The ESC Plan must contain a description of the controls appropriate for each construction operation and the site owner must implement such controls. The ESC Plan must clearly describe for each major construction activity the appropriate control measures; the general sequence during the construction process under which the measures will be implemented; and the contractor responsible for implementation (e.g., contractor A will clear land and install perimeter controls and contractor B will maintain perimeter controls until final stabilization).
The controls shall include the following minimum components:
(a) Non-structural Preservation Measures: The ESC Plan must make use of practices that preserve the existing natural condition to the maximum extent practicable. Such practices may include preserving riparian areas, preserving existing vegetation and vegetative buffer strips, phasing of construction operations in order to minimize the amount of disturbed land at any one time, and designation of tree preservation areas or other protective clearing or grubbing practices.
The site owner shall leave undisturbed a minimum setback, as required under the City's Scenic Waterway Zoning District code, or any other setback requirement established by the City Planning and Zoning Commission, on either side of water resources and wetlands, except for crossings and other riparian area and wetland impacts approved by the City of Loveland Engineer.
(b) Erosion Control Practices: The ESC Plan must make use of erosion controls that are capable of providing cover over disturbed soils. A description of control practices designed to restabilize disturbed areas after grading or construction shall be included in the ESC Plan. The ESC Plan must provide specifications for stabilization of all disturbed areas of the site and provide guidance as to which method of stabilization will be employed for any time of the year. Such practices may include: temporary seeding, permanent seeding, mulching, matting, sod stabilization, vegetative buffer strips, phasing of construction operations, the use of construction entrances, and the use of alternative ground cover.
Erosion control practices must meet the following requirements:
(1) Stabilization. Disturbed areas must be stabilized as specified in Tables 1 and 2 below.
Table 1: Permanent Stabilization
Area requiring permanent stabilization | Time frame to apply erosion controls |
Any area that will lie dormant for one year or more | Within 7 days of the most recent disturbance. |
Any area within the required stream setback and at final grade (for disturbances allowed within the stream setback see Section 926.18 (a)). | Within 2 days of reaching final grade. |
Any other area at final grade | Within 7 days of reaching final grade within that area. |
Table 2: Temporary Stabilization
Area requiring temporary stabilization | Time frame to apply erosion controls |
Any disturbed area within the required stream setback and not at final grade (for disturbances allowed within the required stream setback see Section 926.18 (a)). | Within 2 days of the most recent disturbance if that area will remain idle for more than 21 days |
For all construction activities, any disturbed area, including soil stockpiles, that will be dormant for more than 21 days but less than one year, and not within the required stream setback. | Within 7 days of the most recent disturbance within the area |
Disturbed areas that will be idle over winter | Prior to onset of winter weather |
Note: Where vegetative stabilization techniques may cause structural instability or are otherwise unobtainable, alternative stabilization techniques must be employed. These techniques may include mulching or erosion matting.
(2) Permanent stabilization of conveyance channels. Site owners shall undertake special measures to stabilize channels and outfalls and prevent erosive flows. Measures may include seeding, dormant seeding, mulching, erosion control matting, sodding, riprap, natural channel design with bioengineering techniques, or rock check dams, all as defined in the most recent edition of Rainwater and Land Development.
(c) Runoff Control Practices. The ESC Plan shall incorporate measures that control the flow of runoff from disturbed areas so as to prevent erosion. Such practices may include rock check dams, pipe slope drains, diversions to direct flow away from exposed soils and protective grading practices. These practices shall divert runoff away from disturbed areas and steep slopes where practicable.
(d) Sediment Control Practices. The ESC Plan shall include a description of structural practices that shall store runoff, allowing sediments to settle and/or divert flows away from exposed soils or otherwise limit runoff from exposed areas. Structural practices shall be used to control erosion and trap sediment from a site remaining disturbed for more than fourteen (14) days. Such practices may include, among others: sediment settling ponds, silt fences, sediment barriers, storm drain inlet protection, and earth diversion dikes or channels which direct runoff to a sediment settling pond. All sediment control practices must be capable of ponding runoff in order to be considered functional. Earth diversion dikes or channels alone are not considered a sediment control practice unless used in conjunction with a sediment settling pond.
