(a) Grades with Footer Drains. The finished grade adjacent to all houses or struc tures with footer drains shall not be less than a six-inch fall in the first ten feet horizontally. Where the horizontal distance is restricted to less than ten feet by property lines, the minimum fall shall be six inches.
(b) Grades without Footer Drains. The finished grade adjacent to all houses or structures without footer drains shall not be less than a six-inch fall in the first ten feet horizontally. Where the horizontal distance is restricted to less than ten feet by property lines, the minimum fall shall be three inches.
(c) Yard Drainage. Positive yard drainage shall be provided for each lot by means of ditches, swales or tile to natural watercourses or to public storm sewers. Where a lot is graded to a higher or lower level than the natural ground grade on an adjacent property, the owner of the lot shall provide suitable slopes, retaining walls or other protection on his property to preserve the natural slope or surface elevation of the adjacent property. Maximum slope shall be not greater than fourteen percent, unless approval is obtained from the City Engineer.
(d) Roof and Footer Drains. Roof drainage shall be handled by suitable collectors and downspouts, which must discharge into storm sewers when available. If storm sewers are not available, downspouts must discharge on suitable splash blocks to conduct water three feet from the foundation, provided the yard slope does not exceed one and one-half percent grade. If the slope of the yard exceeds one and one-half percent grade, and suitable storm sewers are not available, roof drainage shall be tiled from the downspouts to a curb opening at the street or shall be tiled to a natural watercourse. No concentration of water shall flow onto the adjoining property. Where drainage is to the front of lots, the top of the basement wall shall be not less than twenty inches above sidewalk grade.
(e) Splash Blocks. If splash blocks are used, the water shall be directed from the downspouts by means of an elbow to the splash block.
(f) Storm Drain Tile. If storm drain tile is used, the metal downspout shall discharge into sewer pipe not less than four inches in diameter, from a point not less than six inches above finish grade to an elbow below finish grade, and discharge into the storm sewer connection. The sewer pipe and elbow shall be of cast iron, vitrified clay or other approved material, and all joints shall be sealed. The elbow shall be securely blocked up with masonry or braced to the wall with non-corrosive hangars, to prevent settlement.
(g) Discharge to Sanitary Sewer. No water from downspouts, areaways, cisterns or the ground surface shall be permitted to enter the sanitary sewer system. The elevation of basement and garage floors shall be designed so storm water cannot enter the sanitary sewer system. (Ord. 142-96. Passed 9-23-96.)