Village of Fox Point, WI Article V Soil and Excavation Requirements

§ 756-16 Soil requirements.

A. Soil-bearing capacity. No footing or foundation shall be placed on soil with a bearing capacity of less than 2,000 pounds per square foot unless the footing or foundations have been designed through structural analysis. The soil-bearing values of common soils may be determined through soil identification.

	Type of Soil	PSF
	Quick sand, alluvial and filled soils, determined by test but not more than	1,000
	Wet, soft clay; very loose silt; silty clay	2,000
	Loose, fine sand; medium clay; loose sandy clay soils	2,000
	Stiff clay; firm inorganic silt	3,000
	Medium (firm sand; loose sandy gravel; firm sand clay soils; hard dry clay)	4,000
	Dense sand and gravel; very compact mixture of clay, sand and gravel	6,000
	Rock	12,000

(1) Minimum soil-bearing values. If the soil located directly under a footing or foundation overlies a layer of soil having a smaller allowable bearing value, the smaller soil-bearing value shall be used.

(2) Unprepared fill material, organic material. No footing or foundation shall be placed upon unprepared fill material, organic soil, alluvial soil or mud, unless the load will be supported. When requested, soil data shall be provided.

NOTE: The decomposition of organic material in landfill sites established for the disposal of organic wastes may produce odorous, toxic and explosive concentrations of gas which may seep into buildings through storm sewers and similar underground utilities unless provisions are taken to release the gases to the atmosphere.

B. Boring and tests.

(1) When required. When the safe sustaining power of the soil is in doubt, the Building Inspector shall direct that the necessary boring and test be made by a qualified engineer and at the expense of the owner or agent to determine the safe value of the soil.

§ 756-17 Excavations.

A. All excavations for buildings and structures and parts thereof shall be protected and guarded against danger to life or injury to persons or property.

B. No trench for sewer or other excavations shall be made below any foundation wall nearer than three feet to any corner of said foundation. No trench for sewer or other excavations shall be made nearer to any column or pier footing than 1 1/2 times the depth of the excavation below the footing.

C. Protection of adjoining property.

(1) Any property owner (owner of an interest in land) making or causing an excavation to be made to a depth of 12 feet or less below the grade, shall protect the excavation so that the soil of adjoining property will not cave in or settle, but shall not be liable for the expense of underpinning or extending the foundation of buildings on adjoining properties. Before commencing the excavation, the person making or causing the excavation to be made shall notify, in writing, the owners of adjoining buildings not less than 30 days before such excavation is to be made and that adjoining buildings should be protected. The owners of the adjoining property shall be given access to the excavation for the purpose of protecting such adjoining buildings.

(2) Exception. The thirty-day limit for written notification may be waived if such waiver is signed by the owner of adjoining properties.

(3) Property owners (owners of an interest in land) making or causing an excavation to be made exceeding 12 feet in depth below the grade shall protect the excavation so that the soil of adjoining property will not cave in or settle and shall extend the foundation of any adjoining buildings below the depth of 12 feet below grade at their own expense, as provided in the preceding subsection.

D. Whenever an excavation or foundation for building purposes has remained open for a period of 30 days with no work having been done at the site for said period, the Building Inspector shall serve a notice upon the owner of the property that the work at the site be commenced forthwith or that the excavation be filled to grade. The order shall be served upon the owner or his agent and upon the holder of any encumbrance of record as provided in § 66.0413, Wis. Stats. If the owner fails to comply with the order within 15 days after the service thereof, the excavation is to be filled to grade and the cost charged against the real estate as a special charge as provided by § 66.0413(1)(f), Wis. Stats. In addition to filling the excavation, any person who violates this section is subject to the provisions of § 756-42.