17.31.070 Exemptions.
All grading work must be done in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, except that a permit, pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, shall not be required for the following work:
A. Excavation below finished grade for basements and footing of a building, retaining wall, swimming pool or other structure authorized by a valid building permit. This shall not exempt any fill made with the material from such excavation or exempt any excavation having an unsupported height greater than five feet after the completion of such structure;
B. Excavation for cemetery graves;
C. Excavation when all of the following conditions are met:
1. The quantity is one hundred fifty cubic yard or less;
2. The depth is four feet or less;
3. The slope of the cut face is two feet horizontal to one foot vertical or less;
D. Fill when all of the following conditions are met:
1. The quantity is one hundred fifty cubic yards or less placed on ground sloping twenty percent or less;
2. The height is four feet or less;
3. The slope of the fill embankment face is two feet horizontal to one foot vertical or less;
4. The existing drainage patterns are not altered;
E. Minor agricultural land levelling when the change in elevation is three feet or less;
F. Clearing vegetation when all of the following conditions are met:
1. The slope of the ground is twenty percent or less;
2. The area to be cleared is one acre or less;
3. Where the removal of such vegetation has been approved by the community development and planning director as being consistent with the city’s General Plan/EDP and Zoning Ordinance;
G. Grading in refuse disposal areas and sanitary landfills; and mining; quarrying; excavating; processing and stockpiling of rock; sand; gravel; aggregate or clay for which a use permit has been granted by the city; where the operation and control thereof is consistent with the grading standards set forth herein; and where the work does not block or divert any natural drainage way or increase runoff or sedimentation onto any adjacent or contiguous property.
(Ord. 1576 NCS §1 (part), 1984.)