No person shall perform any grading work within the city without a valid grading permit issued in the manner hereinafter provided by this chapter, except that a grading permit shall not be required for the following:
A. Removal, without permanent disruption of the surface of the ground or creation of a change of grade, of accumulations of dead trees, leaves or similar dead vegetative material. However, a grading permit is required when such work is (1) done on property containing wetlands, or rare or endangered plants or animal species, or within a special flood hazard area as defined in the floodplain regulations adopted in this title, or (2) may produce a leachate draining into any stream or watercourse or onto any property containing wetlands or rare or endangered plants or animal species;
B. Excavations below finished grade for basements, footings of a building, retaining walls or other structures authorized by a building permit issued pursuant to this code and which will have an unsupported height of less than five feet after the completion of such building, retaining wall or other structure;
C. Excavations for cemetery graves;
D. Excavations for a well or sewage disposal system authorized by a permit issued by the county health officer when acting as the city health officer;
E. Excavations and fills made on developed lots of one acre or less and zoned for single- family residential use, provided that no drainage courses or patterns are obstructed or altered in a manner which would affect adjoining properties, and no rare or endangered plants or animal species exist in or inhabit the area to be excavated or filled;
F. Minor exploratory excavations made under the direction of a registered soils engineer or engineering geologist;
G. Grading performed in connection with a city project that is or was subject to environmental review;
H. Grading performed in a public right-of-way or public utility or public service easement in accordance with an encroachment permit issued pursuant to this code, provided that the right-of-way is not located within a special flood hazard area as defined in the floodplain regulations adopted in this title;
I. Grading performed in compliance with subdivision improvement plans approved pursuant to this code; and
J. Grading performed in the course of routine maintenance of existing public roads, parks, levees, or manmade flood control channels.
(Ord. 2312 §25)