The purpose of the slope development standards is to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the city and its inhabitants by establishing standards for development in sloped areas within the city of Pocatello. The standards are also intended to protect and maintain the scenic beauty of the hillsides within and surrounding the community. The standards are intended to encourage development that is compatible with the character of existing topography and existing vegetation. Sloped lands possess different characteristics than flat lands; therefore it is necessary to impose special regulations to minimize slope and soil instability, erosion, sedimentation, and water runoff, and to protect the water quality and the natural character of sloped areas. The purpose of these standards is to:
A. Preserve open space surrounding and within the city by encouraging development in less steep areas and by encouraging clustering.
B. Protect steeper slopes from excessive grading and overdevelopment.
C. Control, manage, and minimize erosion.
D. Provide for specialized review of development proposals in more steeply sloped areas to identify potential geologic hazards.
E. Assess uses and activities on sloped lands that may adversely affect slope stability.
F. Assess uses and activities on sloped lands that may adversely affect water resources.
G. Promote the preservation of the scenic character of hillsides.
H. Maintain the visual asset of hillsides by limiting cuts, fill, retaining walls, escarpments, and vegetation removal. (Ord. 2846 § 1, 2008)