[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 970[1]. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Excavations and dredging — See Ch. 21.
Land subdivision and site plan review — See Ch. 32B.
Soil importation — See Ch. 63A.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former Ch. 63, Soil Removal, adopted 4-24-1951 by Ord. No. 281.
The Borough Mayor and Council do hereby find and declare that:
A. 
Unregulated and uncontrolled disturbance, relocation, filling, excavation and removal of soil on a large scale by developers and excavators in and upon lands in the Borough has resulted in conditions detrimental to the public health, safety and general welfare, substantially hampering and deterring the efforts of the Borough to effectuate the general purpose of municipal planning.
B. 
Continuation of the unregulated and uncontrolled disturbance, relocation, filling, excavation and removal of soil will result in serious and irreparable damage to the public welfare by reason of consequent soil erosion by water and wind; inadequate and improper surface water drainage; a decrease in or destruction of the fertility of the soil; removal of lateral support of abutting streets, lands and premises; creation of dust storms and places for mosquito breeding; creation of dangerous depressions or pits; deterioration of property values; rendering of lands unfit or unsuitable for their most appropriate use; and creation of other factors and elements hampering and deterring the coordinated, adjusted and harmonious development of the Borough.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
DEVELOPER
An excavator.
DISTURBANCE
The cutting of trees, movement of soil, including plowing, spading, cultivating, harrowing or disking of soil, landscaping and gardening.
EXCAVATOR
Any person who moves soil.
INTERMEDIATE SOIL MOVING PERMIT
A permit for the moving of more than 250 cubic yards of soil on any lot within any 12 consecutive months, or the cumulative movement of more than 500 cubic yards within three consecutive years, as required by this chapter.
LOT
Any parcel of land or portion thereof, the boundary lines of which can be ascertained by reference to the maps or records in the office of the Borough Tax Assessor or in the office of the Bergen County Clerk.
MAJOR SOIL MOVING PERMIT
A permit for the moving of soil on any lot within any 12 consecutive months that has been classified as a major soil moving application by the Soil Moving Committee and has been approved by the Planning Board, as required by this chapter.
MINOR SOIL MOVING PERMIT
A permit for the moving of less than 150 cubic yards of soil or the disturbance of greater than 2,000 square feet of a lot within any 12 consecutive months, as required by this chapter.
MOVE
To dig, excavate, remove, deposit, place, fill, grade, regrade, level or otherwise alter or change the location or contour or to transport or to supply. This term shall not be construed to include plowing, spading, cultivating, harrowing or disking of soil or any other operation usually and ordinarily associated with the tilling of soil for agricultural or horticultural purposes, landscaping and gardening by homeowners or agents of homeowners, provided that it does not substantially alter existing drainage patterns. For the purpose of calculating the quantity of soil being moved, the total soil movement shall be the sum of the total excavated soil and the soil imported to the lot.
OWNER
Any person seized in fee simple of any lot or having such other interest or estate therein as will permit exercise of effective possession thereof or dominion thereover.
REDISTRIBUTION
Any change or alteration in the grade of any property.
SOIL
Any earth, sand, clay, loam, gravel, humus, rock or dirt, without regard to the presence or absence therein of organic matter, including any synthetic substance used as a substitute or in conjunction with soil, but not limited to asphalt and concrete.
TOPSOIL
Soil that, in its natural state, constitutes the top layer of earth and is composed of 2% or more, by weight, of organic matter and has the ability to support vegetation.
UNSUITABLE SOIL
Unsuitable material such as organic materials, vegetation, leaves, tree stumps, wood chips, sawdust, tree limbs, wooden logs, waste building material, construction asphalt, concrete debris, chemicals, drums, pails, plastic containers, tires and other compounds, in addition to all items appearing on the Borough recycling list and any materials appearing on the NJ DEP hazardous material list.
A. 
No person or excavator shall move any soil or change or alter the grade of any property within the Borough without first obtaining a soil moving permit as hereinafter provided. Any property that is in a floodplain, floodway, contains wetlands or is subject to periodic flooding or interferes with the Borough's stormwater system shall not be exempt from the permit hearing requirement. No construction permit nor certificate of occupancy shall be issued, as the case may be, until a soil moving permit has been issued.
B. 
