§ 34-491. General.

Persons engaging in construction activities that result in the disturbance of one acre or more, or that are part of a development involving the disturbance of one acre of more, that are not required to obtain a building permit but intend to perform clearing, grading, excavation, and/or land disturbance activities on one or more acres, shall (a) obtain a land clearing permit from the public works department prior to the commencement of such activities, and (b) comply with section 34-471, unless otherwise exempt under section 34-492. The land clearing permit application may require the submittal of such site, drainage, grading, and erosion plans as deemed necessary by the public works department. A land clearing permit is required for the following nonexclusive activities:

(1)

Clearing, grading, excavating, cutting, filling, draining, or paving of lots, parcels, or other areas;

(2)

Altering, rerouting, deepening, widening, obstructing, or changing in any way an existing drainage system or feature;

(3)

Development for residential, commercial, institutional, industrial, utility or other activities; and

(4)

Commencing any other development or excavation which may significantly increase or decrease the rate and/or quantity of surface water runoff, degrade the quality of waters of the state or adversely affect any sinkhole, water course, or water body.

Each application for a land clearing permit shall include the name(s) and address(es) of the owner or developer of the site and of any consulting firm retained by the applicant, together with the name of the applicant's principal contact at such firm. The land clearing permit is valid for a period of one year from the date of issuance, subject to extension by the public works department.

(Ord. No. O-237-2007, § 2, 10-16-07)