A. Grading Permit Required: Except as exempted in subsection 8-2-4D of this chapter, no person shall do any grading, nor shall any owner allow grading on his property, unless the owner or his/her designee has a valid grading permit issued by the designated official. A separate grading permit shall be required for each noncontiguous site and may cover both excavations and fills.
B. Application For Permit, Information: To obtain a grading permit, the applicant shall complete a form furnished by the designated official. A separate application shall be required for each grading permit. The application shall be signed by the owner of the property or by the licensed contractor performing the work. The following shall apply to every application:
1. Identify and describe the work to be covered by the permit for which application is made.
2. Describe the land on which the proposed work is to be done by lot, block, tract or similar description that will readily identify and definitely locate the proposed work, together with the name and address of property owner.
3. Indicate the intended use for which the site is being prepared.
4. Give proposed location of deposit area and name and address of person which will receive excavated material and evidence that the property owner is willing to receive the material (if off site).
5. Be accompanied by plans and specifications as required in subsection C of this section.
6. State the estimated quantities of earthwork involved, excavation and fill.
7. Be signed by the property owner or his/her authorized agent, who may be required to submit evidence to indicate such authority.
8. Give such other information as required in subsection E of this section.
9. A soils engineering report shall be required unless waived by the designated official.
10. A copy of the notice of intent filed with the Nevada EPA for sites one (1) acre and larger, signed by the general contractor.
C. Plans And Specifications: The designated official may require that plans and specifications be prepared by a professional licensed to practice in the State of Nevada in accordance with Nevada Revised Statutes 625. Each application for a grading permit shall be accompanied by two (2) sets of plans and specifications. The plans shall be drawn to scale upon Mylar or good quality, reproducible paper and shall be of sufficient clarity to indicate the nature and extent of the work proposed and shown in detail that they will conform to the provisions of this chapter and all relevant laws, ordinances, rules and regulations.
The designated official, or his designee, shall endorse in writing or stamp the plans and specifications "approved". Such approved plans and specifications shall not be changed, modified or altered without authorization from the designated official and all work shall be performed in accordance with the approved plans. The first sheet of each set of plans shall give the location of the work and the name and address of the owner or developer and persons by whom the plans and specifications were prepared.
The plans and specifications shall show, but need not be limited to, the following information:
1. A general vicinity map of the proposed site.
2. Show property limits and accurate contours of the existing ground and details of the terrain reference to a point approved by the Local Administrator. Whenever possible, elevations shall be in accordance with the established United States Coastal and Geodetic Survey, and the North American Vertical Datum (NAVD) of 1988. Accurate contours beyond the property limits shall be displayed when appropriate to depict impacted topography.
3. Show limiting dimensions, elevations and finished contours to be achieved by the proposed grading.
4. Show locations of all existing or proposed buildings, structures, fences, block walls and retaining walls on the property where the work is to be performed and the location of any buildings, structures, fences, block walls and retaining walls on land of adjacent owners which may be affected by or affect the proposed grading operation.
5. Show locations and dimensions of all easements.
6. Show impacted utilities.
7. Delineate drainage which will impact, or be impacted by, the proposed grading.
8. Identify all existing and proposed surface and subsurface drainage devices, walls, channels and other protective measures to be constructed with, or part of, the proposed work.
The Soils Engineer shall review the final plans and specifications of the project and attest to, in writing, the soils reports applicability to the proposed project. The written information provided by the Soils Engineer shall be submitted for acceptance to the designated official, or his designee.
D. Additional Information Required: The designated official may require additional information such as an engineering geology report, or a drainage study. These studies and reports shall be approved by the designated official prior to the issuance of a grading permit. When specified by the soils investigation report, the designated official shall require a ground water study.
E. Report Content: Plans, computations and specifications shall be prepared by a professional, licensed to practice by the State of Nevada in accordance with Nevada Revised Statutes 625. The soils investigation report, ground water study and engineering geology report shall contain, but not be limited to, the following information:
1. Plan Content:
a. A general vicinity map of the proposed site.
b. Show site limits and approximate contours. Whenever possible, elevations shall be in accordance with the established United States Coastal and Geodetic Survey, and the North American Vertical Datum (NAVD) of 1988.
c. Location of explorations and field test locations.
d. Depth to ground water, if less than fifteen feet (15'), that may affect the proposed development.
e. Known or encountered geologic hazards present on the site shall be accurately delineated.
f. Approximate limits of known and encountered existing fill.