No person shall import soil to a site within the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus in quantities of 50 cubic yards or more without first having procured a permit.
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to the following operations:
A. 
The moving of 25 cubic yards or less of topsoil on any lot within a twelve-month period.
B. 
The moving of soil in connection with the construction or alteration of the basement or foundation of a building for which a proper building permit has been issued by the Construction Official of the Borough, provided the soil movement does not exceed 500 cubic yards.
C. 
The moving of soil for the installation of underground utility lines, provided that all necessary permits have been issued.
D. 
The moving of soil for farming and gardening by homeowners, provided it does not substantially alter the drainage patterns of the lot.
E. 
Abandoned wells, septic systems, cisterns or swimming pools may be filled without a soil moving permit, provided that the owner of the lot or its agent completes and files a permit form with the Building Department prior to commencement of the work to be performed.
No soil movement permit shall be issued to any person other than the owner of the lot, and only if the moving of soil from, in or upon the lot is necessary for the immediate development of the property and the normal grading of the lot concerning which the application is made. No permit shall be issued for longer than one year.
Anyone engaged in the movement of soil of 150 cubic yards or less or the disturbance of greater than 2,000 square feet of a lot within any 12 consecutive months shall make application to the Construction Code Official for a permit prior to commencing operations. The Construction Code Official, upon receipt of a complete application, shall refer the application to the Borough Engineer, who shall make a field investigation and shall recommend the issuance of the permit or recommend denial of the permit, giving his reasons for the denial.
Anyone engaged in the movement of soil of more than 150 cubic yards on a lot within 12 consecutive months or the cumulative movement of more than 500 cubic yards within three consecutive years shall make application to the Construction Code Official for a permit prior to commencing operations. The Construction Code Official, upon receipt of the application, shall refer the application to the Borough Engineer. The application shall be deemed complete by the Borough Engineer, and the complete application shall be reviewed by a Soil Moving Review Committee consisting of the Borough Engineer, Construction Code Official, and a designee of the Planning Board, if so appointed. The Committee shall make a field investigation and shall recommend the issuance of the permit or recommend denial of the permit, giving their reasons for the denial, or classify the application as a major soil moving application and refer the application to the Planning Board for a public hearing and approval by the Planning Board.
A major soil moving permit is any soil moving permit classified by the Soil Moving Review Committee as a major soil moving application and referred to the Planning Board. The Soil Moving Review Committee may classify an application as a major soil moving application because of drainage impacts on adjoining properties, extensive regrading of the lot, extensive retaining walls or the scale of the project. A major soil moving permit shall be required to be approved by the Planning Board after a public hearing, with notice being required to be given to all persons as set forth in N.J.S.A. 40:55D-12. The Planning Board shall fix a date for the public hearing within 45 days after the receipt of the complete application as determined by the Borough Engineer. The issuance of the major soil moving permit shall be made by the Planning Board.
The procedure for applying for and issuance of a soil moving permit shall be as follows:
A. 
Applications for minor soil permits shall be filed with the Construction Code Official and shall be accompanied by the fee prescribed in this chapter. Applications shall be made in triplicate on forms prescribed by the Borough.
B. 
Applications for intermediate soil permits shall be filed with the Construction Code Official and shall be accompanied by the fee prescribed in this chapter. Five copies of the application form prescribed by the Borough shall be submitted.
C. 
Applications for major soil permits shall be filed with the Construction Code Official and shall be accompanied by the fee prescribed in this chapter. Applications shall be made in triplicate on forms prescribed by the Borough for determination of completeness. Upon determination by the Borough Engineer that a complete application has been submitted, the applicant shall submit 15 copies to the Planning Board for scheduling of a public hearing date.
D. 
Form of application:
(1) 
The name and address of the applicant.
(2) 
The name and address of the owner of the property.
(3) 
The relationship between the applicant and owners.
(4) 
The name and address of the person having express charge, supervision and control of the proposed soil moving operation; provide telephone number and cellular number.
(5) 
The lot, block number and street address of the lot or lots involved.
(6) 
The purpose or reason for the moving of soil.
(7) 
The estimated quantity, in cubic yards, and type of soil to be moved, with supporting calculations.
(8) 
A statement as to how the moving of the soil will affect all trees with a diameter of six inches or more.
