Rocklin Municipal Code Art. II Requirement, Conditions, and Scope of Grading Approvals

The community development department is designated as the department responsible for the administration of this chapter.

(Ord. 904 § 1 (part), 2006).

Except for the specific exemptions listed hereinafter, no person shall do or permit to be done any grading on any site in the city without first obtaining approval of such grading from the city in accordance with the provisions of the grading ordinance.

(Ord. 904 § 1 (part), 2006).

The following grading may be done without obtaining grading approval unless grading approval is required in mitigation monitoring agreements or other conditions of project approval. Exemption from the grading approval requirement shall not be deemed to be an exemption from or permission to violate any other provision of this chapter or the Rocklin Municipal Code. All grading work, including work exempted from the grading approval requirement, shall be carried out in a manner consistent with the requirements of the grading ordinance. Work exempted from a city-issued grading approval shall be required to take all steps and implement best management practices to assure that the potential for erosion and control of sediment from any project site is minimized:

A. Excavations for cemetery graves;

B. Excavations for wells;

C. Minor excavations when all of the following conditions are met:

1. The quantity of soil removed or disturbed is fifty cubic yards or less.

2. The depth of the excavation is less than two feet on ground sloping less than twenty percent.

3. The slope of the cut face is two feet horizontal to one foot vertical or less.

D. Minor fill when all of the following conditions are met:

1. The quantity of soil involved is fifty cubic yards or less placed on ground sloping less than twenty percent.

2. The height is one foot or less.

3. The slope of the fill embankment face is two feet horizontal to one foot vertical or less.

4. The drainage patterns existing prior to the fill are not altered.

E. Minor agricultural land leveling when the change in elevation is two feet or less;

F. Grading in refuse disposal areas and sanitary landfills;

G. Trenches for public utilities;

H. Exploratory excavations under the direction of soils engineers or engineering geologists;

I. Grading work done for the purpose of creating ponds or catching stormwater where the city engineer determines the following conditions exist:

1. The proposed grading work will not create a hazard to private property and improvements.

2. The proposed grading work will not substantially affect existing drainage patterns or create erosion hazards.

J. Other grading activities which the city engineer determines comply with the exemption criteria set forth in this section.

(Ord. 904 § 1 (part), 2006).

A. Grading approval may be issued by the building official in connection with the issuance of a building permit, or the city engineer after approval of improvement plans, or where grading is commenced prior to such issuance or approval, through the issuance of a separate grading permit.

B. The issuance of grading approval shall not be construed as an approval of any action or condition constituting a violation of the provisions of the grading ordinance or of any other applicable laws, ordinances, rules or regulations.

C. Neither issuance of grading approval under the provisions of the grading ordinance nor compliance with the provisions hereof or with any conditions imposed in a permit issued hereunder shall relieve any person from responsibility for damage to any person or property or impose any liability upon the city for damage to any person or property.

(Ord. 904 § 1 (part), 2006).

A. No grading shall be approved unless the project conforms with the city's general plan, any adopted specific or general development plans, and applicable city ordinances, including the zoning ordinance and the subdivision ordinance.

B. Where the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires the preparation and approval of environmental documents concerning a project which will result in grading for which a grading permit is required under this chapter, no grading shall be approved until all CEQA mitigation and other requirements have been incorporated into the project, including, but not limited to, mitigation measures relating to protection of threatened and endangered species under applicable federal and state endangered species laws.

C. Where a proposed development project requires the filing of a tentative map or the intended use requires approval of a discretionary permit or variance, grading may also require approval from the city planning and building department.

D. Work shall be performed in accordance with the provisions of the grading ordinance and the applicable criteria set forth in the Improvement Standards.

E. Grading approval shall be limited to work shown on the grading plans as approved by the city. The city engineer may impose any condition deemed necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public, to prevent the creation of a hazard to public or private property, and/or to assure proper completion of the grading, including, but not limited to, the following:

1. Mitigation of adverse environmental impacts as disclosed by any environmental document findings, including, but not limited to, those matters specified in subsection B of this section;

2. Improvement of any existing grading to comply with the standards of the grading ordinance;

3. Requirements for fencing or other protection of grading which would otherwise be hazardous;

4. Requirements for dust, erosion, sediment and noise control, hours of operation and season of work, access roads and haul routes;

5. Requirements for safeguarding watercourses, whether natural or manmade, from excessive deposition of sediment or debris. In no case shall deposition of sediment or debris cause an exceedance of applicable water quality standards;

6. Assurance that the land area in which grading is proposed and for which habitable structures are proposed is not subject to hazards of land slippage or significant settlement or erosion and that the hazards of flooding can be eliminated or adequately reduced;

7. Requirements for safeguarding existing water wells;

8. Requirements for fencing to protect the health and livelihood of trees on the site.

(Ord. 904 § 1 (part), 2006).

No person shall do or permit to be done any grading which may obstruct, impede, or interfere with the natural flow of stormwaters, whether such waters are unconfined upon the surface of the land or confined within land depressions, natural drainage ways, unimproved channels, watercourses, improved ditches, channels or conduits, in said manner as to cause flooding where it would not otherwise occur, aggravate any existing flooding condition or cause accelerated erosion except where said grading is in accordance with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules, and regulations including, but not limited to, the provisions of the grading ordinance.

(Ord. 904 § 1 (part), 2006).

No person shall perform any grading work within the right-of-way of a public road or street, or within a public easement, without prior written approval of the director of public works, and without obtaining a city encroachment permit.

(Ord. 904 § 1 (part), 2006).

Whenever the city engineer determines that any grading on private property constitutes a condition which could endanger persons or property, or could adversely affect the safety, use or stability of adjacent property, or an overhead or underground utility, or any public way, watercourse or drainage channel, or could adversely affect the water quality of any water bodies or watercourses, or causes a violation of the city's NPDES permit, the owner of the property upon which the condition is located, or other person or agent in possession or control of said property, upon receipt of notice in writing from the city engineer, shall, within the period specified therein, stop all work. The city engineer may require the submission of plans, soil or geological reports, detailed construction recommendations, drainage study or other engineering data prior to and in connection with any work or activity proposed or required to correct such condition.

(Ord. 904 § 1 (part), 2006).