This chapter shall not apply to the following:
(1) Mining or quarrying operations regulated by other city ordinances;
(2) Excavation and backfill for the construction of basements and footings of a building, retaining wall, or other structure authorized by a valid building permit. This shall not exempt any fill made outside the building lines or the placing of fill material obtained from the excavations on other premises;
(3) Grading and grubbing individual cemetery plots;
(4) Land which is being managed in accordance with soil conservation practices acceptable to the applicable soil and water conservation district directors, and that a comprehensive conservation program is being actively pursued for the entire area in the program and that the conservation program with appropriate modification is reviewed and accepted by the soil and water conservation district directors periodically but not less than once every five years and shall be made available to the city; provided that no grading which, in the opinion of the chief engineer, endangers abutting properties or which alters the general drainage pattern with respect to abutting properties shall be commenced or performed without a grading permit;
(5) Excavation which does not alter the general drainage pattern with respect to abutting properties, which does not exceed 50 cubic yards of material on any one site, and does not exceed 3 feet in vertical height at its deepest point; provided that the cut meets the cut slopes and the distance from property lines requirements in § 18A-3.1;
(6) Fill which does not alter the general drainage pattern with respect to abutting properties, which does not exceed 50 cubic yards of material on any one site and does not exceed 3 feet in vertical depth at its deepest point; provided that the fill meets the fill slopes and distance from property lines requirements in § 18A-3.1;
(7) Grubbing which does not alter the general drainage pattern with respect to abutting properties and does not exceed a total area of 15,000 square feet; and
(8) Exploratory excavations not to exceed 50 cubic yards under the direction of an engineer for the purpose of subsurface investigation; provided that these excavations will be filled in if required by the chief engineer and provided that the chief engineer has been advised in writing before the start of such excavations.
(Sec. 23-1.5, R.O. 1978 (1983 Ed.)) (1990 Code, Ch. 14, Art. 13, § 14-13.5)