HomeMy WebLinkAbout118 - Ordinances ORDINANCE NO. 118
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA ESTABLISHING
A GRADING COMITTEE, PROVIDING FOR DEVELCPMFNT OF GRADING
STANDARDS AND ESTABLISHING POLICIES FOR REVIEW OF, GRADING
PLANS.
The City Council of the City of Rancho Cucamonga does ordain
as follows:
SECTION 1: TITLE
This ordinance shall be known and referred to as the Grading
Review procedure of the City of Rancho Cucamonga.
SECTION 2: SCOPE
This ordinance establishes regulations for submittal and
review of Conceptual grading plans in connection with proposed development,
establishes a Grading Committee for review of grading plans, and provides
for establishment of standards and guidelines to be utilized by the
Grading Committee and other City agencies in review of such plans.
SECTION 3: PURPOSE
The purposes of this ordinance are:
(a) To minimize the effects of grading by discouraging mass
grading and excessive slopes to ensure that the natural character of
terrain is retained.
(b) To preserve significant topographic features, including
rock outcroppings, native plant materials and natural 'hydrology while
also encouraging improved drainage from lots directly to a street, storm
drain, or through public or privately maintained easement.
(c) To limit the impact of slopes on adjacent developed
properties and limit construction on identified seismic or geologic
hazard areas.
(d) To encourage the use of a variety of housing styles,
splitlevel grading techniques, varied lot sizes, site design densities,
maintenance of views and arrangement and spacing to accomplish grading
policies.
SECTION 4: DEFINITIONS
For the purposes of this chapter the definitions listed hereunder
shall be construed as specified in this section.
(a) CONCEPTUAL GRADING PLAN. Grading plans conforming to the
provisions of Section 5 of this Ordinance.
(b) FINAL GRADING PLAN is a plan showing all detailed drainage
information, grade elevations, building locations and floor elevations.
(c) PRELIMINARY GRADING PLAN a plan showing building pad
elevations, typical drainage methods to be utilized, and similar generalized
information, usually excluding finish floor elevations, building locations,
and specific drainage details.
SECTION 5: ESTABLISHMENT OF GRADING COMMITTEE
There is hereby established a Grading Committee, comprised of
one representative from the Building Division, one representative from
the Engineering Division, and one representative from the Planning
Division.
The Grading Committee shall:
(a) review all grading plans submitted under Section 6 of
this ordinance;
(b) compile standards and guidelines relating to grading
practices including, but not limited to, topography, drainage structures,
slopes, irrigation, planting, building pad differential heights, accessibility
and such other features or functions necessary to accomplish the purposes
Orc`_nanct 1�0.
Page 2
of this ordinance. Such standards and guidelines shall be reviewed by
the Planning Commission and approved by the City Council. When approved,
the standards and guidelines shall be utilized in review of all grading
plans submitted to city agencies for checking; and
(c) act as an initial reviewing body in the event that practical
difficulty or undue hardship is created as a result of application of
the standards or guidelines, or in the event difference of opinion
arises as to their application. The findings of the Grading Committee
are final unless modified by the Planning Commission at a regularly
scheduled site plan review hearing or through appeal, as set forth in
Section 9 of this ordinance, when plans are not subject to review by the
Planning Commission.
SECTION 6: GRADING REVIEW PROCEDURES
At the time of submittal of a Tentative Tract Map, Tentative
Parcel Map, or Site Plan for Development Review, the applicant shall
also submit the following information:
(a) A Natural Features Map which shall identify all slope
banks, ridgelines, natural drainage courses, rock outcroppings, existing
vegetation worthy of consideration for preservation. Also depicted
shall be noted for its visual sigrificance, environmental function, or
both.
(b) A Conceptual Grading Plan including information necessary
to determine the proposed grading concepts, elevation of pads, and
natural features to be preserved. The following specific information
shall be depicted:
1. Areas to be left natural.
2. Areas of proposed cut and fill in contrasting colors,
with areas where cut and fill exceed depths established
in the hillside development guidelines clearly
shown.
3. Contours shall be shown for existing natural land
conditions and proposed work. The proposed final
grades shall indicate clearly all cuts, fills, and
slopes. Contours shall be shown according to
the following schedule:
Natural Slope Maximum Interval, Feet
2% or less 2
Over 2% & up to 9% 5
Over 9% 10
4. A conceptual drainage and flood control facilities
describing planned drainage improvements.
5. Conceptual landscape treatment plan depicting proposed
erosion control measures.
6. General vicinity of the proposed site.
7. Prc, rtv limits and accurate contours of existing
grow-, and detail of terrain and area drainage.
8. Limiting dimensions, elevations, or finished
contours to be achieved by the grading, and proposed
drainage channels, retaining walls, and related
construction shown by contour map, cross-sections,
or other means.
9. Location of any existing buildings or structures
on the property where the work is to be performed
and the approximate location and size of any building
pads proposed on the land. Adjacent parcels within
50 feet of the property or which may be affected by
the proposed grading shall also be shown.
(c) A Geological and Soils Report, prepared by an approved
soils engineering firm and in sufficient detail to substantiate and
support the design concepts presented in the preparation as submitted.
(d) A Topographic Model, as determined necessary by the
Director of Community Development for clarification of the proposed
grading plan. The scale must be sufficient to delineate details.
Ordinance No. 118
Page 3
The submitted information shall be reviewed by the Grading
Committee during pertinent review process. The Grading Committee shall
not approve a conceptual grading plan unless it is found to conform with
the policies, standards, and guidelines, established by or pursuant to
this ordinance. The approved conceptual grading plan shall provide the
basis for preliminary and/or final grading plan approval under other
city regulations.
SECTION 7
The Community Development Director may waive any or all of the
requirements of Section 6 of this Ordinance if he determines that any
proposed waiver will have no significant effect upon topography, drainage,
and/or natural features.
SECTION 8
No Tentative Tract Map, Tentative Parcel Map, or Site Plan
submitted for Development Review shall be approved until a conceptual
grading plan has been approved or has been waived.
SECTION 9
Any interested person may, within 14 days after a decision by
the Grading Committee, appeal said decision in writing to the Planning
Commission pursuant to appeal procedures outlined in the zoning ordinance.
SECTION 10
The Mayor shall sign this Ordinance and the City Clerk shall
attest to the same, and the City Clerk shall cause the same to be published
within fifteen (15) days after its passage, at least once in The Daily Report,
a newspaper of general circulation published in the City of Ontario,
California and circulated in the City of Rancho Cucamonga, California.
PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED this 20th day of August, 1980.
AYES: Frost, Mikels, Palombo, Bridge, Schlosser
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
�Phill y D. Schlosser, Mayor
ATTEST:
Lauren M. Wasserman, City Clerk