San Ramon Municipal Code Ch. I General Provisions

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City of San Ramon, CA | Municipal Code 552

This division shall be known as and may be cited as the "City of San Ramon Grading and Excavation Code."

(Ord. No. 409, § 2, 12-9-2008)

A. The director shall formulate such rules, procedures and interpretations as may be necessary or convenient to administer the provisions of this division. Such rules, procedures and interpretations shall be referred to as the "City of San Ramon Grading Manual" or the "Grading Manual." B. In the event of any conflict between the Grading Manual and this division, the provisions of this division shall govern. The provisions of the Grading Manual shall, to the extent that they are made conditions of any permit by the director, be binding on the permittee. (Ord. No. 409, § 2, 12-9-2008)

It is the declared intent of the city to promote the conservation of natural resources, including the natural beauties of the land, streams and water sheds, hills and vegetation, and as described in the open-space element of the city's general plan and Government Code Section 65560(b)(1) to protect health and safety, including the reduction or elimination of the hazards of earth slides, mud flows, rock falls, undue settlement, erosion, siltation and flooding, or other special conditions as described in Government Code Section 65560(b)(4) by minimizing the adverse effects of grading, cut and fill operations, water runoff and soil erosion. Therefore, the following regulatory provisions of this division are hereby adopted for the purpose of stringent control of all aspects of grading operations. It is the intent of this division to safeguard life, limb, property and the public welfare by regulating grading on private property in the incorporated areas of the city. (Ord. No. 409, § 2, 12-9-2008)

This division sets forth rules and regulations to control excavation, erosion control, grading and earthwork construction, including fills and embankments, and establishes administrative requirements for issuance of permits and approval of plans and inspection of grading construction in accordance with the requirements for grading and excavation as contained in the Uniform Building Code then in affect as adopted and modified by city ordinance. (Ord. No. 409, § 2, 12-9-2008)

City of San Ramon, CA | Municipal Code 553

Where reference is made herein to other documents, standards, or procedures, it shall mean the latest edition thereof, unless that document is specifically adopted as a standard by the city. In those cases where the document is adopted as a city standard, the reference shall mean the edition last adopted by the city. (Ord. No. 409, § 2, 12-9-2008)

C7-6—C7-10. - Reserved.

As used in this division: Approval means 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 by the director or the director's representative. Approved testing agency means a facility whose testing operations are controlled and monitored by a registered civil/soil engineer and which is equipped to perform and certify the tests required by this division, or the Grading Manual, as determined by the director. Borrow means earth material acquired from an off-site location for use in grading on a site. 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. Compaction means the densification of a fill by mechanical means. Competent material means earth material capable of withstanding the loads which are to be imposed upon it without failure or detrimental settlement as certified by the soils engineer. Contour rounding means the rounding of cut and fill slopes in the horizontal plane to blend with existing contours or to provide horizontal variation, to eliminate the artificial appearance of slopes. Director means the engineering services director or other person authorized and designated by the city council to perform the functions of a city engineer. Earth material means any rock, natural soil or fill and/or any combination thereof. Engineering geologist means a geologist certified in the state 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 detachment and movement of soil or rock fragments by water, wind, ice or gravity. Erosion control system means a combination of desilting facilities and erosion protection, including effective planting, to protect adjacent property, watercourses, public facilities and receiving waters from deposition of sediment or dust.

City of San Ramon, CA | Municipal Code 554

Excavation means the mechanical removal of earth material. Fill means a deposit of earth material placed by artificial means. Grade means the vertical location of the ground surface. Natural grade means the ground surface unaltered by artificial means. Existing grade means the ground surface prior to grading. Rough grade means the stage at which the grade approximately conforms to the approved plan. Finish grade means the final grade of the site which conforms to the approved plan. Grading means any excavating or filling or combination thereof. Grading contractor means a general engineering contractor licensed and regulated by the state who specializes in grading work or is otherwise licensed to do grading work (A-B license). Grading permit means an official document or certificate issued by the director or official authorizing grading activity as specified by the plans and specification. Grading Manual means the latest edition of the City of San Ramon Grading Manual that has been approved by the director. 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 fifteen 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 affect on adjacent property. Inspector means a person with experience in grading operations who represents the city and enforces the provisions of this division. Key means a designated compacted fill placed in a trench excavated in earth material beneath the toe of a proposed fill slope. Manual of standards means the latest version of the Manual of Standards for Erosion and Sediment Control Measures, prepared by the Association of Bay Area Governments, a copy of which is on file in the engineering services department. Owner means a person, agency, firm or corporation having a legal or equitable interest in a given real property. Permittee means an applicant who has successfully acquired a valid grading permit. 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 onsite improvements. Rainy season means the period between October 15 and April 15 of the following year. 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. Shear keys means excavations made into undisturbed ground or "bedrock," at least one foot beneath the deepest zone of soil development. Keys should be checked for depth adequacy by the soil engineer or engineering geologist before backfill operations commence. Slope means an inclined ground surface, the inclination of which is expressed as a ratio of horizontal distance to vertical distance. City of San Ramon, CA | Municipal Code 555

Soil means naturally occurring surficial deposits overlying bedrock. Soil engineer means an engineer duly registered in the State of California whose field of consulting expertise is soil mechanics. Soil engineering means the application of the principles of soil mechanism in the investigation, evaluation and design of civil works involving the use of earth materials and inspection and testing of the construction thereof. Terrace means a relatively level step constructed in the face of graded slope surface for drainage and maintenance purposes. Vertical slope rounding means the rounding of the top and toes of cut and full slopes. (Ord. No. 409, § 2, 12-9-2008)