Calabasas Municipal Code Ch. 15.12 Definitions

This chapter provides definitions of terms and phrases used in the Chapters 15.10 and 15.11 that are technical or specialized, or that may not reflect common usage. If a word is not defined in this chapter, or other titles of the Municipal Code, the most common dictionary definition is assumed to be correct.

(Ord. No. 2010-268, § 1, 1-27-2010)

A. Definitions, A. The following definitions are in alphabetical order.

"Approval" means when the proposed work or completed work conforms to this chapter, as determined by and to the satisfaction of the building official.

"As-built" means a set of reproducible drawings which represent the actual installation/construction.

B. Definitions, B. The following definitions are in alphabetical order.

"Bedrock" means the relatively solid, undisturbed rock in place either at the ground surface or beneath superficial deposits of alluvium, colluvium and/or soil.

"Bench" means a relatively level step excavated into sloping natural ground on which engineered fill or embankment fill is to be placed.

"Best management practice (BMP)" means schedules of activities, prohibitions of practices, general good housekeeping practices, maintenance procedures, education programs, and other management practices to prevent or reduce the discharge of pollutants directly or indirectly to waters of the United States. BMPs also include treatment requirements, operating procedures, and practices to control plant site runoff, spillage or leaks, sludge or waste disposal, and drainage from raw materials storage. The California Storm Water Best Management Practice Handbooks for Municipal, Industrial/Commercial and Construction Activity provide a detailed discussion of BMPs. See also Chapter 8.28 of Title 8 in the Municipal Code.

C. Definitions, C. The following definitions are in alphabetical order.

"California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)" means state law (California Public Resources Code Sections 21000 et seq.) requiring public agencies to document and consider the environmental effects of a proposed action, prior to allowing the action to occur.

"California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)" means the governmental agency which regulates the terms and conditions of the public utilities in the state of California.

"City" means the city of Calabasas, state of California, referred to in this development code as "city."

"City Council" means the City Council of the city of Calabasas, state of California.

"City Engineer" means the City Engineer of the city of Calabasas, state of California.

"Civil engineer" means a professional engineer registered as a civil engineer by the state of California.

"Compaction" means the densification of a fill by mechanical means.

Cut. See "Excavation."

D. Definitions, D. The following definitions are in alphabetical order:

"Department" means the Public Works Department.

"Depth of fill" means the vertical dimension from the exposed fill surface to the original ground surface at the fill's deepest point, generally at the hinge point. Where the construction slope is steeper than 3:1, the depth shall be measured from the toe of the slope.

"Director" means the Public Works Director.

"Down drain" means a device for collecting water from a swale or ditch located on or above a slope, and safely delivering it to an approved drainage facility.

"Drainage facility" means a conveyance or system of conveyances, including roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, and manmade channels, designed or used for collecting and conveying stormwater.

Definitions, E. The following definitions are in alphabetical order.

"Earth material" means any rock, natural soil or fill or any combination thereof.

"Embankment" means a fill consisting of a deposit of soil, rock or other materials mechanically placed, including the conditions resulting therefrom.

"Engineering geologist" means a person holding a valid certificate of registration as a geologist in the specialty of engineering geology issued by the state of California under the applicable provisions of the Geologist and Geophysicist Act of the Business and Professions Code.

"Engineering geology" means 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" means the wearing away of the ground surface as a result of the movement of wind, water or ice.

"Excavation" means the removal of earth material by artificial means, also referred to as a cut.

Existing Grade. See "Grade."

F. Definitions, F. The following definitions are in alphabetical order:

"Fill" means deposition of earth materials by artificial means.

Finish or Final Grade or Grading. See "Grade."

"Field engineer" means a professional engineer registered as a civil engineer by the state of California, responsible for performing the field functions as set forth in the grading ordinance.

G. Definitions, G. The following definitions are in alphabetical order.

Geologist. See "Engineering geologist".

"Geotechnical engineer" means a professional engineer registered as a civil engineer by the state of California with experience and knowledgeable in the field of geotechnical and soil mechanics.

"Geotechnical hazard" means an adverse condition due to landslide, settlement, and/or slippage. These hazards include but are not limited to loose debris, slopewash, and mud flows from natural or graded slopes.

"Grade" means the vertical location of the ground surface.

1. "Existing or natural grade" means the contour of the existing topography excluding any cut and/or fill.

2. "Finish grade" means the final grade of the site that conforms to an approved grading plan and grading permit.

3. "Rough grade" means the stage of grading operations at which the grade of the site approximately conforms to the approved grading plan and grading permit.

"Grading" means any excavating or filling or combination thereof.

"Grading ordinance" means Chapters 15.10, 15.11 and 15.12 of the Municipal Code.

H. Definitions, H. No definitions of terms beginning with the letter "H" are used at this time.

I. Definitions, I. The following definitions are in alphabetical order:

"In place density" means the weight of the soil placed "in place" and tested to have a certain compaction.

