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A. The city engineer shall formulate such rules, procedures and interpretations as may be necessary or convenient to administer this chapter. Such rules, procedures and interpretations shall be referred to as the “grading manual” and any amendments to it shall be approved by resolution of the city council.
B. In the event of any conflict between the grading manual and this code, the provisions of this code shall govern. The provisions of the grading manual shall, to the extent that they are made conditions of any permit by the city engineer and/or building official, be binding on the permittee. (Ord. 48, 1990)
This code sets forth rules and regulations to control excavation, grading and earthwork construction, including fills and embankments, and establishes administrative requirements for issuance of permits and approval of plans and inspection of grading construction in accordance with the requirements for grading and excavation as contained in the Uniform Building Code then in effect as adopted and modified by city ordinance. (Ord. 48, 1990)
As used in this chapter:
“Approval” means a written engineering or geological opinion by the responsible engineer or geologist of record or responsible principal of the engineering company concerning the progress and completion of the work unless it specifically refers to the city engineer and/or building official.
“Approved plans” means the current grading plans which bear the stamp of approval of the city engineer and/or building official.
“Approved testing agency” means a facility whose testing operations are controlled and monitored by a registered civil engineer and which is equipped to perform and certify the tests required by this code, the grading manual, or as determined by the city engineer and/or building official. This determination may be appealed to the city council.
“Borrow” is earth material acquired from an off-site location for use in grading on a site.
“City engineer” means the city engineer for the city of Yucaipa.
“Building official” means the building official for the city of Yucaipa.
“City official” means either the city engineer or building official issuing the building permit.
“Civil engineer” means a professional engineer registered in the state of California to practice in the field of engineering.
“Civil engineering” means the application of the knowledge of the forces of nature, principles of mechanics and the properties of materials for the evaluation, design and construction of civil works for the beneficial uses of mankind.
“Clearing, brushing and grubbing” means the removal of vegetation (grass, brush, trees and similar plan types) by mechanical means.
“Commercial coach” is a vehicle with or without motive power, designed and equipped for human occupancy for industrial, professional or commercial purposes, and shall include a trailer coach.
“Compaction” is the densification of a fill by mechanical means.
“Engineering geologist” means a geologist certified in the state of California to practice engineering geology.
“Engineering geology” means the application of geologic knowledge and principles in the investigation and evaluation of naturally occurring rock and soil for use in the design of civil works.
“Erosion” is the wearing away of the ground surface as a result of the movement of wind, water and/or ice.
“Erosion control system” is a combination of desilting facilities, and erosion protection, including effective planting, to protect adjacent private property, watercourses, public facilities and receiving waters from an abnormal deposition of sediment or dust.
“Excavation” is the mechanical removal of earth material.
“Fill” is a deposit of earth material placed by artificial means.
“Grade” means the vertical location of the ground surface.
1. “Natural grade” is the ground surface unaltered by artificial means.
2. “Existing grade” is the ground surface prior to grading.
3. “Rough grade” is the stage at which the grade approximately conforms to the approved plan.
4. “Finish grade” is the final grade of the site which conforms to the approved plan.
“Grading” is any excavating or filling or combination thereof.
“Grading contractor” is a contractor licensed and regulated by the state of California who specializes in grading work or is otherwise licensed to do grading work.
“Grading permit” is an official document or certificate issued by the city authorizing grading activity as specified by approved plans and specifications.
“Hillside site” is a site which entails cut and/or fill grading of three feet or more in vertical height below or above natural ground; or a combination fill-over-cut slope equal to or grater than five feet in vertical height; or where the existing grade is twenty percent or greater; and which may be adversely affected by drainage and/or stability conditions within or from outside the site, or which may cause an adverse affect on adjacent property.
“Mobilehome” means a structure, transportable in one or more sections, designed and equipped to contain not more than two dwelling units to be used with or without a foundation system. Mobilehome does not include recreational vehicle, commercial coach, or factory-built housing.
“Owner” is any person, agency, firm or corporation having a legal or equitable interest in a given real property.
“Precise grading permit” is a permit that is issued on the basis of approved plans which show the precise structure location, finish elevations, and all on-site improvements.
“Preliminary grading permit” is a permit that is issued on the basis of approved plans which need not show a structure location but must show interim building pad drainage to the degree required by the city.
“References,” unless indicated otherwise, or as reasonably appears from the context, in this code to the civil engineer, the soil engineer, the geologist, and the engineering geologist refer to the professional person(s) preparing, signing or approving the project plans and specifications which comprise the approved grading plan, and which professional person appears of record pursuant to Sections 15.12.140 through 15.12.190 or his successor appearing pursuant to said sections.
“Site” is any lot or parcel of land or contiguous combination thereof, under the same ownership, where grading is performed or permitted.
“Slope” is an inclined ground surface, the inclination of which is expressed as a ratio of horizontal distance to vertical distance.
“Soil” is naturally occurring surficial deposits overlying bedrock.
“Soil engineer” is a civil engineer duly registered in the state of California whose field of expertise is soil mechanics.
“Soil engineering” means the application of the principles of soil mechanics in the investigation, evaluation and design of civil works involving the use of earth materials and the inspection and testing of the construction thereof.
“Special inspector” is an inspector duly licensed by the city to perform inspection of asphalt concrete placement and related construction work or other grading related work approved by the city official. (Ord. 48, 1990)
No person shall conduct any grading, clearing, brushing or grubbing on natural or existing grade that is preparatory to grading, without first having obtained a grading permit from the city. Exceptions to this requirement are as follows or as otherwise determined by the city:
A. An excavation below finished grade for basements and footings of a building, mobilehome, retaining wall, or other structure authorized by a valid building permit or construction permit. This shall not exempt any fill made with the material from such excavation nor exempt any excavation having an unsupported height greater than five feet after the completion of such structure. This shall not prohibit a minimum fee grading permit or soil or geologic report from being required for foundation design and inspection purposes when, in the opinion of the city, stability or flooding considerations warrant such inspection;
B. Cemetery graves;
C. Refuse disposal sites controlled by other regulations;
D. Earthwork construction regulated by the federal, state, county or city governments, or by any local agency as defined by Government Code Sections 53090 through 53095 (special districts), pipeline or conduit excavation and backfill conducted by local agencies or public utilities and earthwork construction performed by railway companies on their operating property. This exemption, however, shall apply only when the earthwork construction takes place on the property, or dedicated rights-of-way or easements of the above agencies;
E. Excavation and backfill for installation of underground utilities by public utilities or companies operating under the authority of a franchise or road;
F. Mining, quarrying, excavating, processing, stockpiling of rock, sand, gravel, aggregate or clay where established and provided for by law, provided such operations do not affect the lateral support or increase the stresses in or pressures upon any adjacent or contiguous property;
G. Exploratory excavations under the direction of soil engineers or engineering geologists, provided all excavations are properly backfilled. All such excavations and trenches are subject to the applicable sections of Title 8 of the State Orders, Division of Industrial Safety;
H. An excavation which does not exceed fifty (50) cubic yards on any one site and which: (1) is less than two feet in vertical depth, or (2) which does not create a cut slope greater then five feet in vertical height and steeper than one and one-half horizontal to one vertical (1 1/2:1);
I. A fill less than one foot in depth placed on natural grade with a slope flatter than five horizontal to one vertical (5:1), which does not exceed fifty (50) cubic yards on any one lot and does not obstruct a drainage course. (Ord. 48, 1990)
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