Aliso Viejo Municipal Code Art. II Definitions

“Approval” shall mean a written engineering or geological opinion by the responsible engineer, geologist of record or responsible principal of the engineering company concerning the progress and completion of the work unless it specifically refers to the building official.

“Approved plans” shall mean the current grading plans which bear the stamp of approval of the building official.

“Approved testing agency” shall mean a facility whose testing operations are controlled and monitored by a registered civil engineer and which is equipped to perform and certify the tests required by this chapter, or the grading manual, as determined by the building official. This determination may be appealed to the city council.

“Borrow” is earth material acquired from an off-site location for use in grading on a site.

“Building official” is the city’s building official or his or her designee.

“Civil engineer” shall mean a professional engineer registered in the state of California to practice in the field of civil engineering.

“Civil engineering” shall mean the application of the knowledge of the forces of nature, principles of mechanics and the properties of materials for the evaluation, design, and construction of civil works for the beneficial uses of mankind.

“Clearing,” “brushing,” and “grubbing” shall mean the removal of vegetation (grass, brush, trees, and similar plant types) by mechanical means.

“Commercial coach” is a vehicle with or without motive power, designed and equipped for human occupancy for industrial, professional or commercial purposes, and shall include a trailer coach.

“Compaction” is the densification of a fill by mechanical means.

“Director” shall mean director of public works or his duly delegated representative.

“Earth material” is any rock, natural soil or fill and/or any combination thereof.

“Engineering geologist” shall mean a geologist certified in the state of California to practice engineering geology.

“Engineering geology” shall mean the application of geologic knowledge and principles in the investigation and evaluation of naturally occurring rock and soil for use in the design of civil works.

“Erosion” is the wearing away of the ground surface as a result of the movement of wind, water, and/or ice.

“Erosion control system” is a combination of desilting facilities, and erosion protection, including effective planting, to protect adjacent private property, watercourses, public facilities and receiving waters from an abnormal deposition of sediment or dust.

“Excavation” is the mechanical removal of earth material.

“Existing grade” is the ground surface prior to grading.

“Fill” is a deposit of earth material placed by artificial means.

“Finished grade” is the final grade of the site which conforms to the approved plan.

“Grade” shall mean the vertical location of the ground surface.

“Grading” is any excavating or filling or combination thereof.

“Grading contractor” is a contractor licensed and regulated by the state of California who specializes in grading work or is otherwise licensed to do grading work.

“Grading permit” is an official document or certificate issued by the building official authorizing grading activity as specified by approved plans and specifications.

“Hillside site” is a site which entails cut and/or fill grading of three feet or more in vertical height below or above natural ground; or a combination fill-over-cut slope equal to or greater than five feet in vertical height; or where the existing grade is 20 percent or greater; and which may be adversely affected by drainage and/or stability conditions within or from outside the site, or which may cause an adverse effect on adjacent property.

“Mobilehome” means a structure, transportable in one or more sections, designed and equipped to contain not more than two dwelling units to be used with or without a foundation system. Mobilehome does not include recreational vehicle, commercial coach, or factory-built housing.

“Natural grade” is the ground surface unaltered by artificial means.

“Owner” is any person, agency, firm, or corporation having a legal or equitable interest in a given real property.

“Permanent erosion control devices” are improvements which remain throughout the life of the development. They include terrace drains, downdrains, slope landscaping, channels, storm drains, etc.

“Precise grading permit” is a permit that is issued on the basis of approved plans which show the precise structure location, finish elevations, and all on-site improvements.

“Preliminary grading permit” is a permit that is issued on the basis of approved plans which need not show a structure location but must show interim building pad drainage to the degree required by the building official.

References. Unless indicated otherwise, or as reasonably appears from the context, references in this code to the civil engineer, the soil engineer, the geologist, and the engineering geologist refer to the professional person(s) preparing, signing, or approving the project plans and specifications which comprise the approved grading plan, and which professional person appears of record pursuant to AVMC 13.08.130 through 13.08.180 or their successor appearing pursuant to AVMC 13.08.390, Transfer of responsibility for approval.

“Rough grade” is the stage at which the grade approximately conforms to the approved plan.

“Semi-permanent erosion control devices” are devices which are used primarily during construction and are not relocatable. They include earthen berms, concrete spillways, desilting basins, riser/outlet pipes, etc.

“Site” is any lot or parcel of land or contiguous combination thereof, under the same ownership, where grading is performed or permitted.

“Slope” is an inclined ground surface, the inclination of which is expressed as a ratio of horizontal distance to vertical distance.

“Soil” is naturally occurring surficial deposits overlying bedrock.

“Soil engineer” is a civil engineer duly registered in the state of California whose field of expertise is soil mechanics.

“Soil engineering” shall mean the application of the principles of soil mechanics in the investigation, evaluation and design of civil works involving the use of earth materials and the inspection and testing of the construction thereof.

“Special inspector” is an inspector duly licensed by the building official to perform inspection of asphalt concrete placement and related construction work or other grading related work approved by the building official.

“Stormwater permits” are any permits issued by a local, state or federal regulatory agency regulating stormwater flow over and from any project subject to this chapter including but not limited to NPDES permits and state general permits as defined in AVMC 7.35.030.

“Temporary erosion control devices” are devices which are removable. In most cases they will last no longer than one rainy season. They include sandbags, gravel bags, plastic sheeting (visqueen), silt fencing, straw bales, and similar items.

“Terrace” is a relatively level step constructed in the face of a graded slope surface for drainage and maintenance purposes.

“Water quality requirements” are the requirements relevant to activities that are subject to this chapter found in AVMC 7.35.010 et seq., the DAMP as defined in AVMC 7.35.030 including all appendices and guidance documents included in the DAMP, as well as requirements relevant to the activities that are subject to this chapter found in stormwater permits. [Ord. 2010-126 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 2003-044 § 2 (7-1-804)].

Cross-reference: definitions generally, AVMC 1.02.010.