed, surrounding the site of importance to the proposed development;
(c) General soil conditions on the site available from the City Building Department or the Thornapple Grand Soil Conservation District;
(d) Location and description of existing and future manmade features of importance to the proposed development;
(e) Plans and specifications of soil erosion and sedimentation control measures in accordance with standards and specifications of the Thornapple Grand Soil Conservation District;
(f) A timing schedule indicating the anticipated starting and completion dates of the development sequence and the time of exposure of each area prior to the completion of effective erosion and sediment control measures.
(3) Grading permit. A grading permit valid for no more than 6 months unless extended by new application as provided for in the City Building Code shall be required for each development. This permit may not be issued without the approval of both the Public Works Director and the Building Official.
(4) General design principles. Practical combinations of the following general principles will provide effective erosion and sediment control when properly planned and applied.
(a) The development plan shall be fitted to the topography and soils so as to create the least erosion potential.
(b) Permanent vegetation and improvements such as streets, storm sewers or other features of the development, capable of carrying storm runoff in a safe manner, shall be scheduled for installation to the greatest extent possible before removing the vegetative cover from an area.
(c) Wherever feasible, natural vegetation shall be retained and protected.
(d) Where inadequate vegetation exists, temporary or permanent vegetation shall be established.
(e) The smallest practical area of land shall be exposed at any 1 time during development.
(f) When land is exposed during development, the exposure shall be kept to the shortest practical period of time.
(g) Critical areas exposed during construction shall be protected with temporary vegetation and/or mulching.
(h) Sediment basins (debris basins, desilting basins or silt traps) shall be installed and maintained to remove sediment from runoff waters from land undergoing development.
(i) Provisions shall be made to effectively accommodate the increased runoff caused by changed soil and surface conditions during and after development. The permanent final vegetation and structures shall be installed as soon as practical in the development.
(5) Development standards. All development plans, specifications and timing schedules, including extensions of previously approved plans, shall include provisions for erosion and sediment control in accordance with the standards and specifications established by the Thornapple Grand Soil Conservation District. Technical standards for the design and installation of erosion and sediment control measures are on file at the Thornapple Grand Soil Conservation District office in the city and with the City Building Department.
(6) Maintenance. Individuals or developers carrying out soil erosion and sediment control measures under this chapter, and all subsequent owners of property on which such measures have been installed, shall adequately maintain all permanent erosion control measures, devices and plantings in effective working condition.
(1993 Code, § 82-313) (Ord. passed 10-12-1992)