J. Definitions, J. No definitions of terms beginning with the letter "J" are used at this time.

K. Definitions, K. The following definitions are in alphabetical order:

"Key" means a compacted fill placed in a trench excavated in earth material generally constructed at the toe of a slope

L. Definitions, L. The following definitions are in alphabetical order:

"Landform grading" means a contour grading method which creates artificial slopes with curves and varying slope ratios in the horizontal and vertical planes designed to simulate the appearance of surrounding natural terrain.

"Landscape architect" means a person who holds a certificate to practice landscape architecture in the state of California under the applicable landscape architecture provisions of Division 3, Chapter 3.5 of the Business and Professions Code.

"Local Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan/Wet Weather Erosion Control Plan (SWPPP/WWECP)" means a site drawing with details, notes, and related documents that identify the measures proposed to 1) control erosion and prevent sediment and construction-related pollutants from being carried offsite by stormwater, and (2) prevent non-stormwater discharges from entering the storm drain facility (See Chapter 8.28.Code).

M. Definitions, M. The following definitions are in alphabetical order.

"Municipal Code" means the city of Calabasas Municipal Code, as it may be amended from time to time.

N. Definitions, N. The following definitions are in alphabetical order.

"National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)" means a permit that authorizes discharges to waters of the United States and which is issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the State Water Resources Control Board, or the California Regional Water Quality Control Board pursuant to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, also known as the Clean Water Act, as it may be amended from time to time (33 U.S.C. Section 1251, et seq.).

NPDES. See "National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)."

O. Definitions, O. The following definitions are in alphabetical order.

"On-site sewage disposal system" means a septic tank with effluent discharging into a subsurface disposal field, into one or more seepage pits or into a combination of subsurface disposal field and seepage pit or of such other facilities as may be permitted in accordance with the procedures and requirements set forth in Section 15.04.610 of this code.

"Over excavation" means soil removed in an effort to investigate or mediate.

P. Definitions, P. The following definitions are in alphabetical order.

"Planning Commission" means the Planning Commission of the city of Calabasas, appointed by the Calabasas City Council as provided by Government Code Section 65101.

"Permittee" means a person to whom a permit has been issued.

"Precise grading." See Finished Grade.

"Project consultants" means the professional consultants required by this code which may consist of the design engineer, field engineer, soils engineer, engineering geologist, and landscape architect as applicable to this chapter.

"Property line" means any recorded boundary of a lot.

"Property owner" means the legal owner(s) of a lot.

Q. Definitions, Q. No definitions of terms beginning with the letter "Q" are used at this time.

R. Definitions, R. The following definitions are in alphabetical order.

"Review Authority" means an individual or official city body identified by this grading ordinance as having the responsibility or authority to review, approve or disapprove the grading applications, permits and appeals (the city engineer, unless the project was approved by the Planning Commission or City Council, in which case the review authority would be the Planning Commission or City Council.)

"Rough Grade" or "Rough Grading." See "Grade."

S. Definitions, S. The following definitions are in alphabetical order.

"Segmental gravity retaining wall" means a fill slope reinforced with multiple layers of geosynthetic fabric embedded in the soil backfill and mechanically tied to facing units.

"Site" means a lot or parcel of land or contiguous combination thereof, under the same ownership, where grading is performed or permitted.

"Slope" means an inclined ground surface the inclination of which is expressed as a percentage or as a ratio of horizontal distance to vertical distance.

"Soil" means naturally occurring superficial deposits overlying parent bedrock.

Soils engineer. See "Geotechnical engineer".

"Soils engineering (geotechnical engineering)" means the application of the principles of soils mechanics in the investigation, evaluation and design of civil works involving the use of earth materials and the inspection or testing of the construction thereof.

"Special inspection" means the inspection required by this code to be performed by the project consultants. Such inspections shall be sufficient to form an opinion relating to the conduct of the work.

"Storm water mitigation plan" See Chapter 8.28 of the Municipal Code.

"Surface drainage" means flows over the ground surface.

T. Definitions, T. The following definitions are in alphabetical order.

"Terrace" means a relatively level step constructed in the face of a graded slope surface for drainage and maintenance purposes.

U. Definitions, U. No definitions of terms beginning with the letter "U" are used at this time.

V. Definitions, V. No definitions of terms beginning with the letter "V" are used at this time.

W. Definitions, W. The following definitions are in alphabetical order.

"Wet Weather Erosion Control Plan." See "Local Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan".

X. Definitions, X. No definitions of terms beginning with the letter "X" are used at this time.

Y. Definitions, Y. No definitions of terms beginning with the letter "Y" are used at this time.

Z. Definitions, Z. No definitions of terms beginning with the letter "Z" are used at this time.

(Ord. No. 2010-268, § 1, 1-27-2010)