A preliminary soils report, prepared by a civil engineer registered in the State and based upon adequate test borings, shall be submitted to the Community Development Director for use in evaluating and reporting the environmental impact the subdivision may have on the City.
(a) The preliminary soils report shall describe the nature of the subsurface soils and any soil conditions which would affect the geometrics of the proposed development. The soils report shall state whether the proposed plan is feasible and provide general solutions for all known hazardous conditions or problems. The reports shall include the locations and logs of any test borings, and percolation test results and a hydrological evaluation if on-site sewage disposal is proposed.
(b) If the City Engineer and Building Official have knowledge of, or the preliminary soils report indicates, the presence of critically expansive soils or other soils problems which, if not corrected, could possibly lead to structural defects or hazardous conditions, a soils investigation of each lot in the subdivision may be required. Such soils investigation shall be performed by a civil engineer registered in the State who shall recommend the corrective action which is likely to prevent structural damage and eliminate any hazards to each structure proposed to be constructed in the area where such soils problems exist.
(c) For hillside or other geologically hazardous areas an engineering geology evaluation defining the geologic conditions of the site shall be submitted. The geologic evaluation shall state whether the proposed plan is feasible and provide general solutions for all known hazardous conditions or problems. The evaluation shall include the location and lots of any test borings and shall evaluate the effect of the geology on the proposed development and on adjacent properties. The evaluation report shall point out specific areas where development may create hazardous conditions.
(d) The soils and geologic reports shall designate a suitable building site for each lot which site is safe from settlement, landsliding, mudsliding, and flood hazards and which has reasonable access thereto.
The Planning Commission may approve the subdivision, or portion thereof, where soils problems or geological hazards exist if the Planning Commission determines that the actions recommended in the soils and/or geology reports are likely to prevent public health or safety problems, prevent structural damage, and eliminate any hazards to each structure to be constructed, and a condition to the issuance of any building permit shall require that the approved recommended action be incorporated in the construction of each structure.
(Ord. 744-NS, eff. April 17, 1980)