Sediment control practices must meet the following requirements:
(1) Timing. Sediment control structures shall be functional throughout the course of earth disturbing activity. Sediment basins and perimeter sediment barriers shall be implemented prior to grading and within seven days from the start of grubbing. They shall continue to function until the up slope development area is restabilized. As construction progresses and the topography is altered, appropriate controls must be constructed or existing controls altered to address the changing drainage patterns.
(2) Sediment settling ponds. Concentrated storm water runoff and runoff from drainage areas that exceed the design capacity of silt fence or inlet protection, as determined in Table 3 below, shall pass through a sediment settling pond or equivalent best management practice upon approval from the City of Loveland Engineer. Sediment basins may be appropriate for sites under ten (10) acres. Sediment basins are to have a minimum drain time of forty-eight (48) hours.
The sediment-settling pond shall be sized to provide at least sixty-seven (67) cubic yards of storage per acre of total contributing drainage area. When determining the total contributing drainage area, off-site areas and areas which remain undisturbed by construction activity must be included unless runoff from these areas is diverted away from the sediment settling pond and is not co-mingled with sediment-laden runoff. The depth of the sediment-settling pond must be less than or equal to five (5) feet. The configuration between the inlets and the outlet of the basin must provide at least two units of length for each one unit of width (> 2:1 length: width ratio). Provide erosion and sediment controls at the outlet structure to prevent sediment to be released freely from the pond. Sediment must be removed from the sediment-settling pond when the design capacity has been reduced by forty percent (40%). This limit is typically reached when sediment occupies one-half of the basin depth. When designing sediment settling ponds, the site owner must consider public safety, especially as it relates to children, as a design factor for the sediment basin and alternative sediment controls must be used where site limitations would preclude a safe design. The use of a combination of sediment and erosion control measures in order to achieve maximum pollutant removal is encouraged.
(3) Sediment Barriers and Diversions. Sheet flow runoff from denuded areas shall be intercepted by sediment barriers such as silt fence or diversions to protect adjacent properties, water resources, and wetlands from sediment transported via sheet flow. Where intended to provide sediment control, silt fence or twelve (12) inch diameter sediment barriers shall be placed on a level contour and shall be capable of temporarily ponding runoff. The relationship between the maximum drainage area to silt fence for a particular slope range is shown in Table 3 below. Storm water diversion practices shall be used to keep runoff away from disturbed areas and steep slopes. Such devices, which include swales, dikes or berms, may receive storm water runoff from areas up to ten (10) acres.
Table 3: Maximum Drainage Area to Silt Fence
Maximum drainage area (in acres) to 100 linear feet of silt fence | Range of slope for a particular drainage area (percent) |
0.5 | <2% |
0.25 | > 2% but < 20% |
0.125 | > 20% but < 50% |
(4) Inlet Protection. Erosion and sediment control practices, such as boxed inlet protection, shall be installed to minimize sediment-laden water entering active storm drain systems. Straw or hay bales are not acceptable forms of inlet protection.
(5) Off site tracking of sediment and dust control: Best management practices must be implemented to ensure sediment is not tracked off-site and that dust is controlled. These best management practices must include, but are not limited to, the following:
A. Construction entrances shall be built and shall serve as the only permitted points of ingress and egress to the development area. These entrances shall be built of a stabilized pad of aggregate stone or recycled concrete or cement sized greater than two (2) inches in diameter, placed over a geotextile fabric, and constructed in conformance with specifications in the most recent edition of the Rainwater and Land Development Manual.
B. Streets directly adjacent to construction entrances and receiving traffic from the development area, shall be cleaned at least weekly to remove sediment tracked off-site. If applicable, the catch basins on these streets nearest to the construction entrances shall also be cleaned weekly.
