A. 
Purpose. The purpose of this section is to promote safe, stable, and code-compliant construction within Huntington City by ensuring that soil and subsurface conditions are properly evaluated where significant development may impact public health, safety, and welfare.
B. 
Applicability.
1. 
Required Soil Reports. A geotechnical or soils report ("Soil Report"), prepared by a licensed geotechnical engineer or registered professional engineer, shall be required for:
a. 
All subdivisions;
b. 
Multi-family residential development;
c. 
Duplexes; and
d. 
Manufactured home parks, recreational vehicle parks, or similar developments.
These types of development involve larger areas of disturbance, and soil conditions must be evaluated to ensure safe construction and stable infrastructure.
2. 
Single-Family Residential Construction. A Soil Report is not required for single-family dwellings. However, Huntington City strongly recommends that applicants for single-family homes consider obtaining a Soil Report to identify potential soil-related hazards and ensure proper foundation and drainage design.
C. 
Soil Report Requirements.
1. 
Contents. At a minimum, a Soil Report shall:
a. 
Identify soil types, bearing capacity, and groundwater conditions;
b. 
Evaluate the presence of expansive, compressible, collapsible, or otherwise unstable soils;
c. 
Provide recommendations for foundation design and construction;
d. 
Recommend appropriate grading, drainage, and earthwork procedures; and
e. 
Address site-specific geologic or geotechnical hazards, where applicable.
2. 
Review and Approval. Soil Reports must be submitted to Huntington City for review and approval prior to issuance of applicable development approvals.
3. 
Additional Investigation. The Building Official may require additional geotechnical investigation where site- specific conditions warrant.
D. 
Exceptions. Minor accessory structures that pose minimal risk to public health, safety, and welfare may be exempt from the Soil Report requirement at the discretion of the Zoning Administrator.
E. 
Recommendations. Even where a Soil Report is not required (such as single-family homes), Huntington City encourages property owners to obtain a geotechnical evaluation to identify potential risks, optimize foundation design, and ensure long-term stability of their structures.
(Ord. 3-2026, 4/14/2026)