No person shall do or permit to be done any grading in such a manner that quantities of dirt, soil, rock, debris or other material substantially in excess of natural levels are washed, eroded or otherwise moved from the site, except as specifically provided for by a permit. In no event shall grading activities cause or contribute to the violation of provisions of any applicable NPDES stormwater discharge permit.
(Ord. 5056-B, 2000; Ord. 5407-B § 2, 2006)
No person shall do or permit to be done any grading which may obstruct, impede or interfere with any drainage channel, ditch, or pipe. No person shall divert drainage water from its natural flow path without providing for its conveyance or dispersion in a manner that will not detrimentally impact public property, health, and safety.
(Ord. 5056-B, 2000; Ord. 6175-B § 1, 2022)
A. 
A stream system grading permit (SSGP) is required for any grading of 25 or more cubic yards within the stream system boundary within the geographic area described by Section 19.10.050 (Applicability).
B. 
The discharge of fill into an aquatic resource is subject to the requirements of Section 19.10.070 of the PCCP. Conditions of approval for any authorization for take coverage or impacts to aquatic resources will be appended to a stream system grading permit issued pursuant to this article.
(Ord. 6042-B § 1, 2020)
A. 
Except for the specific exemptions listed in Section 15.48.070 of this article, no person shall do or permit to be done any grading on any site in the unincorporated areas of Placer County without a valid grading permit obtained from the community development resource agency.
A permit shall also be required for the following:
1. 
Retaining walls which are over four feet in height, as measured from bottom of footing to top of the retained soil;
2. 
Any retaining walls that are subject to surcharge;
3. 
Private vehicular bridge;
4. 
Swimming pool fill operations whereby depth of fill for swimming pool construction exceeds four feet.
B. 
A grading permit is required for any grading and/or other construction activity with ground disturbance of one acre or more.
C. 
Pond construction involving excavation and earthwork over 250 cubic yards or including an embankment or that could potentially cause a drainage problem.
D. 
The excavation and/or discharge of fill into an aquatic resource is subject to the requirements of Section 19.10.070 of the PCCP. Conditions of approval for any authorization for take coverage or impacts to aquatic resources will be appended to a grading permit or other permit issued pursuant to this article.
(Ord. 5056-B, 2000; Ord. 5373-B, 2005; Ord. 5407-B § 3, 2006; Ord. 6042-B § 1, 2020; Ord. 6175-B § 1, 2022)
Unless in conflict with provisions of adopted general and/or specific plans, or provisions applicable to the Tahoe Basin as described in Section 15.48.120 of this article, the following grading may be done without obtaining a permit. Exemption from the requirement of a permit shall not be deemed permission to violate any provision of this article:
A. 
Minor projects which have cuts or fills, each of which is less than four feet in vertical depth at its deepest point measured from the existing ground surface, and which meet all of the following criteria:
1. 
Less than 250 cubic yards of graded material in a single area, within a two-year period unless the area is located within the stream system boundary within the PCCP (Section 19.10.050). In calculating the graded material quantity, excavation material used as fill material will not be counted twice. (For example: 125 cubic yards [C.Y.] of excavation material that is also placed as fill material would be calculated as 125 cubic yards, not as 250 cubic yards),
2. 
The removal, plowing under or burial of existing crop fields as necessary for routine cultivation, or of less than 10,000 square feet of vegetation on slopes 10% or greater, or of any amount of vegetation on slopes less than 10% on areas of land less than one acre within a two-year period. This exemption only applies to Article 15.48 and does not exempt a landowner from compliance with other provisions of county code including tree permits, payment of tree mitigation fees, and the requirements of Chapter 19, Article 19.10,
3. 
Does not create unstable or erodible slopes,
4. 
Does not encroach onto sewage disposal systems including leach field areas,
5. 
Does not encroach into the areas designated as Zone A as shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps,
6. 
Does not obstruct any watercourse, disturb, or negatively impact any drainage way, aquatic resources, wetland, stream environment zone, stream system, or water body,
7. 
Does not divert or obstruct overland flow, or negatively affect other adjacent properties,
8. 
