7-11-9 Grading Standards | Clarkdale Town Code

Section 7-11-9 Grading Standards

1. Unless otherwise recommended in the approved grading report, or recommended by the Community Development Director or representative, to meet the objectives of these regulations, cuts and fills shall conform to the provisions of the currently adopted building code. The slope of cut and fill surfaces shall be no steeper than is safe for the intended use.

2. Cuts and fill slopes shall be no steeper than two (2) units horizontal to one (1) unit vertical (fifty percent (50%) slope) unless otherwise recommended in the grading report by an engineer and approved by the Community Development Director or representative.

3. These provisions may be waived by the discretion of the Community Development Director or representative for minor fills not intended to support structures.

4. Fill slopes shall not be constructed on natural slopes steeper than one (1) unit vertical to two (2) units horizontal (fifty percent (50%) slope). Any and all fill less than one (1) unit vertical to two (2) units horizontal shall be designed by an engineer and submitted for review and shall include material to be used, methods of compaction and parameters of acceptable limits.

5. Except as noted below, detrimental amounts of organic material shall not be permitted in fills. Well-graded soil be used for fill. Except as permitted by the Community Development Director or representative, no rock or similar irreducible material with a maximum dimension greater than twelve (12) inches shall be buried or placed in fills.

6. The Community Development Director or representative may permit placement of larger rock when the soils engineer properly devises a method of placement, and continuously inspects its placement and approves the fill stability. In such case, the following conditions shall also apply:

a. Prior to issuance of the grading permit, potential rock disposal areas shall be delineated on the grading plan.

b. Rock sizes greater than twelve (12) inches in maximum dimension shall be buried ten (10) feet or more below grade, measured vertically.

c. Rocks shall be placed to assure filling of all voids with well-graded soil.

d. No cut and fill shall encroach upon any floodplain, except as provided for in the floodplain management regulations, or any adjacent properties, except by the mutual written consent of all parties affected. Such consent is to be filed with the Development Services Department of Yavapai County.

e. Excess cut or fill material shall not be disposed of over the sides of hills or ridges, or on project site, but instead shall be hauled off the site.

f. Any exposed slope with a vertical distance greater than ten (10) feet shall include planting areas and terraced plant benches as follows:

i. A minimum six (6) foot wide planting area at the toe of the exposed slope; and

ii. A minimum six (6) foot wide terraced plant bench at the ten (10) foot height of the exposed slope and at continuing intervals after every additional ten (10) foot height of exposed slope (planting areas and plant benches shall extend the length of the exposed slope); and

iii. The planting areas and plant benches shall be vegetated with plants in conformance with the Town of Clarkdale approved plant list.

7. Exposed fill slopes shall be separated by a minimum twenty (20) foot wide enhanced natural area buffer, except that the exposed fill slopes may be connected by a maximum six (6) foot wide walkway in the natural area buffer.

8. The vertical distance of a driveway exposed slope shall not exceed six (6) feet measured from the outer edges of the driveway and shoulders cross-section. The vertical limitation may be increased if the Community Development Director or representative confirms that there is no practical alternative to the increase.

9. Grading shall not extend more than six (6) feet horizontally beyond the structural development perimeter and six (6) feet on either side of the center line of a utility trench. The six (6) foot horizontal limitation beyond the structural development perimeter may be increased to a maximum of twelve (12) feet on slopes greater than fifteen percent (15%) that extend upward and are perpendicular to the structural development perimeter.

10. All soils shall be compacted to a minimum of ninety percent (90%) of maximum density. Post-development testing shall be submitted that shows compliance with the ninety percent (90%) maximum density.

1. Setback dimensions from adjacent properties, roadways and existing infrastructure shall be as shown on the submitted plans.

2. Top of Cut Slope. The top of cut slopes shall not be made nearer to a site boundary line than one-fifth (1/5) of the vertical height of cut with a minimum of two (2) feet and a maximum of ten (10) feet. The setback may need to be increased for any required interceptor drains.

3. Toe of Fill Slope. The toe of fill slope shall be set back from the site boundary at least one-half (½) the height of the slope with a minimum of two (2) feet and a maximum of twenty (20) feet separation. Where a fill slope is to be located near the site boundary and the adjacent off-site property is developed, special precautions shall be incorporated in the work as the Community Development Director or representative deems necessary to protect the adjoining property from damage as a result of such grading. These precautions may include, but are not limited to:

a. Additional setbacks;

b. Provision for retaining or slough walls;

c. Mechanical or chemical treatment of the fill slope surface to minimize erosion; and/or

d. Provisions for the control of surface waters.

4. Modification of Slope Location. The Community Development Director or representative may approve alternate setbacks. The Community Development Director or representative may require an investigation and recommendation by a qualified engineer or engineering geologist to demonstrate that the intent of this section has been satisfied.

C. Retaining walls and/or deep foundations may be used to reduce the required setbacks when approved by the Community Development Director or representative.

D. Disposal of Cleared Material and Fill. Vegetation, dirt, and rocks removed during cleaning operations shall be disposed of in a manner approved by the Community Development Director or representative.

E. Excavated materials removed during grading operations shall be disposed of in a manner approved by the Community Development Director or representative.

F. Any material spilled on the roadway shall be removed within twenty-four (24) hours.

G. Site Revegetation and Stabilization. All graded areas shall be revegetated or stabilized per the approved plan within sixty (60) days after completion of the work. The revegetation shall include plants from the Town of Clarkdale approved plant list found in Zoning Code Chapter 9 at a similar density as found in adjacent, ungraded areas. Revegetation shall be maintained until established. [Resolution #1509, 2015; Ordinance #371, 2015; prior code § 7-11-9.]