For the purpose of this chapter the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates of requires a different meaning.
ADEQ. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
AZPDES CONSTRUCTION GENERAL PERMIT (CGP). AZPDES General Permit No. AZG2016-002 for Stormwater Discharges from Large and Small Construction Activity in Arizona, except for those in Indian Country. This permit is administered by ADEQ.
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPs). Schedules of activities, prohibitions of practices, maintenance procedures and other management practices to prevent and reduce the discharge of pollutants to the waters of the United States. BMPs also include treatment requirements, operating procedures, and practices to control plant site runoff, spillage or leaks, sludge or waste disposal, or drainage from raw material storage.
BUILDING PERMIT. An official document or certificate issued by the City of Yuma, which authorizes the performance of a specific construction work, grading or alteration of ground features to create certain improvements and structures.
CITY. The City of Yuma, being in Yuma County, State of Arizona.
CITY ENGINEER. The City Engineer or firm or person, and their properly authorized assistants and inspectors, designated by the City to prepare plans and administer the construction of work.
CLEARING. Any activity that removes the vegetative surface cover.
CONSTRUCTION. Any repair, construction, reconstruction, upgrading or enhancing of a structure, grading or landscaping that disturbs one or more acres of land in public or private development; or, a City-owned linear project disturbing one-half acre or more of land.
DESIGN CRITERIA. Those requirements and criteria set forth by the City of Yuma Standard Construction Specifications and the Erosion Control Drainage Design Manual for Maricopa County, Arizona, as amended.
DESIGN ENGINEER. A registered civil or environmental engineer in the State of Arizona, who prepares plans and administers construction of public or private development.
DRAINAGE WAY. Any waterway that conveys surface water throughout or from the site.
EROSION. The wearing away of land surface by running water, wind or other geological agents. 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 development, farming and agriculture.
EROSION CONTROL. A measure or activity that prevents erosion.
EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL PLAN (ESCP). A set of plans with design calculations prepared by or under the direction of a Design Engineer indicating the specific measures and sequencing to be used to control erosion and sediment migration on a construction site before, 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.
LINEAR PROJECT. A Capital Improvement Program (C.I.P.) project that may involve construction of streets, roadways, water lines, sanitary and storm sewer facilities. Such projects typically have large length and small width with a higher pollution potential when compared to conventional construction projects.
MAJOR MODIFICATION. Any addition to or cancellation of the originally submitted SWPPP 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. Any storm that drops 0.50 inch or more of rainfall.
PERMIT. An official document or certificate issued by the City, which authorizes the performance of a specific construction work, demolition, repair, reconstruction, upgrading or enhancing of a structure, grading or landscaping or alteration of ground features to create certain improvements and structures and is subjected to the requirements of this chapter as defined in CONSTRUCTION above.
PERIMETER CONTROL OR SEDIMENT CONTROL. A physical barrier that prevents sediment from leaving a site by filtering sediment-laden runoff or diverting it to a sediment trap or basin.
PHASING. Construction on a parcel of land in a distinct sequence of areas, with the stabilization of each area completed before construction of the next.
QUALIFIED STORMWATER PERSON. A person knowledgeable in the principles and practices of erosion and sediment controls and who possesses the skills to assess conditions at the site that could impact stormwater quality and the effectiveness of the BMPs selected to control the quality of stormwater discharges. Preferred to be a Certified Professional in Stormwater Quality (CPSWQ) or Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC).
SEDIMENT. Soil particles, both mineral and organic, that are in suspension, are being transported, or have been removed from its site of origin by air, water, and gravity and have come to rest on the earth's surface.
SEDIMENT BASINS 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. Basins 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 construction work is performed as a single, unified or phased operation.
STABILIZATION. An erosion control 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, mulching, soil stabilizers, plastic covers and tarps.
START 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 PREVENTION PLAN (SWPPP). A plan that is required by the City and includes site map(s), an identification of construction/contractor activities that could cause pollutants in the stormwater, and a description of measures or practices to control these pollutants. The SWPPP must include an ESCP.
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.
WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES. 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.
(Ord. O2004-72, passed 12-1-04; Ord. O2006-38, passed 6-21-06; Ord. O2021-020, passed 8-4-21)