Includes provisions to effectively prevent discharges of pollutants from the site, and
9. 
Provides for completion of soil disturbing activities within a continuous period of 45 days, and revegetation of all disturbed areas immediately thereafter;
B. 
Grading done by or under the supervision or construction control of a public agency that assumes full responsibility for the work;
C. 
Excavations (but not fill operations) in connection with a swimming pool authorized by a valid building permit. Any swimming pool fill operation must comply with Section 15.48.060(A)(4) of this article to be exempt;
D. 
Retaining walls four feet or less in height, as measured from bottom of footing to the top of retained soil, and not subject to surcharge;
E. 
Grading necessary for bona fide agricultural operations, unless such grading will create a cut or fill whose failure could endanger any structure intended for human or animal occupancy or any public road, or could obstruct any watercourse or drainage conduit. To be exempt, bona fide agricultural operations must receive a written agricultural status confirmation from the agricultural commissioner prior to any grading that is necessary for these operations, and such grading shall meet all of the following criteria:
1. 
The clearing and/or grading is exclusively for agricultural purposes and not associated with a building that requires a building permit, a commercial access road, or a pond that requires a grading permit,
2. 
Grading is not within 30 feet of a water body or watercourse including intermittent watercourses,
3. 
Grading does not cut or fill slopes with a 2:1 or greater ratio,
4. 
The work occurs on slopes of 20% or less,
5. 
The bona fide agricultural operation is following current best management practices guidance for agricultural sediment and erosion control as approved by the county agricultural commissioner, especially during rain events or when soils are saturated,
6. 
Adequate dust control measures are implemented in a timely manner consistent with the right-to-farm ordinance and all land clearing, grading, earth moving, or excavation activities comply with local air district requirements;
F. 
Trenching and grading incidental to the construction or installation of approved underground pipe lines, storm drains, conduits, electrical or communication facilities provided that such grading does not result in the excavation or discharge of fill into aquatic resources;
G. 
Excavation and grading incidental to construction or installation of septic tank disposal fields, and drilling or excavation for post holes or approved wells;
H. 
Excavations less than 250 cubic yards for soil or geological investigations by a geotechnical engineer, civil engineer, or engineering geologist;
I. 
Grading in accordance with plans incorporated in an approved surface mining permit, reclamation plan, or sanitary landfill or environmental remediation project or petroleum product tank removal and installation where governed by other state or county ordinance;
J. 
Maintenance of existing firebreaks and roads to keep the firebreak or road substantially in its original condition;
K. 
Routine cemetery excavations and fills;
L. 
Performance of emergency work necessary to protect life or property when an urgent necessity arises. The person performing such emergency work shall notify the community development resource agency promptly of the problem and work required and shall apply for a permit within 10 calendar days after commencing such work;
M. 
An excavation below finished grade for basements and footings of a building authorized by a valid building permit;
N. 
Timber harvest operation conducted under valid state or federal permit, lake and streambed alteration agreements and dams under state jurisdiction, etc.;
O. 
The discharge of fill or excavation of soil less than 25 cubic yards of graded material within the stream system. This exemption only applies to Article 15.48 and does not exempt a landowner from compliance with other provisions of county code including tree permits. Payment of tree mitigation fees, and the requirements of the PCCP (Article 19.10).
(Ord. 5056-B, 2000; Ord. 5373-B, 2005; Ord. 5407-B § 4, 2006; Ord. 6042-B § 1, 2020; Ord. 6175-B § 1, 2022)
A. 
The schedule of fees and costs shall be those established and adopted by the board from time to time by resolution or ordinance. Before a permit is issued, the applicant shall deposit with the community development resource agency cash or a check, in a sufficient sum to cover the fee for issuance of the permit, charges for review of plans, specifications and reports, other engineering services, field investigations, necessary inspection or other work and routine laboratory tests of materials and compaction, all in accordance with schedules established and adopted by the board.
B. 
No fee shall be required of public agencies.
C. 
Public utilities may, at the option of the community development resource agency, make payment for the charges in subsection A of this section as billed instead of by advance deposit as required in subsection A of this section.
