§ 700-090. SOIL AND SITE EVALUATION

(a)

Applications for site evaluations and permits shall be made to the LA. Prior to beginning the construction process, a person proposing the installation, repair, modification, connection, or expansion of an OSS shall:

(1)

Submit the following general information to the LA:

a.

Name and address of the property owner and the applicant;

b.

Parcel number and address of the site, if available;

c.

Source of drinking water supply;

d.

Identification of whether the property is within the boundaries of a recognized sewer utility district, or a City Sphere of Influence;

e.

Size of the parcel;

f.

Type of permit for which application is being made, for example, new installation, repair, expansion, modification, abandonment, or operational;

g.

Source of sewage, for example, residential, restaurant, or other type of business;

h.

Number of bedrooms, if applicable;

i.

Name of the designer, if applicable;

j.

Name of the commercial installer and certificate of Workman's Compensation Insurance coverage, if applicable;

k.

Date of application; and

l.

Signature of applicant;

(2)

Submit a complete, detailed, and dimensional site plan to the LA that includes:

a.

Designated areas for the proposed on-site sewage system and the replacement area;

b.

The location of all soil profile excavations and other soil tests for the OSS;

c.

General topography and/or slope of the site;

d.

Site drainage characteristics;

e.

The location of existing and proposed encumbrances affecting system placement, including but not limited to:

1.

Legal access and easement documents if any component of the OSS is not on the parcel where the sewage is generated;

2.

Water sources and supply lines;

3.

Wells;

4.

Surface water;

5.

Flood-irrigated crops;

6.

Abandoned wells;

7.

Buildings;

8.

Property lines and lines of easement;

9.

Interceptors such as footing drains, curtain drains, and drainage courses;

10.

Cuts, banks, and fills;

11.

Driveways and parking areas;

12.

Existing OSS; and

13.

Location of underground utilities and utility easements; and

f.

An arrow indicating north and site plan scale (engineer scale only);

(3)

Prepare a minimum of one representative soil profile excavation within the primary drainfield area and a minimum of one representative soil profile excavation within the replacement area (additional soil excavations may be required):

a.

To allow examination of the soil profile in its original position by:

1.

Excavating pits of sufficient dimensions to enable observation of soil characteristics by visual and tactile means to a depth of five feet deeper than the anticipated bottom of the drainfield; or

2.

Stopping at a shallower depth if a water table or restrictive layer is encountered; and

b.

To allow determination of the soil texture, structure, color, compaction, water absorption capabilities or permeability, and elevation of the maximum groundwater level; and

(4)

Assume responsibility for constructing and maintaining the soil profile excavation in a manner to reduce potential for physical injury by:

a.

Placing excavated soil no closer than two feet from the excavation;

b.

Providing safe ingress and egress to a depth of four feet, then scooping out a portion from the floor in order to observe the required seven feet of soil face; and

c.

Filling the excavation upon completion of the soil log.

(b)

In performing soil and site evaluations, the LA or authorized professional shall:

(1)

Record a minimum of one representative soil log within the primary drainfield area and a minimum of one representative soil log within the replacement area in order to evaluate conditions;

(2)

Record the groundwater elevation, the date of the observation, and the probable maximum height by evaluating the presence of any redoximorphic soil features;

(3)

Record the topography of the site;

(4)

Record the drainage characteristics of the site and the potential for flooding;

(5)

Record the location and depth of restrictive layers, and effective soil depth;

(6)

Use the site evaluation procedures and terminology in accordance with the EPA Design Manual: On-site Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Systems, United States Environmental Protection Agency, EPA-625/1-80-012, October 1980 (or the relevant sections of any EPA document that replaces the 1980 EPA Design Manual), except where modified by, or in conflict, with this Ordinance;

(7)

Use the soil names and particle size limits of the United States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service (SCS) soil classification system;

(8)

Determine texture, structure, compaction, and other soil characteristics that affect the treatment and water movement potential of the soil in accordance with ASTM D5921; and

(9)

Classify the soil according to Table II, Soil Textural Classification:

Table II Soil Textural Classification
Soil Type	Soil Textural Classification
1	Coarse sands, Medium sands
2	Fine sands, Loamy sands
3	Sandy loams, Loams
4	Silt loams, that are porous and have well-developed structure
5	Other Silt loams, Sandy clay loams, Clay loams, Silty clay loams
6	Sandy clays & Clays of low clay content (<45%) with moderate or strong structure
Unsuitable for Treatment or Disposal	Silty clays, weak or structureless sandy clays and clays, silt, and strongly cemented, compacted, or massive soils (>240 mpi) Very gravelly sands and all extremely gravelly soils (<1 mpi)

 

(c)

Site Approval.

(1)

The LA:

a.

May require additional soil testing as outlined in Section 700-110, Extended Site Evaluations;

b.

May require applications for sites within high water table areas to be evaluated during the months of high water table conditions. Those applications shall be held in accordance with the terms and conditions of Section 700-120; and

c.

May waive the required number of soil logs if adequate soil information has previously been developed; that is, that no disturbance of the soil has significantly modified the soil conditions.

(2)

Site approval shall be issued where the site evaluation shows compliance with this [Chapter].

(3)

Approved site evaluations on existing parcels shall be valid for a period of three years from the date of approval. Approved site evaluations for parcels within a proposed subdivision or lot line adjustment shall be valid for a period of three years from the date of recordation. Approved site evaluations shall be transferable, but they shall not be renewed.

(4)

The LA shall render a decision or notify the applicant of the reason for delay on all applications within 20 working days of the site evaluation or within 20 working days of the submitted site evaluation data by an authorized professional.

(Ord. No. 1632, § 1, 3-28-2017)