For the purpose of this article, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ADEQ. Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
AZPDES CONSTRUCTION GENERAL PERMIT. AZPDES General Permit No. AZG2002-002 for Stormwater Discharges from Large and Small Construction Activity in Arizona, except for those in Indian Country.
BUILDING PERMIT. An official document or certificate issued by the city, which authorizes the performance of a specific construction work, grading or alteration of ground features to create certain improvements and structures.
CERTIFIED CONTRACTOR. A person(s) or firm who is licensed by the state to perform grading and excavation work and has received certified training.
CITY. The City of Somerton, Yuma County, State of Arizona.
CITY ENGINEER. The City Engineer or firm or person, and his, her or its properly authorized assistants and inspectors, designated by the city to prepare plans and administer the construction of work.
CLEARING. Any activity that removes the vegetation from the earth's surface.
CONSTRUCTION. Any repair, reconstruction, upgrading or enhancing of a structure, grading or landscaping that disturbs one or more acres of land.
DESIGN ENGINEER. A licensed professional engineer registered in the State of Arizona, who prepares plans and administers construction of public or private development.
DRAINAGE WAY. A waterway, canal, natural swales, canyons, arroyos, or human-made surface channels, conveying surface water throughout or from the site.
EROSION. The process of the wearing away of the soil on the earth's surface. This is caused by natural or human-made activities. Often the eroded debris (silt or sediment) becomes a pollutant via stormwater runoff. EROSION occurs naturally but can be intensified by human-made activities such as farming, agriculture, and land development.
EROSION CONTROL. A planned activity or measure that prevents erosion.
EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL PLAN (ESCP). A set of plans prepared by or under the direction of a design engineer indicating the specific measures and sequencing to be used to control sediment and erosion on a development site during and after construction. The ESCP may be included as a part of the SWPPP.
GRADING. Excavation of or fill placement of material upon a land surface to create a desired slope or elevation.
IMPROVEMENT. See Construction above.
MAJOR MODIFICATION. Any addition to or cancellation of the originally submitted ESCP and their impacts, as deemed by the City Engineer, that may result in increased flood hazards or sediment track out to the public roads and/or to the city's storm sewer system.
MAJOR STORM. A storm that drops 0.50 inches or more of rain in a 12-hour period or less.
PERIMETER CONTROL. A physical barrier that prevents sediment from leaving a site by filtering sediment-laden runoff or diverting it to a sediment trap or ponding area.
PERMIT. See Construction Permit above.
PHASING. A plan for sequencing areas of parcel of land for development and subsequent construction of a parcel of land in distinct sequences of areas, with the stabilization of each area completed before construction of the next.
SEDIMENT. Soil particles, both mineral and organic, that are in suspension, are being transported, or have been removed from their site of origin by air, water, and gravity and have come to rest on the earth's surface.
SEDIMENT CONTROL. Measures that prevent eroded sediment from leaving the site.
SEDIMENT PONDS AND SEDIMENT TRAPS. Temporary (or permanent) ponding areas formed by constructing an earthen embankment with a stone outlet used to detain and collect sediment and to prevent damaging erosion on site, which may cause silt-laden runoff from the site. Ponds are generally larger in size than traps and serve ten acres or more of a disturbed area at one time.
SITE. A parcel of land or a contiguous combination thereof, where grading work is performed as a single, unified or phased operation.
STABILIZATION. A technique, practice or procedure used to prevent or minimize exposed soil from eroding. STABILIZATION practices include but are not limited to: pre-watering, applying dust suppressant, vegetation (temporary and permanent seeding), gravel application, soil stabilizers, plastic covers and tarps.
STARTING OF CONSTRUCTION. The first land-disturbing activity associated with a development, including but not limited to land operation such as clearing, grubbing, grading and filling; installation of streets and walkways; excavation for footings, piers, and foundations; erection of temporary forms; and installation of accessory buildings, such as garages.
STORMWATER POLLUTION AND PREVENTION PLAN (SWPPP). A written document that describes the construction operator's activities to comply with the requirements of the stormwater Construction General Permit No.__. The SWPPP describes a series of processes that evaluate potential pollutant sources at a construction site and select and implement appropriate measures designed to prevent and control the discharge of pollutants in stormwater runoff.
THE UNITED STATES WATERS. All waters that are currently used, were used in the past, or may be susceptible to use in interstate or foreign commerce, including all waters subject to the ebb and flow of the tide. WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES include all interstate waters and intrastate lakes, rivers, streams (including intermittent streams), mudflats, sand flats, wetlands, sloughs, prairie potholes, wet meadows, playa lakes, or natural ponds.
WATERCOURSE. Any body of water, including, but not limited to lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, and bodies of water delineated by the State of Arizona and/or the United States of America.
(Res. 926, passed 10-4-2005; Ord. 300, passed 10-18-2005)