D. 
If grading work is done in violation of this article or such work is not done in accordance with an approved permit, a fee covering investigation of any violation and inspection and plan checking of work required to correct such violation shall be charged to the violator to cover all actual costs.
E. 
For projects that are private vehicular bridge projects only and not associated with any discretionary permit, and the project is replacing a failing vehicular bridge or performing needed repairs to provide access for emergency service providers, the fee may be calculated as 50% of the specified minimum plan check and inspection fees.
(Ord. 5056-B, 2000; Ord. 5373-B, 2005; Ord. 5407-B § 5, 2006; Ord. 6175-B § 1, 2022)
No person shall excavate or remove any material from or otherwise alter any levee required for river, creek, bay, or local drainage control channel, without prior approval of the local governmental agency responsible for the maintenance of the levee.
(Ord. 5056-B, 2000)
A. 
Any pond requiring a grading permit that is fed by a surface water source (drainage ditch, canal, or similar free flowing source) requires a drainage report prepared by a civil engineer. The report shall discuss the inflow, outflow, storage of the pond, and the inlet and outlet works for the pond. An appropriately sized emergency spillway is required. The minimum design storm event is 125% of the 100 year storm. All appropriate watershed maps and hydrology and hydraulic calculations shall be included.
B. 
Any pond requiring a grading permit that is fed by man-made means, such as a pipe or groundwater well that can be easily shut off and the pond level regulated so that no drainage problem is created may not be required to submit a drainage report if approved by the county.
C. 
All ponds requiring a grading permit shall maintain two feet minimum of freeboard at all times unless otherwise approved by the agency director.
D. 
Excavated ponds shall include a minimum two-foot-high berm around the perimeter of the pond unless otherwise approved by the agency director. The outlet works shall be properly designed to regulate the level of the pond.
E. 
Embankment ponds shall have the dam or levee designed and inspected by a civil engineer. A properly sized and stabilized emergency spillway located off the embankment and a pipe to drain the entire pond for maintenance purposes are required to be included in the pond design.
(Ord. 6175-B § 1, 2022)
No person shall perform any grading work within the right-of-way of a public road or street, or within a public easement, without prior written approval of the agency director.
(Ord. 5056-B, 2000; Ord. 5407-B § 6, 2006)
If the community development resource agency director determines that any grading on private or public property constitutes a hazard to public safety; endangers property; adversely affects the safety, use or stability of adjacent property, an overhead or underground utility, or a public way, aquatic resource, watercourse or drainage channel; or could adversely affect the water quality of any water bodies or watercourses, aquatic resources, or sensitive wildlife habitat subject to the requirements of the PCCP, the director may issue a stop work notice to the owner of the property upon which the condition is located, or other person or agent in control of such property. Upon receipt of such stop work notice, the recipient shall, within the period specified therein, stop all work, obtain a grading permit or stream system grading permit and conform to the conditions of such permit. The community development resource agency may require the submission of plans or soil or geological reports, detailed construction recommendations, drainage study or other engineering data prior to and in connection with any corrective or proposed work or activity.
(Ord. 5056-B, 2000; Ord. 5373-B, 2005; Ord. 5407-B § 7, 2006; Ord. 6042-B § 1, 2020)
A. 
Provisions of this section apply to the unincorporated area of Placer County within that area defined as "TRPA region" in the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Compact. This area is the Tahoe Basin and that additional and adjacent part of the county of Placer outside of the Tahoe Basin in the state of California which lies southward and eastward of a line starting at the intersection of the basin crestline and the north boundary of Section 1, thence west to the northwest corner of Section 3, thence south to the intersection of the basin crestline and the west boundary of Section 10; all sections referring to township 15 north, range 16 east, M.D.B. and M.
B. 
Grading and soil disturbance shall be prohibited during the period from October 15th through May 1st unless otherwise approved, in writing, by the agency director and by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. Complete winterization of the site is required by October 15th, if work is not complete and permanent revegetation is not established.
C. 
All work shall be in conformity with any grading restriction required by other federal, state, or local agencies.
D. 
