As used in this chapter, the words and phrases listed below shall have the following meanings:
That point, as determined by the Department of Planning and Growth Management and Charles Soil Conservation District, where stormwater can be released to a channel without causing scouring, erosion, or resulting sedimentation to the receiving channel or its floodplain. Where necessary, the outlet shall include structural and vegetative measures to assure nonerosive velocities.
The State of Maryland Department of the Environment.
Any deleterious effect on waters or wetlands, including their quality, quantity, surface area, species composition, aesthetics or usefulness for human or natural uses. Such deleterious effect is or may potentially be harmful or injurious to human health, welfare, safety or property, to biological productivity, diversity, or stability or which unreasonably interferes with the enjoyment of life or property, including outdoor recreation.
Those methods and procedures used in the cultivation of land in order to further crop and livestock production and conservation of related soil and water resources. Logging, timber removal and land clearing operations may not be considered a part of this definition for the purposes of this chapter.
Any person who executes the necessary forms to procure official approval of a project or a permit to carry out construction of a project.
The American Society for Testing and Materials.
A relatively flat area (i.e., less than 2% grade) constructed on sloping land to planned dimensions and grades. Bench terraces are applied along the contour with the length and width controlled by the natural terrain and the required erosion limitations.
A structural device or nonstructural practice as defined by the Stormwater Management Ordinance.[1]
A signed and sealed, written statement from an individual licensed in the State of Maryland (engineer, surveyor, landscape architect) that specific constructions, inspections or tests (where required) have been performed and that such comply with the applicable requirements of this chapter.
Any activity which removes the vegetative ground cover while leaving the root mat intact.
Densification of a soil or rock fill by mechanical or other acceptable procedures.
See "excavation."
The Department of Planning and Growth Management.
A person, partnership, corporation, firm, or governmental agency undertaking or proposing the construction of a building, a project consisting of interrelated buildings, or other construction, and who is primarily financially responsible for the proposed.
A permit issued to authorize work to be performed under this chapter.
The Charles Soil Conservation District.
A channel, ditch or ridge constructed across a slope as to intercept and divert surface run-off.
That area contributing runoff to a single point measured in a horizontal plane, which is enclosed by a ridge line.
See "watercourse."
See "fill."
See "professional engineer."
The process by which the land surface is worn away by the action of wind, water, ice or gravity.
A system of structural and vegetative measures that minimize soil erosion and off-site sedimentation.
An erosion and sediment control strategy or plan, to minimize erosion and prevent off-site sedimentation by containing sediment on-site or by passing sediment-laden runoff through a sediment control measure, prepared and approved in accordance with the specific requirements of the District and this chapter, and designed and approved in accordance with the Standards and Specifications.
Any act by which soil or rock is cut into, dug, quarried, uncovered, removed, displaced or relocated and shall include the conditions resulting therefrom.
Those land development activities that are not subject to the erosion and sediment control requirements contained in this chapter.
The vertical location of the existing ground surface prior to excavating or filling.
A deposit of soil, rock or other materials placed by man.
The final approval of construction of infrastructure, including grading, roads, storm drainage, stormwater management, public water and sewer systems, reforestation, recreational amenities, landscaping, dedication documents and related items associated with a permit and as further defined in the Standards and Specifications for Construction Manual.
Plans prepared and approved in accordance with the specific requirements of the Charles Soil Conservation District and this chapter and designed in accordance with the Standards and Specifications.
The final grade or elevation of the ground surface conforming to the proposed design.
That land typically adjacent to a body of water with ground surface elevations that are inundated by the base flood, excepting the land adjoining the banks of ponds, lakes or stormwater management detention and retention facilities when the banks of such water bodies provide containment of the base flood.
To disturb earth by, including, but not limited to, excavating, filling, stockpiling, grubbing, removing root mat or topsoil or any combination thereof.
Any stripping, excavating, filling, including hydraulic fill, stockpiling or any combination thereof and shall include the land in its excavated or filled condition.
The maximum contiguous area allowed to be graded at a given time. For the purposes of this chapter, a grading unit is 20 acres or less.
Land with erodible soil types as defined in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Maryland Technical Guide.
Those soils with a slope greater than 15% or those soils with a soil erodability factor, K, greater than 0.35 and with slopes greater than 5%.
The administration or, if delegated enforcement authority, Charles County.
Any facility, earthwork, or fill placed in a controlled manner to support structural foundations or vehicular traffic, the instability of which would constitute a public hazard or nuisance.
Designing stormwater management systems so that all reasonable opportunities for using ESD planning techniques and treatment practices are exhausted and only where absolutely necessary is a structural BMP implemented.
The ground surface in its original state before grading, stripping, excavation or filling.
A person undertaking, or for whose benefit, activities covered by this chapter are carried on. General contractors or subcontractors, or both, without a proprietary interest in a project are not included within this definition.
Any person to whom a permit is issued pursuant to this chapter.
Includes, in addition to any other meaning it may have under this chapter, an individual, a corporation, a partnership, an incorporated association, an agency, the federal government, the state, any county, municipal corporation, or other political subdivision of the state, or any of their units, or an individual, receiver, trustee, guardian, executor, administrator, fiduciary, or representative of any kind, or any partnership, firm, association, public or private corporation, or any of their affiliates, or any other similar entity whatsoever.
A person who has been duly registered and licensed to practice professional architecture and/or landscape architecture under requirements of state law.
A person licensed to practice engineering in the State of Maryland.
A person licensed to practice surveying in the State of Maryland.
Any grading performed with the approval of, and in accordance with, criteria established by this chapter.
Any foreman, superintendent or project engineer who is in charge of on-site clearing and grading operations or sediment control associated with earth changes or disturbances and has a certification of training at a Maryland Department of the Environment approved training program for the control of sediment and erosion.
Soils or other surficial materials transported or deposited by the action of wind, water, ice, gravity or any artificial means.
Any tract, lot or parcel of land or combination of tracts, lots or parcels of land which are in one ownership, or are contiguous and in diverse ownership, where development is to be performed as part of a unit, subdivision or project.
The inclined exposed surface of a fill, excavation or natural terrain.
All earth material of whatever origin that overlies bedrock, including, but not limited to, the decomposed zone of bedrock which can be readily excavated by mechanical equipment.
The Charles County Standards and Specifications for Construction Manual.
The prevention of soil movement by any of various vegetative and/or structural means.
The 2011 Maryland Standards and Specifications for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control or any subsequent revisions.
A slope over fifteen-percent grade, which is characterized by increased run-off, erosion and sediment hazards.
Water that originates from a precipitation event.
Any activity which removes the vegetative surface cover, including tree removal, clearing, grubbing and storage of removal of topsoil.
Fills constructed predominately of rock materials for the purpose of supporting structures.
The approval of the basic construction of utilities, storm drainage facilities, bituminous concrete base and intermediate surface course, street and regulatory signs, and other improvements required to meet standards as further defined in the Standards and Specifications for Construction Manual for issuance of use and occupancy certificates.
The severing of trees at or above the ground level leaving the stump and root system intact.
Modification of the criteria set forth in this chapter, the Standards and Specifications and the Specifications Manual.
Any natural or artificial watercourse (including, but not limited to, streams, rivers, creeks, ditches, channels, canals, conduits, culverts, drains, waterways, gullies, ravines or washes) in which water flows in a definite direction or course, either continuously or intermittently; and including any area adjacent thereto which is subject to inundation by reason of overflow or floodwater.
The total drainage area contributing runoff to a single point.
Any area that has saturated soils or periodic high groundwater levels and vegetation adapted to wet conditions and periodic flooding.