[Amended 10-6-1986 by L.L. No. 9-1986]
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
BERM
Anything more than one foot high, made primarily of earth
or earthen or similar materials, intended for defense, security, enclosure
or screening purposes.
All berms shall be constructed so that all sides
of the berm shall not have a slope greater than 1:3. For the purposes
of this section, the slope shall refer to the ratio of a vertical
rise of one foot to a horizontal run of three feet.
All berms shall be constructed out of clean
fill or an approved equal. Said fill shall be given sufficient time
to settle before final shaping and topsoil is applied. After the settled
fill has been shaped, a uniform six-inch layer of approved horticultural
topsoil shall be placed and fine graded.
All berms shall be properly vegetated and landscaped
before any erosion occurs in the topsoil on the berm, or, in the alternative,
the berm shall be covered with ground cover until such time as the
berm can be properly landscaped.
Berms shall be constructed only during the period
from March 1 through October 15.
No fence or wall shall be constructed on a berm.
However, a retaining wall may be placed on the sides of a berm where
the Building Inspector finds said retaining wall will promote aesthetic
considerations and the height of same does not exceed the grade of
the berm.
The construction of berms and the berm itself
shall not interfere with the natural drainage.
All berms shall require a building permit.
All applications for building permits for berms
shall include the following:
A. A detailed grading plan of the entire site indicating
the existing topography in contour intervals no greater than five
feet and the proposed topography in contour intervals no greater than
two feet. The scale of the grading plan shall be no greater than one
inch equals 20 feet.
B. A cross section of the berm indicating the type of
materials to be used in constructing the berm (i.e., fill, topsoil)
and the location of landscaping. The scale of the cross section shall
be no greater than one inch equals four feet.
C. A detailed landscaping plan indicating the location
and size of the species to be planted.
All applications for a building permit for a
berm shall be referred to the Building Inspector for his approval
with respect to the compatibility of the berm with the surrounding
properties and associated land uses, drainage considerations and landscaping.
All provisions of this Code relating to building
permits and construction shall apply to building permits for berms,
except as provided in this article.