Based on site conditions, the City of Loveland Engineer may require additional best management practices to control off site tracking and dust. These additional BMPs may include:
C. Sediment barrier, silt fence or snow fence installed around the perimeter of the development area to ensure that all vehicle traffic adheres to designated construction entrances.
D. Designated wheel-washing areas. Wash water from these areas must be directed to a designated sediment trap, the sediment-settling pond, or to a sump pump for dewatering in conformance with Section 926.18 (g) of this regulation.
E. Site owners shall take all necessary measures to comply with applicable regulations regarding fugitive dust emissions, including obtaining necessary permits for such emissions. The City of Loveland Engineer may require dust controls including the use of water trucks to wet disturbed areas, tarping stockpiles, temporary stabilization of disturbed areas, and regulation of the speed of vehicles on the site.
(6) Stream Protection. Construction vehicles shall avoid water resources and wetlands. If the site owner is permitted, under Section 926.18(a), to disturb areas within the required setback for a water resource or wetland, the following conditions shall be addressed in the ESC Plan:
A. All Best Management Practices and stream crossings shall be designed as specified in the most recent edition of the Rainwater and Land Development Manual.
B. Sediment control practices shall be designed and implemented on site to protect water resources or wetlands from the impacts of sediment runoff.
C. No structural sediment controls (e.g., the installation of silt fence or a sediment settling pond in-stream) shall be used in a water resource or wetland.
D. Where stream crossings for roads or utilities are necessary and permitted, the project shall be designed such that the number of stream crossings and the width of the disturbance within the required setback for a water resource or wetland is minimized.
E. Temporary stream crossings shall be constructed if water resources or wetlands will be crossed by construction vehicles during construction.
F. Construction of bridges, culverts, or sediment control structures shall not place soil, debris, or other particulate material into or close to the water resources or wetlands in such a manner that it may slough, slip, or erode.
(7) Modifying Controls. If periodic inspections or other information indicates a control has been used inappropriately or incorrectly, the site owner shall replace or modify the control for site conditions.
(e) Non-sediment Pollutant Controls: Other than sediment, no solid or liquid waste, including building materials, shall be discharged in storm water runoff. The site owner must implement site best management practices to prevent toxic materials, hazardous materials, or other debris from entering the City of Loveland water resources or wetlands. These practices shall include but are not limited to the following:
(1) Construction Site Waste Materials: A covered Dumpster shall be made available for the proper disposal of construction site waste materials, garbage, plaster, drywall, grout, or gypsum.
(2) Concrete Truck Wash Out: The washing of excess concrete material into a street, catch basin, or other public facility or natural resource shall not occur. A designated area for concrete washout shall be made available.
(3) Fuel Tank Storage: All fuel tanks and drums shall be stored in a marked storage area. A dike shall be constructed around this storage area with a minimum capacity equal to one hundred ten percent (110%) of the volume of the largest container in the storage area.
(4) Toxic or Hazardous Waste Disposal: Any toxic or hazardous waste shall be disposed of properly.
(5) Contaminated Soils Disposal and Runoff: Contaminated soils from redevelopment sites shall be disposed of properly. Runoff from contaminated sites shall not be discharged from the site. Proper permits shall be obtained for development projects on solid waste landfill sites.
(f) Compliance with Other Requirements. The ESC Plan shall be consistent with applicable State and/or local waste disposal, sanitary sewer, or septic system regulations, including provisions prohibiting waste disposal by open burning, and shall provide for the proper disposal of contaminated soils located within the development area.
(g) Trench and Ground Water Control. There shall be no sediment-laden or turbid discharges to water resources or wetlands resulting from dewatering activities. If trench or ground water contains sediment, it must pass through a sediment-settling pond or other equally effective sediment control device, prior to being discharged from the construction site. Alternatively, sediment may be removed by settling in place or by dewatering into a sump pit, filter bag or comparable practice. Ground water dewatering which does not contain sediment or other pollutants is not required to be treated prior to discharge. However, care must be taken when discharging ground water to ensure that it does not become pollutant-laden by traversing over disturbed soils or other pollutant sources.
(Ord. 2022-31. Passed 4-12-22.)