(9) 
The proposed date of commencement and completion of the work.
(10) 
A description of equipment to be used in the soil movement operations; a list of the number and size of trucks and other vehicles.
(11) 
A listing of the route to be used by the vehicles in the moving and installing of the soil.
(12) 
The source, address and town, of the soil moved to the lot; a certification from a certified laboratory as to the soil suitability or the certification from an environmental consultant, based upon the historical survey of the source site, of the soil suitability.
(13) 
Proof of liability insurance in such an amount and form as the Planning Board may require.
(14) 
Method of abating noise and dust in the soil moving operation.
(15) 
A statement granting permission to the Borough officials or their employees to enter the premises and make surveys and inspections as the work progresses.
(16) 
Such other pertinent data as the Planning Board may hereinafter reasonably require.
E. 
Topographical map. Accompanying the application shall be a topographical map prepared by a licensed professional engineer and a licensed professional land surveyor. The map shall be prepared at a scale not to exceed 30 feet to the inch. The topographical map shall include the following:
(1) 
Boundary limits of the entire lot, including metes and bounds information.
(2) 
Limits of the area to be disturbed or graded for which the permit is sought.
(3) 
The present grades, at two-foot intervals, of the area to be disturbed or graded and the area 25 feet outside the limits of the area to be disturbed or graded.
(4) 
The proposed grades, at two-foot intervals, of the area to be disturbed or graded and the area 25 feet outside the limits of the area to be disturbed or graded, using a designation different than those used for the present grades.
(5) 
The present grades, at two-foot intervals, of all adjacent properties to a distance of at least 15 feet from the lot in question, including the location of any structures within such 15 feet if the area to be disturbed or graded is within 25 feet of the property line.
(6) 
The location and size of proposed structures, with first-floor and basement elevations of all proposed buildings.
(7) 
All elevations shall be computed based on United States Coast and Geodetic Survey datum.
(8) 
Location of all trees greater than four inches in diameter, plus measures to provide tree protection.
(9) 
The quantity of soil for which the soil moving permit is sought, together with the calculations used to arrive at such determination of quantity. The quantity shall be calculated by accepted earthmoving computations, such as the average end area method. The quantity of soil to be moved shall be certified as accurate by a licensed professional engineer.
(10) 
Details of retaining walls and other structures proposed for support of soil, together with elevations of proposed grade above and below any retaining wall and at the top of the wall. All retaining walls must be designed, construction supervised and certified by a licensed professional engineer.
(11) 
The plan must clearly delineate soil erosion and sediment control measures and construction techniques that are to be implemented to minimize the loss of soil due to erosion.
(12) 
The plan must provide construction details for the soil erosion and sediment control measures and construction techniques that are to be implemented to minimize the loss of soil due to erosion.
(13) 
A notation as to the method of restoration of disturbed areas; the method of permanently stabilizing all disturbed areas.
(14) 
All easements and restrictions of record which may affect the subject lot or lots.
(15) 
Existing surface and subsurface drainage conditions and patterns of the lot and surrounding area.
(16) 
The presence, absence or location of freshwater wetlands on the lot or within 150 feet of the area to be disturbed.
(17) 
The location of a Ho-Ho-Kus stream, as identified in the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus Stormwater Management Plan, on the lot or within 300 feet of the area to be disturbed.
(18) 
An indication if the lot is identified as an historic site in the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus Master Plan.
An application for a soil moving permit shall be reviewed and considered in the following manner:
A. 
Minor soil moving permit; issuance. Within 30 days of the receipt of a completed application, the Borough Construction Official shall render a determination based upon the recommendation of the Borough Engineer.
B. 
Intermediate soil moving permit; issuance. Within 30 days of the receipt of a completed application, the Borough Soil Moving Review Committee shall render a determination on the application; provided, however, that should the Committee refer such application to the Planning Board, the Planning Board shall have an additional 45 days from the date of the referral of such application by the Committee to render its decision on the application.
C. 
Major soil moving permit; issuance. The Planning Board shall review and render a determination within 45 days after the submission of a completed application.
A. 
