(A) Site development permit and other permits required.
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no person shall commence or perform any clearing, grading, stripping, excavating or filling of land without having first obtained a site development permit from the Development Review Division of the County Land Use Department. Failure to obtain a site development permit is a violation of this chapter.
(a) A site development permit shall not be required for any one of the following construction activities unless the property is located in a floodplain, if there is regulatory floodplain within the property boundary or if the development impacts a wetland and associated buffer or an existing stormwater drainage system:
1. Clearing, grading, stripping, excavation or filling associated with the construction of a single-family residence or an addition to an existing single-family residence on a site equal to or greater than five acres;
2. Clearing, grading, stripping, excavating or filling associated with the construction of an addition to an existing residential building or construction of a single-family accessory structure on a site equal to or greater than two and one-half acres provided that the proposed structure is equal to or less than 3,000 square feet in area;
3. Clearing, grading, stripping, excavating or filling associated with the construction of an addition to an existing residential building or the construction of a single-family residential accessory structure on a site less than two and one-half acres if the footprint of either is equal to or less than 1,000 square feet in area;
4. Clearing, grading, stripping, excavating or filling associated with the agricultural practices, including the implementation of conservation practices included in a farm conservation plan approved by the Will/South Cook Soil and Water Conservation District, and including the construction of structures used for agricultural purposes, provided the construction meets the requirements of § 164.024;
5. Clearing, grading, stripping, excavating or filling associated with the installation, renovation or replacement of a septic system to serve an existing dwelling or structure;
6. Excavation, fill or any combination thereof which is equal to or less than 100 cubic yards in volume on a site less than two and one-half acres in size when structures are not involved and the proposed construction activity is not within 20 feet of a property line;
7. Excavation, fill or any combination thereof which is equal to or less than 200 cubic yards in volume on a site equal to or greater than two and one-half acres when structures are not involved and the proposed construction activity is not within 20 feet of a property line;
8. Removal of plant cover equal to or less than 5,000 square feet in an area when structures are not involved;
9. Driveways installed at existing grade on residential property that do not impact existing stormwater drainage systems;
10. Excavation or removal of vegetation in public utility easements for the purpose of installing or maintaining utilities;
11. Excavation or removal of vegetation in a right-of-way for the purpose of installing or maintaining utilities, including storm sewers; or
12. Maintenance of an existing stormwater facility, not requiring other state or federal permits or approvals.
(c) A site development permit is required for any development that:
1. Creates a wetland impact within an area defined as waters of the United States;
2. Creates a wetland impact within an area defined as isolated waters of the county; or
3. Occurs in buffer areas adjoining waters of the United States or isolated waters of the county.
(2) All development shall secure all appropriate stormwater management related approvals, including, without limitation, an IDNR- OWR floodway/floodplain construction permit, a ACOE 404 permit and an IDNR-OWR dam safety permit if required, from all federal, state and regional authorities and other appropriate federal, state, and regional approvals prior to the issuance of a site development permit for areas of a site requiring other approvals.
(B) Permit review fees. All permit fees shall be paid at the time of permit issuance. Permit fees are established by the County Board. Fees may include, but are not limited to, the cost of permit administration, review and inspections prior to construction, during construction and within the permanent cover establishment period following construction. Refer to § 158.01 for the fee schedule.
(C) Professional seals and certifications required.
(1) The design of stormwater facilities, calculations for the determination of the regulatory floodplain, or calculations of the impacts of development shall meet the standards of this chapter and shall be prepared, signed and sealed by a professional engineer registered in the state. The professional engineer shall provide an opinion that the technical submittal meets the criteria required by this chapter or the applicable certified community ordinance.
(2) For structures (not including earth embankments) that are subject to a differential water pressure greater than three feet, the submittal shall include evidence that the subject design has been prepared by a qualified professional who shall, as a minimum, have registration with the state as a professional engineer. These reviews shall include stability of the structure under design conditions considering the protection of downstream life and property in the event of a failure. When directed by the Chief Subdivision Engineer the calculations submitted for the structures shall be reviewed, signed and sealed by a registered structural engineer.
(3) For projects which include earth embankments which are subjected to a differential water pressure the submittal shall include evidence that the embankment design and construction specifications are adequate for the design conditions. This review shall include consideration of the existing foundation soils for the embankment, the materials from which the embankment is to be constructed, compaction requirements for the embankment and protection of the embankment from failure due to overtopping. Construction and materials specifications for all embankments shall be included with the plan set submittal. When directed by the Chief Subdivision Engineer, or when the impounded water pressure differential exceeds three feet, or when appropriate considering the volume impounded and water surface elevation differential to which the embankment is subjected, these calculations may be required to be reviewed, signed and sealed by a qualified geotechnical or structural engineer.
(4) A topographical map of the site, record drawings and other required drawings shall be prepared, signed, and sealed by a professional land surveyor or professional engineer and tied to NAVD 88 and any FEMA benchmarks.
(Ord. 10-164, passed 6-17-2010)