§ 23-1 GENERAL

• a. This chapter regulates work on private property and is intended to be consistent with and in support of the requirements of the California Building Code, as amended by Chapter 12 of the Albany Municipal Code. Proposals or projects affecting public property are directed to Chapter 14 of the Albany Municipal Code.

• b. California Building Code Appendix Chapter J "Grading" is hereby adopted by the City of Albany with the modification that the 2001 California Building Code Appendix Chapter 33, Section 3317 "Grading Inspection" and Section 3318 "Completion of Work" shall remain in full force and effect. A copy of 2001 California Building Code Appendix Chapter 33, Section 3317 and Section 3318 shall be available for public review in the office of the Building Official of the City of Albany.

As used in this chapter.

APPLICANT — Shall mean the property owner, his or her authorized agents and employees, who applies for a grading permit pursuant to this chapter.

BENCH — Shall mean a relatively level surface interrupting the slope of an excavation or embankment in sloping natural ground or cut or fill surfaces.

CIVIL ENGINEER — Shall mean a civil engineer registered as such by the State of California.

CLEARING AND GRUBBING — Shall mean site preparation for grading or construction by mechanical or manual means consisting primarily of, but not limited to, the removal of vegetation.

DIRECTOR — Shall mean the Director of Community Development and Environmental Resources and his or her designee.

ELEVATION — Shall mean the vertical distance above sea level.

EROSION — Shall mean the wearing away of ground surface due to natural action of the elements.

EXCAVATION — Shall mean the removal of any soil, rock, sand or other material from a site.

FILL — Shall mean deposited materials.

GRADING — Shall mean excavating or filling, or any combination thereof.

PERSON — Shall mean and include an individual, business and any other legally constituted entity such as, but not limited to, a partnership and a corporation.

PLANS — Shall mean maps, sketches, profiles, construction drawings and specifications, or any combination thereof as required to adequately describe the work, all as prepared by a Civil Engineer.

SEDIMENT — Shall mean Earth material deposited by water.

SITE — Shall mean and include contiguous parcels of land where a grading permit is required.

SLOPE — Shall mean an inclined ground surface expressed as a ratio of horizontal distance to vertical distance, or as a percent using a ratio of vertical rise per one hundred (100') feet of horizontal distance.

SOILS REPORT — Shall mean a report prepared by a registered civil engineer that shall include, but is not limited to, field test results and observations regarding the nature, distribution and strength of existing soils and recommendations and conclusions for grading procedures and design(s) for corrective action if necessary.