Laguna Hills Municipal Code Art. II Definitions

As used in this chapter:

“Approval”

means 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 Director.

“Approved plans”

means the current grading plans, which bear the stamp of approval of the Director.

“Approved testing agency”

means 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 code, or the Grading Manual, as determined by the Director. This determination may be appealed to the City Council.

“City Manager”

means the City Manager of the city of Laguna Hills.

“Civil Engineer”

means a professional engineer registered in the state of California to practice in the field of civil engineering.

“Civil Engineering”

means 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”

means the removal of vegetation (grass, brush, trees, and similar plant types) by mechanical means.

“Commercial coach”

means 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”

means the densification of a fill by mechanical means.

“Director”

means the Director of Public Works/City Engineer of the city of Laguna Hills.

“Earth material”

means any rock, natural soil, or fill and/or any combination thereof.

“Engineering geologist”

means a geologist certified in the state of California to practice engineering geology.

“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, and/or ice.

“Erosion control system”

means 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”

means the mechanical removal of earth material.

“Existing grade”

means the ground surface prior to grading.

“Fill”

means a deposit of earth material placed by artificial means.

“Finished grade”

means the final grade of the site which conforms to the approved plan.

“Grade”

means to vertical location of the ground surface.

“Grading”

means any excavating or filling or combination thereof.

“Grading contractor”

means 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”

means an official document or certificate issued by the Director authorizing grading activity as specified by approved plans and specifications.

“Hillside site”

means 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 twenty (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”

means the ground surface unaltered by artificial means.

“Owner”

means any person, agency, firm, or corporation having a legal or equitable interest in a given real property.

“Permanent erosion control devices”

means improvements, which remain throughout the life of the development. They include terrace drains, down-drains, slope landscaping, channels, storm drains, etc.

“Precise grading permit”

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

“Rough grade”

means the stage at which the grade, approximately conforms to the approved plan.

“Rough grading permit”

means 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 Director.

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 Sections 10-16.160 through 10-16.210 of this chapter or his or her successor appearing pursuant to Section 10-16.420 of this chapter, Transfer of responsibility for approval.

“Semi-permanent erosion control devices”

means devices, which are used primarily during construction and are not relocateable. They include earthen berms, concrete spillways, desilting basins, riser/outlet pipes, etc.

“Site”

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

“Slope”

means an included ground surface, the inclination of which is expressed as a ratio of horizontal distance to vertical distance.

“Soil”

means naturally occurring surficial deposits overlying bedrock.

“Soil engineer”

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

“Soil engineering”

means 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”

means an inspector duly licensed by the Director to perform inspection of asphalt concrete placement and related construction work or other grading related work approved by the Director.

“Storm water 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 Section 5-36.030.

“Temporary erosion control devices”

means devices, which are removable and can rarely be salvaged for subsequent reuse. In most cases they will last no longer than one rainy season. They include sandbags, gravel bags, plastic sheeting, silt fencing, straw bales, and similar items.

“Terrace”

means 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 Chapter 5-36 of this code relating to water quality control.

(Ord. 03-1 § 1 (part))