In the event any applicant or person is aggrieved by the action of the Soil Moving Committee, such person or the applicant may, not later than 30 days after such action, appeal to the Borough Planning Board. The Borough Planning Board may, by majority vote, sustain or, by two-thirds vote of its entire membership, overrule the Soil Moving Committee recommendation. In the event any person or applicant is aggrieved by the action of the Planning Board, such person or the applicant may, not later than 30 days after such action, appeal to the Borough Council. The Borough Council may, by majority vote, sustain or, by two-thirds vote of its entire membership, overrule the Planning Board's recommendation.
B. 
Any proper party may appeal to a court of appropriate jurisdiction pursuant to applicable law.
In considering and reviewing applications for minor, intermediate and major soil permits, the Borough Planning Board and Borough Engineer and or Soil Moving Review Committee shall be guided by the general purposes of municipal planning and the following standards:
A. 
Soil erosion by water and wind.
B. 
No soil moving shall be permitted to result in any increase of velocity or change in direction of surface water runoff without such water being appropriately managed on site so as to not adversely affect other properties.
C. 
Soil fertility and soil-bearing capacity.
D. 
Lateral support of abutting streets and lands.
E. 
Public health and safety.
F. 
Land values and uses.
G. 
The general welfare of the municipality and of the citizens of the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus.
H. 
The unsightliness of the premises after soil movement.
I. 
The effect of flooding upon the premises in question or surrounding properties.
J. 
No soil moving permit shall be issued if the proposed soil moving would have any reasonably conceivable detrimental impact upon any person, surrounding property or the Borough.
K. 
In development of land, natural grades should be preserved wherever possible, and soil moving shall only be permitted when good and sufficient reason appears for such soil moving.
L. 
No soil moving shall be permitted which shall result in the removal or destruction of trees in violation of the standards established under the Tree Removal Ordinance of the Borough. In all respects, the applicant shall provide a method for protection of trees acceptable to the Borough and provide welling or mounding where appropriate.
M. 
All proposed structures shall be situated on the lot so as to require the least amount of soil moving as is practical.
N. 
Whether the proposed removal of soil constitutes a commercial activity.
O. 
No slope created by soil moving shall be permitted to exceed a grade which rises or falls one foot vertically for every four feet horizontally.
P. 
Such other factors as may bear upon or relate to the coordinated, adjusted harmonious physical development of the Borough.
Q. 
Proposed soil and sedimentation control plan.
A. 
Soil application fee:
(1) 
Minor soil application fee: $100, plus a fee of $250 for the Borough Engineer's review. An additional fee of $125 must be posted for each plan revision.
(2) 
Intermediate soil application fee: $100, plus $1 per cubic yard of soil moved, plus a fee of $500 for the Borough Engineer's review. An additional fee of $125 must be posted for each plan revision.
(3) 
Major soil application fee: $1,500, plus a minimum escrow deposit of $1,500 for the review by the Borough Engineer and a minimum escrow deposit of $1,500 for the Planning Board Attorney.
(4) 
The soil application fee will not be refundable.
B. 
Exemption from fees. All utility companies, federal, state and local authorities, including the Board of Education, and charitable organizations may be exempt from the requirements of soil application fees and soil movement fees at the discretion of the Planning Board.
A. 
A road restoration bond of a minimum of $3,000 must be posted for soil moving permits. The purpose of this bond is to cover the cost of municipal road repairs damaged during the soil moving operations.
B. 
A performance bond shall be posted for all intermediate and major soil moving permits. The amount of the performance bond shall be determined by the Borough Engineer and shall be an amount sufficient to cover the cost of the property restoration, to cover the cost of permanent soil erosion control measures if the work is not satisfactorily completed by the applicant and to cover the costs of Borough review and inspection. The bond amount shall be estimated by the Borough Engineer.
C. 
The Planning Board may request additional bonds for improvements shown on the soil moving application or plan, such as, but not limited to, the following: retaining walls, planting, revegetation, drainage, erosion, control damages to hauling route, etc. In ascertaining the rate upon which to compute the amount of the bond, the Planning Board shall take into consideration such factors as may bear upon the facility with which the proposed work may be performed, including, but not limited to, the type and character of soil; the extent of the area over which the soil moving operations are to be conducted; the extent and depth of the various cuts and fills; the extent to which the area of operations is wooded; the proximity of the proposed operations to streets, buildings, structures, natural or artificial streams or watercourses; and general drainage conditions.
