17.31.030 Definitions.
The following definitions are adopted for the purpose of this chapter:
A. "Applicant" means any person, partnership, corporation or agency requesting permission to engage in any grading activity.
B. "Bench" means a step constructed in the face of a cut or fill slope for maintenance, access and drainage purposes.
1. "Best management practices (BMPs)" means activities, prohibition of practices, general good housekeeping practices, pollution prevention and educational practices, maintenance procedures, and other management practices to prevent or reduce to the maximum extent practicable the discharge of pollutants directly or indirectly to waters of the United States. BMPs shall also be defined to include structural controls, treatment controls, training requirements, operating procedures, and practices to control plant site runoff, spillage or leaks, sludge or waste disposal, and drainage from raw materials storage.
C. "Borrow" means earth material acquired from an off-site location or use in grading on a site.
D. "Diversion" means a temporary or permanent facility consisting of a channel, ditch or ridge constructed across a sloping land surface to intercept and divert surface runoff in order to control its erosive potential,
E. "Engineering geologist" means a geologist certified in the state of California to practice engineering geology.
F. "Erosion" means detachment and movement of soil or rock fragments by water, wind, ice and gravity.
G. "Erosion and sediment control handbook" means a book entitled, "Erosion and Sediment Control Handbook," published by the state of California, Resources Agency, Department of Conservation.
H. "Excavation" ("cut") means any act by which soil or rock is cut into, dug, quarried, uncovered, removed, displaced or relocated.
I. "Fill" means a deposit of earth or other material placed by artificial means.
J. "Final erosion and sediment control plan" means a plan that depicts the erosion control measures designed for a completed project.
K. "Grade" means the vertical location of the ground surface.
"Existing grade" is the grade prior to grading.
"Rough grade" is the grade approximately conforming to the approved plan.
"Finished grade" is the final grade of the site which conforms to the approved plan.
L. "Grading" means any excavation, stripping, cutting, filling, stockpiling, clearing or any combination thereof which alters land or vegetation.
M. "Hillside site" means a site having an average slope of fifteen percent or greater.
N. "Interim erosion and sediment control plan" means a plan that depicts the erosion control measure designed for a project under construction.
O. "Key" means a trench or step cut into natural ground to hold fill on an existing slope,
P. "Mulching" means the application of plant residue or other suitable materials to the land surface to conserve moisture, hold soil in place, and aid in establishing plant cover.
1. "NPDES general construction permit" means General Permit No. CAS000002 issued by the state water resources control board and any future changes or amendments subsequent thereto, or any other general permit issued by the state water resources control board, regional water quality control board, or U.S. environmental protection agency that regulates discharges of stormwater and authorized non-stormwater discharges to surface waters associated with construction activity including clearing, grading, and excavation that result in land disturbance of equal to or greater than one acre or is part of a larger common plan,
2. "Notice of intent (NOI)" means formal notification to the regional water quality control board or state water resources control board by the applicant that a construction activity will occur in compliance with the conditions of the state’s NPDES general construction permit.
3. "Notice of termination (NOT)" means formal notification to the regional water quality control board or state water resources control board by the applicant that a construction activity is completed in order to terminate coverage under the state’s NPDES general construction permit.
Q. "Quarry" means any premises or site from which any rock, sand, gravel, stone, earth, soil or mineral is removed or excavated for the purpose of disposition away from the immediate premises, whether such disposition is immediate or in the future; excepting excavation necessary for the construction of a building or structure on the site of the excavation for which valid permits have been issued, and excepting excavation which is all or part of a grading operation to change the contours of the land in conformance with a plan approved by the city for which a grading permit has been issued.
R. "Rainy season" means the period of time between October 1st and the following April 15th.
S. "Runoff" means the surface flow of water, especially the flow following precipitation.
T. "Sedimentation" means the process by which mineral or organic matter is removed from its site of origin, transported, and then deposited by water, wind or gravity.
U. "Sediment basin" means a reservoir which retards flows sufficiently to cause or allow deposition of transported sediment.
V. "Site" means any lot or parcel of land or contiguous combination thereof, under the same ownership, where grading is performed.
W. "Site map and grading plan" ("grading plan") means a plan as required by Section 17.31.170.
X. "Soils engineer" means a civil engineer registered in the state of California specializing and recognized in soil mechanics and foundation engineering.
Y. "Soils and geological reconnaissance report" ("soils report") means a report as described in Section 17.31.180.
Z. "Stockpile" means a supply of earth, rock, gravel, sand or other similar material temporarily accumulated and stored prior to final disposition.
1. "Stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP)" means plan required by the state’s NPDES general construction permit for projects that will result in soil disturbance of one acre or greater. The purpose of a SWPPP is to identify sources of sediment and other pollutants that affect the quality of stormwater discharges and to describe and ensure the implementation of BMPs to reduce or eliminate sediment and other pollutants in stormwater as well as nonstormwater discharges.
(Ord. 2210 NCS §3, 2005; Ord. 1576 NCS §1 (part), 1984.)