Sec. 37.121. - Soil management report.

(a)

The soil management report required by section 37.120 shall be prepared by a licensed landscape architect, licensed civil engineer, licensed architect, or other landscape professional licensed by the state to do this work and shall contain the following information:

(1)

An analysis of the soil for the proposed landscaped areas of the project that includes information about the soil texture, soil infiltration rate, pH, total soluble salts, sodium, and percent organic matter.

(2)

Recommendations about soil amendments that may be necessary to foster plant growth and plant survival in the landscaped area using efficient irrigation techniques.

(b)

When a project involves mass grading of a site the applicant shall submit the soil management report that complies with subsection (a) above with the certificate of completion required by section 37.136.

(c)

The soil management report shall include information regarding proposed soil amendments and mulch:

(1)

The report shall identify the type and amount of mulch for each area where mulch is applied. Mulch shall be used as follows:

a.

Minimum three-inch layer of mulch shall be applied on all exposed soil surfaces in each landscaped area except in turf areas, creeping or rooting ground covers or direct seeding applications where mulch is contraindicated.

b.

Stabilizing mulch shall be applied on slopes.

c.

The mulching portion of seed/mulch slurry in hydro-seeded applications shall comply with subsection (a) above.

d.

Highly flammable mulch material shall not be used.

e.

Organic mulch materials made from recycled or post-consumer shall take precedence over inorganic materials or virgin forest products unless the recycled post-consumer organic products are not locally available. Organic mulches are not required where prohibited by local Fuel Modification Plan Guidelines or other applicable local ordinances.

(2)

Compost shall be used as follows:

a.

For landscape installations, compost at a rate of a minimum of four cubic yards per one thousand (1,000) square feet of permeable area shall be incorporated to a depth of six (6) inches into the soil.

b.

Soils with greater than six (6) percent organic matter in the top six (6) inches of soil are exempt from adding compost and tilling.

(3)

The report shall identify any soil amendments and their type and quantity.

(Ord. No. 10-OR0412-1, § 1, 5-26-2010; Ord. No. 22-OR0062-1, § 2, 1-26-2022)