2. Minimum Exploration Requirements For Non-Critical Structures As Determined By Local Administrator:
a. The minimum exploration requirements are as follows:
(1) The minimum depth of an exploration shall be ten feet (10'). Exploration depth shall be increased as necessary to evaluate the suitability of the material within the foundation's depth of influence as determined by the registered design professional. The explorations can be terminated should refusal be encountered. However, at least three-fourths (3/4) of the required explorations shall be to the minimum depth. The geotechnical report shall clearly state the refusal criteria. When information regarding the proposed structure and the final grades is made available, the registered design professional shall determine if the explorations originally documented in the geotechnical report meet the depth requirements. In areas of deep cuts or excavations, the geotechnical explorations may be performed after excavations have been performed.
b. The minimum number of explorations performed shall be as follows:
(1) For areas less than or equal to one (1) acre, a minimum of two (2) explorations.
(2) For areas greater than one (1) acre, but less than five (5) acres, a minimum of one (1) exploration for the first acre and one (1) for each additional two (2) acres, or portion thereof.
(3) For areas greater than five (5) acres, but less than twenty (20) acres, a minimum of three (3) explorations plus one (1) additional exploration for each three (3) acres or fraction thereof above five (5).
(4) For areas greater than twenty (20) acres, a minimum of eight (8) explorations plus one (1) additional exploration for each five (5) acres or fraction thereof above twenty (20).
c. Exceptions:
(1) A minimum of one (1) exploration is required for single story structures with a footprint less than two thousand (2,000) square feet whose locations are known and only that area of the site is to be developed. This provision is limited to detached structures classified as Group U occupancy or building additions of any occupancy. The exploration shall be performed within the proposed footprint.
(2) A minimum of one (1) exploration is required for signs, light poles and communication towers whose locations are known and only that area of the site is to be developed. The exploration shall be performed within fifty feet (50') of the proposed foundation for the structure.
3. Report Content:
a. Continuous log of all explorations.
b. All elevations shall be referenced to a point approved by the Local Administrator. Whenever possible, elevations shall be in accordance with the established United States Coastal and Geodetic Survey, and the North American Vertical Datum (NAVD) of 1988.
c. Soil classification shall be as per ASTM D2487-83 (unified soil classification system).
d. A description of the exploration and sampling methodology.
e. Depth of ground water will be noted if ground water is encountered.
f. All field and laboratory tests shall comply with local recognized standards and methodologies and shall be properly referenced. Where applicable, ASTM standards shall be used.
g. A special study shall be required if the proposed site development will adversely impact an adjoining property.
4. Recommendations And Conclusions: There shall be recommendations and conclusions concerning, but not limited to, the following:
a. Grading Recommendations:
(1) Provide grading recommendations for onsite and import soils (where applicable). Design recommendations for foundations, grading and earth retaining structures shall specifically address the suitability of onsite soils for use as fill material, the potential negative impacts of the following adverse soil conditions including, but not limited to: collapsible soils, expansive soils (swell), soluble soils, corrosive soils (including sulfates and chlorides), chemical heave, and uncontrolled fill. The report shall include supporting test data and where any of these conditions are identified on-site, mitigating measures shall be provided based upon the identified conditions. The requirements for imported fill shall specifically address all of the above adverse conditions as well.
(2) Percent of compaction required.
(A) Percent of moisture content required.
(B) Placement procedures.
(C) Special requirements; e.g., fill placement on existing slopes or soft ground.
(D) Overexcavation depths.
(3) Minimum design consideration for drainage control structures.
(4) Known surface and subsurface hazards.
(5) The mitigation of all known adverse soil conditions and ground water.
(6) Observation and testing requirements during grading.
(7) Permanent slope recommendations including erosion potential mitigation for all slopes.
(8) Discuss the impact and approximate limits of adverse soil conditions:
(A) Expansive clay.
(B) Extent of caliche.
(C) Hydrocollapsible soils.
(D) Gypsiferous and/or soluble soil.
(E) Chemically reactive soil.
(F) Existing fill.
(G) Rock.
F. Certification: Grading plans, soils investigation reports and ground water studies shall be certified in the following manner:
1. Subsection C of this section shall be prepared by a professional licensed by the State of Nevada in accordance with Nevada Revised Statutes 625. Prior to final inspection, the field grading shall be certified by a professional licensed by the State of Nevada in accordance with Nevada Revised Statutes 625 as conforming to the final approved plans, which shall be designated by the Local Administrator on forms provided by the local entity.
2. Subsection E of this section must be prepared by a Nevada Registered Civil Engineer and shall certify that all drainage improvements were constructed in accordance with the final approved plans, which shall be designated by the Local Administrator on a form provided by the local entity.
3. Soils grading report (post grading analysis), when required, shall be prepared and signed by a Nevada Registered Engineer, and correlated with subsection E of this section.
The report shall include, but not be limited to, field test summary with locations, elevations, nature of tests and their results, laboratory test summary with sample locations, elevations, nature of tests and their results and other substantiating data and comments on any changes made during grading and their effort on the recommendations made in the soil engineering investigation report.
Limits of the engineered sub-grade, as well as other pertinent information will be shown on the as graded plan, with certification when appropriate, as to the adequacy of the site for the intended use. (Ord. 510, 4-25-2017, eff. 5-17-2017)