D. 
An engineering inspection escrow fee of a minimum of $1000 must be posted for intermediate and major soil moving permits. Additional engineering escrow monies must be posted upon notice of the depletion of the escrow monies.
E. 
Requests for the release of any bonds posted or any unused escrow fees in accordance with the terms of this section or the resolutions of the Planning Board shall be accompanied by an affidavit stating that the soil moving operation has been completed in accordance with the application and all plans, maps and other data filed therewith and in accordance with all resolutions and conditions therein adopted by the Planning Board.
A. 
The soil moving permit shall be in such form as may be prescribed by the Planning Board. A minor soil permit shall be signed by the Construction Code Official. An intermediate soil moving permit shall be signed by the Borough Engineer. A major soil permit shall be signed by the Secretary of the Planning Board or the Chairman of the Planning Board, and it shall contain any special conditions set forth in the recommendation.
B. 
The soil moving permit shall be dated as of the date it is actually issued, and the term of said permit shall not exceed one year.
C. 
All permits shall automatically expire on the termination date, unless application for renewal has been made and approved, in writing, extending such permit.
D. 
Hours of operation. There shall be no soil moving operations which include loading and unloading at any time between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., prevailing time, nor at any time on Saturday, Sunday or legal holidays as defined by the Borough's current restrictions for contractors.
E. 
No soil permit shall be issued until it is determined that there are no outstanding taxes or assessments for local improvements due or delinquent on the property for which the application is made.
No person to whom a soil moving permit has been issued shall:
A. 
Conduct or maintain on the premises any sand, gravel or similar kind of pit; any sand or gravel washing or screening machinery or equipment; any business or industry not permitted in the district in which said premises are located and classified by Chapter 85, Zoning, as amended and supplemented; or any endeavor or enterprise other than the grading or regrading of said premises in accordance with the provisions of said permit and, where applicable, the necessary disposal of soil incidental to said grading or regrading.
B. 
Conduct or maintain any soil moving operations without having first made adequate provisions by means of water, calcium chloride, or otherwise, for the prevention of dust incidental to the use of vehicles, machinery and equipment on the lands described in the soil permit.
C. 
Neglect to dispose of, on or before the completion date stated in the application, any partially or wholly excavated boulders or other noncombustible debris resulting from the soil moving operations by burial or removal and any partially or wholly excavated stumps felled or uprooted trees or other combustible debris resulting from the soil moving operations.
D. 
Conduct any soil moving operations beyond the expiration date as set forth in the soil removal permit or extended expiration date as may duly be granted by the Planning Board.
[Amended 1-3-2023 by Ord. No. 2022-77; 4-25-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-85]
Soil moving conducted in the Borough shall be performed in accordance with the following regulations:
A. 
In all operations for which a permit is required:
(1) 
Prior to the start of soil movement operations, the disturbance of a lot or construction, the following must be performed:
(a) 
The limits of disturbance must be delineated with construction fencing.
(b) 
Sediment barriers must be installed and maintained throughout the entire length of the project.
(c) 
Tree-protection measures must be installed to protect the tree critical root zone (CRZ) of the existing trees and approved by the Borough Engineer or Borough Official. CRZ is the distance from the trunk that equals one foot for every inch of the tree's diameter.
(2) 
Lands shall be graded to conform to the approved contour lines and grades.
(3) 
Streets, roads and paved surfaces shall be cleaned, at the applicant's expense, on a daily basis, of sediments and debris.
(4) 
The top layer of soil, to a depth of six inches, shall not be removed from the premises, but shall be set aside and respread over the premises when the remainder of the soil has been moved.
B. 
In all operations, whether or not a permit is required:
(1) 
Prior to the start of soil movement operations, the disturbance of a lot or construction, the following must be performed:
(a) 
Sediment barriers must be installed and maintained throughout the entire length of the project.
(b) 
Tree-protection measures must be installed to protect the critical root zone of the existing trees within the tree protection zone and must be approved by the Borough Engineer or Borough Official. As used herein, "tree protection zone (TPZ)" shall mean a radius of at least 1.25 feet of protected area for each inch of trunk diameter. For example, a tree with a ten-foot diameter should have protection placed 12.5 feet from the tree. A twenty-foot-diameter tree should have fencing placed at least 25 feet from the tree to protect the tree roots. In general, tree-protection barriers shall be placed as space permits at a distance of at least 10 feet from the trunk of any tree or the tree's dripline or the TPZ, whichever distance shall be greater, and shall remain in place until all construction activity on the property has terminated.
