1. Guidelines for fills in the "Erosion and Sediment Control Handbook for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania" should be followed. One or a combination of guidelines should be used to minimize hazard, depending on site conditions and proposed grading.
2. No fill shall be made which creates any exposed surface steeper in slope than two horizontal to one vertical, except under one or more of the following conditions:
A. The fill, in the opinion of the Borough Engineer or his designee, is located so that settlement, sliding or erosion of the fill material will not result in property damage or be a hazard to adjoining property, street, alleys or buildings.
B. A written statement from a registered professional engineer, licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and experienced in soils engineering, certifying that he has inspected the site and that the proposed deviation from the slope specified above will not endanger any property or result in property damage, is submitted to and approved by the Borough Engineer or his designee.
3. The Borough Engineer or his designee may require that the fill be constructed with an exposed surface flatter than two horizontal to one vertical if he finds that under the particular conditions such flatter surface is necessary for stability and safety.
4. Fills, embankments and finish grading shall be designed in accordance with the following:
A. Because of the potential for unexpected conditions in earth materials and a possibility of earth movement, the bearing value and stability of the material under proposed fills and embankments shall be determined by subsurface investigation performed by a qualified registered professional engineer.
B. The type of fill material available in each stage of the grading operations shall be specified in order to plan proper filling procedures.
(1) Broken concrete, concrete block, cinder block, brick, slag and stone may be incorporated in fills and embankments, but only in layers 24 inches thick, maximum, as per Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Highways Specification, 1961, Form 408, Section 3.4.3, Paragraph D, or later specifications which the Commonwealth may adopt, with voids filled and a blanket of compacted fill separating one layer of rock from the next. Rock fill should be placed near the bottom of fill away from building foundations, building caissons and subsurface utility installations. Suitable earth shall be reserved or be provided to cover rock fill under proposed seeded or planted areas.
(2) Coal, boney, red-dog, expansive shale and cinders, shall not be placed in fill areas.
(3) Wood or decomposable material shall not be placed in fill areas.
C. All organic debris and all topsoil shall be removed from areas to receive fill.
D. On major fills or embankments, as determined by the Borough Engineer or his designee, a toe bench shall be constructed below mantle under the toe of fill in accordance with § 9-113 of this Part.
E. To take care of ground and subsurface water in the proposed fill area, a porous drain shall be installed on the bottom and back wall of the toe bench, together with a drain pipe and suitable discharge pipe to existing surface, beyond and below the toe of the proposed fill.
F. Overfilling of slopes is desirable to permit final shaping of surface to proposed grade without the addition of loose fill over the surface of the slope; provided, that no fill shall be higher than six feet vertically before the slope is shaped to proper grade.
G. At the end of each work day, the horizontal surface of the fill area shall be shaped, compacted and rolled to slope to the outside edge to provide for drainage.
5. No grading permit shall be issued for the filling of materials other than clean soil or earth until a performance bond in the amount of 110% of the Borough Engineer or his designee's estimate of the cost of adequately covering such fill with clean soil or earth has been furnished to the Borough. Such bond shall be executed by an approved corporate surety, as well as by the principal, and shall be subject to the approval of the Borough Solicitor as to form. The bond shall inure to the benefit of the Borough and be conditioned upon the faithful performance of the work required under the terms and conditions of the grading permit to the satisfaction of the Borough Engineer or his designee. In lieu of a surety bond, a cash deposit in the same amount may be made with the Borough or with a bank or trust company under an escrow agreement prepared at applicant's cost and approved by the Borough Solicitor.
(Ord. 965, 10/13/2022)