A. Site Preparation: No excavation, stripping of organic material, removal of vegetable matter shall be done before drawings with elevations are submitted to the building officer for his approval to ensure that the adjacent property and/or public against drainage, soil erosion and sediment damage.
B. Retaining Walls And Partition Fences: When the adjoining grade is not higher than the legal level, the person causing an excavation to be made shall erect, when necessary, a retaining wall at his own expense and on his own land. Such wall shall be built to a height sufficient to retain the adjoining earth, shall be properly coped as required, and shall be provided with a guardrail or fence not less than 4' in height.
C. Retaining Walls: Where retaining walls with differences in grade level on either side of the wall in excess of 4' are located closer than 2' to a walk, path, parking lot, or driveway on the high side, such retaining walls shall be provided with guards. Guards shall be at least 42" in height measured vertically above the adjacent walking surface. Open guards shall have balusters or be of solid material such that a sphere with a diameter of 4" cannot pass through any opening. Guards shall not have an ornamental pattern that would provide a ladder effect.
D. Adjacent Property, Public Property, Roads, Alleys, And Easements: Adjacent property, public property, roads, alleys, and easements shall be kept clean of any dirt or debris to ensure public safety, health and welfare.
E. Foundations, Trench Walls, Chimneys, And Piers:
1. Portions of foundations, trench walls, chimneys, and piers shall be extended to solid ground beamed between bearings. Footings shall not be placed on filled ground.
2. The bottom of footings shall be not less than 3'6" below finished grade, except where placed on solid rock.
3. Foundations, trench walls, chimneys, and piers shall be protected against freezing, and no concrete shall be placed on frozen ground.
4. A sufficient wing wall, and/or a foundation wall, is required under all stoops. Wing wall shall have 1 no. 4 rebar located not more than 6" beneath top edge of concrete and extending downward into foundation wall not less than 2'.
5. The outer perimeter of the stoop shall not project out beyond the wing walls more than 12".
6. A foundation wall shall be required under all stoops supporting a roof.
7. A patio abutting a stoop may be a floating slab (see subsection 8-3-5K of this chapter).
8. Exterior open wood porches may be supported on piers in accordance with subsections 8-3-5H and 8-3-6D of this chapter.
9. Attached deck (see section 8-3-24, tables 3-A through 3-G, of this chapter).
F. Space Without Basement:
1. For space without basement, all debris, sod, tree stumps and other organic matter shall be removed within area occupied by dwelling.
2. Membrane waterproofing shall be provided directly on top of cleared ground area, which shall be at least 30 pound felt, lapped 4", or other approved vapor barrier.
3. At least 3" of sand or pea gravel or 2" of concrete shall be installed on top of vapor barrier. The distance between top of said sand, pea gravel, or concrete and bottom of joists and girders shall be not less than 24" and not more than 48".
4. Where ground level of crawl space is below finished grade, drain tile shall be installed around inside or outside of foundation to provide for disposing of water.
G. Backfill:
1. Backfill shall be placed adjacent to foundation walls in a compacted manner.
2. Debris shall not be used for backfilling (see subsections F and G1 of this section and subsection 8-3-5D5 of this chapter).
3. Foundation walls, when cracked due to improper backfilling, shall require replacement, if required by the building officer.
H. Grading:
1. Grading or drainage, or both, shall be performed so that water shall drain away from the building on all sides and off the lot in a manner which shall provide a reasonable freedom from erosion and pocketed surface water. Construction such as walks, driveways and retaining walls shall be installed so that they will not interfere with drainage. Slope of driveways, walks and ramps shall not to exceed 1' in 8'.
2. No person, persons, or firm shall cause the change of the existing level of the land in such a way or fill into such a degree as to cause a drainage nuisance or any other nuisance to the owners or occupants of adjacent premises, or to the public by reason of discharging any surface or roof water into, onto, or across any adjacent building, premises or public thoroughfare. This nuisance shall be abated by the owners of the improperly drainaged area; and the building official shall require the drainage to be disposed of in accordance with accepted good engineering practices. A retaining wall, proper swale, connection to a dry well, connection to existing storm sewer, etc., may be acceptable engineering practice depending upon the situation and the approval by the building officer.
3. Where the adjoining grade is not higher than the legal level, the person causing an excavation to be made shall erect, where necessary, a retaining wall at his or her own expense and on his or her own land. Such wall shall be built to a height sufficient to retain the adjoining earth, shall be properly coped and shall be provided with a guardrail or fence not less than 42" in height. (Ord. 2008-09-01, 9-24-2008)