A permit for grading on residential property issued by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency will be evidence of conformity to provisions of this section; however, if the project includes a retaining wall over four feet in height or any retaining wall subject to a surcharge, a county grading permit is also required. All other grading in the region, unless otherwise exempt as provided herein, is subject to review and approval by the community development resource agency.
E. 
Areas of the site not approved for grading, vegetation removal, or construction shall be fenced or otherwise marked to limit access. These fences shall be inspected, maintained, and repaired as necessary.
F. 
Prior to initiation of grading or construction-related activity, temporary erosion control measures shall be installed to prevent transport of earthen materials and other wastes off of the site.
G. 
All other provisions of this article shall apply, but a permit shall not be required if the work complies with all the following conditions:
1. 
The excavation does not exceed four feet in vertical depth at its deepest point measured from the original ground surface, does not exceed 200 square feet in area, and does not exceed three cubic yards per site;
2. 
The fill does not exceed three feet in vertical depth at its deepest point measured from the original ground surface, the fill material does not cover more than 200 square feet, and does not exceed three cubic yards per site;
3. 
The clearing of vegetation does not exceed 1,000 square feet in area.
(Ord. 5056-B, 2000; Ord. 5373-B, 2005; Ord. 5407-B § 8, 2006; Ord. 6175-B § 1, 2022)
No permit issued under this article may be transferred or assigned in any manner whatsoever, without the express written consent of the community development resource agency.
(Ord. 5056-B, 2000; Ord. 5373-B, 2005; Ord. 5407-B, 2006)
As a condition of the permit, the property owner shall grant the county a right of entry for the duration of the permit until after final inspection. Whenever necessary to enforce the provisions of this article the agency director or designee may enter the premises to perform any duty imposed by this article.
(Ord. 5056-B, 2000; Ord. 5373-B, 2005)
Neither issuance of a permit under the provisions of this article nor compliance with the provisions hereof or with any conditions imposed in a permit issued hereunder shall relieve any person from responsibility for damage to any person or property or impose any liability upon the county for damage to any person or property.
(Ord. 5056-B, 2000)
No building permit, septic, water, sewer, electrical permit, or any other permit shall be issued by the county to any person for any premises or portion thereof which is in violation of this article.
(Ord. 5056-B, 2000)
Property owners who submit applications for permits for grading for projects that have an approved tentative map or the intended use has an approved discretionary zoning permit, (Chapter 17, Zoning) or is in compliance with the design review process (Section 17.52.070) must comply with the following requirements:
A. 
A separate grading plan shall be submitted for review and approval by the community development resource agency. This plan shall conform to the requirements of this grading ordinance and any applicable conditions placed on the project as a result of any formal discretionary permit process. The applicant shall acknowledge that any additional grading or revisions to work necessitated by conflicts discovered during the improvement plan check or subsequent construction will be corrected at the applicant's expense.
B. 
The property owner shall submit a revegetation and winterization plan for review and approval. This plan shall include a performance agreement with Placer County which includes a specific schedule for performance of the subject grading, an engineer's estimate of cost for implementing the plan, and cash or other approved form of security to insure the timely performance of the plan.
C. 
Plan check and inspection fee deposit shall be required in the amount of the full plan check fee applicable at the time of submittal and a deposit of 25% of the full inspection fee at time of grading permit approval.
D. 
A drainage report shall be required as per the requirements of this grading ordinance and the Placer County land development manual.
E. 
No grading may commence prior to approval of early grading plans without complying with the PCCP, if applicable.
(Ord. 5056-B, 2000; Ord. 5373-B, 2005; Ord. 5407-B, 2006; Ord. 6042-B § 1, 2020)
The provisions of this article shall not apply to construction for which all previously necessary permits were obtained, before the effective date of the ordinance codified in this article or any subsequent amendments.
(Ord. 5056-B, 2000)
If any section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this article is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of the remaining portions of this article; and the board declares that this article and each section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause, and phrase thereof would have been adopted irrespective of the fact that one or more of such section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause or phrase be declared invalid or unconstitutional.
(Ord. 5056-B, 2000)