Title
Adoption of Ordinance 4719 replacing Ordinance Code Section 15.14 pertaining to the Grading, Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance (Grading Ordinance) and Design Manual; said Ordinance is undergoing an update to bring it into conformance with current State law, the new County General Plan, other County ordinance requirements, and the adopted Storm Water Management Plan and has also been reformatted to limit the ordinance to necessary legal authorizations and to place technical design and procedural requirements in a volume of the County's Design and Improvement Standards Manual (Design Manual). (Introduced 2/27/07, Item 45)
Body
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Development Services recommends the Board take the following actions:
1. Find the amendments exempt pursuant to Section 15308 of the CEQA Guidelines; 2. Adopt Ordinance to replace the Grading, Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance, Section 15.14 of the County Code, with the revised language presented in the attached exhibits; 3. Adopt Resolution to approve the new Volume III of the County Design and Improvement Standards Manual for use in implementing Section 15.14 of the County Code; and 4. Adopt Resolution to designate the Administrative Authority(s) charged with implementation of Section 15.14 of the County Code.
Background: As discussed in the attached staff report to the Planning Commission, the County's Grading, Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance (i.e. the Grading Ordinance) was last updated in 1989, prior to the adoption of several related regulatory documents. This ordinance is undergoing an update to bring it into conformance with current State law, the new County General Plan, other County ordinance requirements, and the adopted Storm Water Management Plan. It has also been reformatted to limit the ordinance to necessary legal authorizations and to place technical design and procedural requirements in a volume of the County's Design and Improvement Standards Manual (i.e. the Design Manual). These documents have also been revised for clarity and to provide additional guidance to project designers and reviewers.
Key Changes:
Listed below are the substantive changes to the current grading regulations that are included in the proposed updated Grading Ordinance and Design Manual. Each of these changes is discussed in detail in the attached staff report.
1. Designation of Administrative Authority.
2. Revised permit exemption thresholds (revisions include the reduction of the permit threshold to 50 cubic yards from 250 cubic yards).
3. Agricultural grading permit process.
4. Clarified permit processing procedures.
5. Permit time limits revised to conform with other ordinances.
6. Clarified prohibition of grading activities that cause hazards to people or property.
7. Expanded glossary of definitions.
8. Clarified grading design standards.
9. New section on retaining wall design standards.
10. Application submittal requirements revised for conformity with other County regulations and State law. (These revisions include the requirements for the use of licensed professionals.)
11. Clarified permit processing procedures.
12. Clarified construction site requirements.
Ordinance and Design Manual Adoption Processes
The public review process leading up to the January 25, 2007, report to the Planning Commission is described in the attached staff report. Since the January 25, 2007, Commission meeting, the revised ordinance and the Design Manual volume were considered by the full membership of the Surveyors, Architects, Geologists and Engineers of El Dorado County (SAGE). Upon recommendation of the SAGE Grading Committee, the full SAGE membership voted unanimously on February 1, 2007, to recommend that your Board adopt the proposed revisions to the County's grading regulations.
The revised ordinance and Design Manual is scheduled to be considered by the Agriculture Commission at its February 15, 2007, meeting. Any recommendations or comments from that Commission will be provided to your Board at the February 27, 2007, hearing.
Contact: Gregory L. Fuz (5445)/Brian Baca (3601)