A. General usage: The definition and usage of terms in this chapter are as contained within this code, except that the definition and usage of terms describing drainage are as contained within the Marana floodplain management ordinance.
B. Definitions: For purposes of this chapter only, the following words and terms shall mean:
1. Access road: A road within one mile of the grading site, designed on the approved grading plan, and used, during grading, for the transport of grading equipment, hauling of fill and other equivalent vehicular traffic to and from the grading site.
2. Approval: Written notice by town staff approving the design, progress or completion of work.
3. Approved plan: The most current grading plan which bears the authorized signature of approval of town staff.
4. Approved testing agency: A facility which is equipped to perform and certify the tests required by this chapter and whose testing operations are controlled and monitored by a registered civil engineer.
5. Borrow: Earth material acquired from an off-site location for use in grading a site.
6. Brushing: The selective removal of vegetation.
7. Clearing: The substantial removal of vegetation.
8. Custom lot subdivision: A subdivision that only builds the streets and other major utility infrastructure and does not design or grade the homesites.
9. Development project: Any manmade change to improved or unimproved real estate including but not limited to buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, and excavating.
10. Envelope, building:
a. A dwelling unit and all attached roofed structures, including carports or patio ramadas;
b. For non-residential development, the building envelope shall be the main building and all attached roofed structures.
11. Envelope, development: The total area encompassed by a continuous line drawn a minimum distance of five feet outside any and all work shown on the approved plan and any other surfaces which will be disturbed (as access roads). There shall be no more than one envelope per permit unless such envelopes are separated by an undisturbed distance of at least 100 feet.
12. Erosion: The wearing away of the ground surface as a result of the movement of wind, water or ice.
13. Excavation: The artificial (e.g. mechanical, manual, blasting, etc.) removal of earth materials.
14. Final inspection: Field inspection conducted by the town prior to project acceptance or release of assurances (if required).
15. Grade: The vertical location of the ground surface.
16. Grade, existing: The actual, current ground surface as of the date of adoption of the ordinance adopting this chapter.
17. Grade, finished: The final grade conforming to the approved grading plan.
18. Grade, rough: The stage at which grading substantially conforms to the approved grading plan.
19. Grading: The initial clearing, brushing, or grubbing, and subsequent excavating or filling, of a site.
20. Grading permit: An official document issued by town staff authorizing the grading and related site work activity specified by the permit conditions.
21. Grubbing: The removal of trees and other large plants by their roots.
22. Inspector: A person authorized by the town to perform inspection on grading or related site work.
23. Mass grading: Subdivision development characterized by grading all roads and lot pads at the same time based on a set of cohesive plans.
24. Permit conditions: The specifications and requirements of the approved grading plan, grading statement, soils report, or other documents necessary for permit approval.
25. Related site-work: Work other than general, or mass grading which involves:
a. Below-the-surface operations (such as trenching for utilities or landscaping);
b. Placing of pavement and its substructure;
c. Curbs, gutters, and sidewalk;
d. Grading of drainage channels; and
e. Constructing minor slope protection facilities and retaining walls.
26. Retaining wall: A wall designed to withstand lateral and hydrostatic pressures and built to keep earth from sliding, and which is two feet or greater in height from the lowest point of earth at the foundation to the top of the wall.
27. Re-vegetation: Placement of living plant material on sites or cut and fill slopes where the natural vegetation has been removed.
28. Site: Any lot or parcel of land, or contiguous combination of lots and parcels under the same ownership, or unified control, where grading or related site work is to be performed.
29. Slope: An inclined ground surface, the inclination of which is expressed as a ratio of horizontal distance to vertical distance.
30. Soil: Naturally occurring deposits overlying bedrock.
31. Stabilized slope: A slope treated with re-vegetation or other mitigation measures approved by the town that contribute to resistance to erosion of siltation or to structural strength of the slope.
32. Super pad: A mass grading operation which brings the site nominally within the range of the final design grades. This activity requires its own detailed grading plan. The super pad grading design must be able to exist as a final product with no adverse impact to surrounding properties should the ultimate grading not take place.
33. Temporary off-site stock-piling: The storing of a quantity of material for not more than 180 days. A revised period may be accepted by the town engineer, at his discretion when the permit is issued, and shall determine the expiration date.