(2) 
All boulders, tree stumps and other debris shall be removed from the property.
(3) 
In dry weather, the person conducting such operation shall dampen the ground where operations are conducted to prevent dust.
(4) 
No trucks used shall be loaded above the level of the sides of the truck, to prevent spillage, and all streets shall be cleaned, at the applicant's expense, each day, of any spillage or soil on such streets resulting from truck operations.
(5) 
All truckloads shall be covered with tarpaulin and, if necessary, treated by water or chemicals to prevent flying dust.
(6) 
No trucks, machinery or any part of the operation shall be conducted before 8:00 a.m. or after 5:00 p.m. on weekdays nor at any time on Saturday, Sunday or federal or state legal holidays.
(7) 
All vehicles engaged in such operations shall use as routes only those Borough streets which have been approved by the Planning Board. The applicant shall notify the Police Department as to the route which will be utilized for transporting soil.
(8) 
The entire area covered by the work shall be maintained and left in such manner as not to create or maintain a nuisance or condition hazardous to life and limb or to the health or general welfare of the inhabitants or the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus.
(9) 
All excavation, removal and other mandatory ground cover work, including restoration of property to final grades and subsequent seeding, must be completed within one year from the date of the permit.
(10) 
No more soil shall be removed than is reasonably necessary for the development and use of the land.
(11) 
No soil removal shall be allowed which shall cause drainage to adjacent property or prejudicially affect the values of adjacent properties.
A. 
Whenever any developer or excavator shall move topsoil in or upon any lot, provision shall be made for the storage of said topsoil within the boundary lines of said lot.
B. 
Except as hereinafter provided, all of the topsoil so stored shall be uniformly replaced over the entire area or surface of the lot on or before the completion date set forth in the soil permit, so that the final grade or grades of said replaced topsoil shall be in accordance with the proposed final grades shown on the topographical map.
C. 
No developer or excavator shall remove to any point beyond the boundary lines of the lot any topsoil whatsoever unless and until topsoil not inferior in quality to that to be removed shall first have been replaced uniformly to a depth of not less than six inches, measured from the proposed final grades as shown on the topographical map, over the entire surface or area of the lot, excepting only such portions thereof as shall be or shall have become, since the date of filing of said topographical map, permanently covered by a building or structure, street pavement, curb, sidewalk, driveway or other paved area or by any body of water or waterway. In no event shall the developer or excavator remove from the lot more topsoil than that comprising the surplus or excess remaining after the replacement of the topsoil as aforesaid.
For the purpose of administering and enforcing this chapter, any member of the Planning Board and any duly authorized agent of the office of the Borough Engineer and the Municipal Construction Code Official's office of the Borough shall have the right to enter into and upon any lands in or upon which soil moving operations are being conducted to examine and inspect such lands. The Municipal Construction Code Official is hereby authorized to issue stop-work orders and summonses for any violation of this chapter as determined by the Municipal Construction Code Official or the Borough Engineer.
A. 
Any person, firm or corporation who violates any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a minimum fine of $500, to a maximum of $25,000 for the violation. The penalty shall be based on a minimum of $5 per cubic yard of soil moved. The aforementioned penalty may, upon a written plea of guilty, be paid and satisfied through the Violations Bureau of the Municipal Court without the requirement of a court appearance.
B. 
All fines and penalties collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited or credited to the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus Tree Replacement Trust Fund, which shall be administered by the Department of Public Works.
All other provisions which are not affected by this chapter are hereby ratified and confirmed and shall remain in full force and effect. However, all ordinances or parts of ordinances which are inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency, including former Chapter 63, Soil Removal, §§ 63-1 through 63-9.
If any portion of this chapter is adjudged unconstitutional or invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such judgment shall not affect or invalidate the remainder of this chapter, but shall be confined in its effect to the provision directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment shall have been rendered.
This chapter shall take effect after final passage and publication as required by law.