A.
Enacting Authority. These design and construction standards are enacted by the city of Zillah, in accordance with state law, to protect and preserve the public health, safety, and general welfare.
B.
Purpose. The purpose of these design and construction standards is to provide consistent requirements, standards, and specifications for the design and construction of public works infrastructure improvements by the city and by private developers.
C.
State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). These standards will not affect any considerations involving issues under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). The city's responsible official will continue to make all necessary SEPA decisions when individual proposals are submitted.
D.
Conflicting Provisions. The standards, procedures, and requirements of these standards are the minimum necessary to promote the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of the city of Zillah. The city may adopt more rigorous or different standards, procedures, and requirements whenever necessary. If the provisions of these standards conflict with one another, or if a provision of these standards conflicts with the provisions of the city code or another ordinance of the city, the most restrictive provision or the provision imposing the highest standard shall prevail.
E.
Severance. If any provision of these standards or its application to any person or circumstance is for any reason held to be invalid, the remainder of these standards or the application of the provisions is not affected.
F.
Process.
1.
Design Phase. Any person, firm, or corporation (the "developer") who intends to plat land in accordance with the city of Zillah code and construct a public works improvement shall apply to the city director of public works. The request by the developer shall include a map showing the area to be served, the number and type of proposed units, or the type and size of the proposed facility and a general layout of the development.
Upon receipt of the design requirements from the director of public works, the developer shall employ a consulting engineer to prepare plans and specifications for the public works improvements in accordance with these construction standards and the Zillah Municipal Code. The developer or its consulting engineer shall submit three paper sets of plans and specifications for review by the city and/or the city's engineer.
The city shall review the initial submittal and indicate corrections or additions or request additional information and return one "red lined" set to the developer. The developer shall make the required corrections and resubmit two paper sets and one electronic copy of revised plans and specifications to the city public works department.
When it has been determined the plans and specifications indicate compliance with city of Zillah standards, the developer shall submit the original plan tracings and specifications for final approval to the city. The cover sheet of the original plans shall contain an "APPROVED FOR CONSTRUCTION BY THE CITY OF ZILLAH" signature block. The city's responsible official will sign the plans. Such approved plans and specifications shall not be changed, modified, or altered without authorization from the city public works director. The developer shall provide the city with a minimum of three copies of the approved plan set and specifications for use by city inspectors and city departments as required.
Upon receipt by the director of public works of the plan review fee, as discussed in subsection (H) of this section, the approved original plans and specifications will be returned to the developer.
2.
Construction Phase. Before the developer's contractor commences any work, he shall be required to attend a preconstruction conference with the city public works department, the city's engineer, and utility companies as determined by the city of Zillah. The contractor will submit his insurance and construction schedule at this meeting.
All construction shall be inspected by the city of Zillah or its authorized agent. The contractor shall give a minimum of 10 days' prior notice to the director of public works before the start of any construction activities.
After cleanup by the contractor and final inspection by the city, the city will calculate the inspection fees and submit them to the developer. The developer will pay the inspection fee, as discussed in subsection (H) of this section, to the public works department.
G.
Engineering Design Plan Requirements. All plans, specifications, engineering calculations, diagrams, and other relevant data shall be designed and prepared by a civil engineer licensed by the state of Washington (consultant), in accordance with ZMC § 15.10.020, General plan requirements.
H.
Plan Review and Inspection Fee. Plan review and inspection fees are hereby established to defray the administrative expense of plan review and inspection costs incurred by the city of Zillah.
The plan review and inspection fee shall be the total actual costs incurred by the city of Zillah, its agents, employees, and elected or appointed officials, for review and approval of the plans and specifications and for inspection of construction of the public works improvements. The fee shall include, but not be limited to, initial plan review, subsequent meetings with the developer, explanations to the developer's engineering consultant, reviews of revised plans, construction inspection, reinspections, and a final inspection prior to the expiration of the maintenance period.
The plan review fee shall be tabulated and sent to the developer and paid by the developer in full prior to the city releasing the approved original plans and specifications for construction or the issuance of a building permit.
The construction inspection fee shall be tabulated and sent to the developer and paid by the developer in full prior to the city issuing a certificate of occupancy or final acceptance of the public works improvements.
I.
Record Drawings. The developer's consulting engineer shall maintain a neatly marked, full-sized print set of record drawings showing the final location and layout of all new construction of the public facilities. Prior to final acceptance by the city of Zillah, one set of reproducible record drawings and two sets of prints prepared by the developer's engineer and clearly marked "Record Drawings" shall be delivered to the director of public works for review and approval.
J.
Transfer of Ownership. The developer shall complete a transfer of ownership form upon completion of the construction of the public works improvements and pending acceptance by the city. This form may be found in Appendix A. Appendix A is available at Zillah City Hall or on the city web site at www.cityofzillah.us.
K.
Easements. Public utility easements shall be established for the location of new and future public improvements serving new land divisions and land developments. Easements shall also be granted across the front of new lots and existing lots to provide future utility access as required.
All easements required shall be prepared by the developer on the proper form and format for recording at the Yakima County auditor's office. The easement legal description shall be prepared by a land surveyor licensed in the state of Washington. The executed and notarized easement document shall be submitted to the director of public works for recording.
Ten-foot-wide utility easements shall be dedicated along the front of each lot in subdivisions and short subdivisions. Easements for new and/or future utility lines shall be a minimum of 16 feet wide, provided the width of the easements for buried utilities will be at least twice the depth of the planned excavation.
Utility easements shall be continuous and aligned from block to block within a subdivision and with easements in adjoining subdivisions to facilitate the extension and future extension of public utilities.
(Ord. 1289 § 1 (Exh. A), 2011; Ord. 1213 § 1, 2009; Ord. 1202 § 2 (Exh. A), 2009)
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ZMC § 17.06.010(D) and Chapter 17.08 ZMC.