Every applicant for a grading permit shall file a written application with plans, specifications and a soil conservation report with the Building Inspector in a form prescribed by the Building Inspector.
A. 
The application shall:
(1) 
Describe the land on which the proposed work is to be done by lot, block, tract and street address or similar description which will readily identify and definitively locate the proposed work.
(2) 
State the estimated dates for the starting and completion of grading work.
(3) 
State the purpose for which the grading application is filed.
(4) 
State whether or not a building, structure or other improvement, the construction of which will require a building permit pursuant to the provisions of the Building Code, is intended to be erected on the land on which the grading is to be done.
B. 
The plans and specifications shall be prepared, signed and sealed by a professional engineer, surveyor architect or landscape architect and shall accurately portray and describe the site and proposed soil erosion controls, if any. Plans shall be submitted in triplicate, one set of which shall be of a reproducible nature, and shall include:
(1) 
The name of the applicant.
(2) 
The name of the owner of the land.
(3) 
The permission and approval of the owner of the property if the applicant is an agent or tenant of the landowner, by affidavit.
(4) 
Accurate location by lot, block, tract, street address, a location map or other similar information.
(5) 
A contour map showing the present contours of the land and the proposed contours of the land after completion of the proposed grading at two-foot intervals where the average slope is 15% or less and at five-foot intervals where the average slope exceeds 15%.
(6) 
Cross sections of the proposed cut or fill on fifty-foot intervals which show the method of benching both cut and/or fill; provided, however, that there shall be not fewer than two cross sections for each site.
(7) 
A plot plan showing the location of the grading boundaries, lot lines, neighboring streets or ways, buildings, surface and subsurface utilities and waterways, drainage patterns and sufficient dimensions and other data to show all work.
(8) 
A description of the type and classification of the soil from the soil survey, other standard surveys or other methods.
(9) 
Details and location of any proposed drainage, structures and pipes, walls and cribbing.
(10) 
Seeding locations and schedules, debris basins and diversion channels.
C. 
A soil conservation report shall be required and include existing site description of the topography, drainage, cover and soils; major problems such as soil limitations, erosion and sediment potential and surface runoff changes; and recommendations to minimize soil limitations, erosion and sediment and surface water disposal problems.
D. 
If truckloads are to be removed from the site, a description of truck travel routes must be approved by the Borough.
A. 
The Building Inspector shall require that a geotechnical engineering report be submitted by the applicant if the site is, has been or is likely to become hazardous to persons or property. The Coal Resource Maps prepared by the United States Geological Survey, 1975, for the Greater Pittsburgh Region (as well as the Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Survey for Allegheny County) shall be used to locate hazardous areas. The report shall contain a detailed description of the geological conditions of the site and shall include conclusions and recommendations that will demonstrate the relationship of the geological conditions to the proposed development, including hazardous conditions, water resources, mineral resources and environmental impact.
B. 
Where, owing to special circumstances and conditions, compliance with the provisions of this chapter would result in unnecessary hardship, the Council may make such special reasonable exceptions thereto, upon recommendation from the Engineer, as will not be contrary to the public interest and may impose such conditions as it deems necessary to adequately protect the public interest.
C. 
The Building Inspector shall receive all applications and shall collect all fees. The Building Inspector shall transmit all applications to the Borough Engineer, who shall indicate his approval thereon.
A. 
Every grading permit shall expire by limitation and become null and void if the work authorized by such permit has not been commenced within three months or is not completed within one year from the date of issue, provided that the Borough Council, acting upon the recommendation of the Borough Engineer, may, if the permit holder presents satisfactory evidence that unusual difficulties have prevented work from being started or completed within the specified time limits, grant a reasonable extension of time, and provided further that the application for the extension of time is made before the date of expiration of the permit.
B. 
Any physical changes from the original plan uncovered in the site during the construction, such as surface water drainage, soil and bedrock dislocations, alteration of groundwater discharge or any other natural or man-made modification which would tend to undermine the basis upon which the permit was issued, must be immediately reported to the Building Inspector by the permit holder. If the circumstances dictate, the Borough Council shall revoke the permit or otherwise modify the conditions upon which the permit was initially issued.
A. 
Where, in the opinion of the Borough Engineer, the work as proposed by the applicant is likely to endanger any property or person or any street or alley or create hazardous conditions, he or she shall deny the grading permit. In determining whether the proposed work is likely to endanger property or streets or alleys or create hazardous conditions, the Borough Engineer shall give due consideration to possible saturation by rains, earth movements, runoff surface waters and subsurface conditions such as the stratification and faulting of rock aquifers, springs and the nature and type of the soil or rock.
B. 
The Borough Council shall consider promptly appeals from the provisions of this article or from the determinations of the Borough Engineer, and the Council shall make determinations of alternate methods, standards or materials when, in its opinion, strict compliance with the provisions of this chapter is unnecessary. Any applicant or permit holder shall have the right to appeal within 15 days from the date of the denial of the permit, by a written appeal therefrom to the Borough Council. The Borough Council shall grant a hearing upon such an appeal within 30 days after the receipt of the written appeal.
A. 
Before issuance of a grading permit, the applicant shall post all necessary bonds in accordance with the requirements set forth in § 117-12 of this chapter.
B. 
Before issuing a grading permit, the Building Inspector shall collect a permit fee and grading escrow based upon the volume of material to be graded. Fees will be set by a resolution of the Council.
A. 
The Borough Engineer shall, when requested by the permit holder, make the inspections hereinafter required and shall either approve that portion of the work which has been completed or notify the permit holder wherein the same fails to comply with the provisions of this article. Where it is found by inspection that the soil or other conditions are not as stated or shown in the application, the Borough Engineer may refuse to approve further work until approval is obtained for a revised grading plan conforming to existing conditions.
B. 
Plans for grading work bearing the stamp of approval of the Borough Engineer shall be maintained at the site during the progress of the grading work and until the work has been approved.
C. 
The permit holder shall notify the Borough Engineer in order to obtain inspections in accordance with the following schedule and at least 48 hours before the inspection is to be made. Before calling for any inspection, the owner shall have the property line stakes set and sufficient grade stakes set by a registered engineer-surveyor to enable the Engineer to verify the grading operation.
(1) 
Initial inspection: when work on the excavation or fill is about to be commenced.
(2) 
Rough grading: when all rough grading has been completed.
(3) 
Drainage facilities: when drainage facilities which connect to or shall become public facilities are to be installed and inspected before such facilities are backfilled.
(4) 
Special structures: when excavations are complete for retaining and crib walls, when reinforcing steel is in place and before concrete is poured.
(5) 
Final inspection: when all work, including the installation of all drainage and other structures, has been completed.
D. 
If, at any stage of the work, the Borough Engineer shall determine by inspection that the nature of the formation is such that further work as authorized by an existing permit is likely to endanger property or streets or alleys or to create hazardous conditions, the Borough may require, as a condition to allowing the work to be done, that such reasonable safety precautions be taken as the Borough Engineer considers advisable to avoid such likelihood of danger. Safety precautions may include, but shall not be limited to, specifying a flatter exposed slope, construction of additional drainage facilities, berms, terracing, compaction or cribbing.
A. 
As a condition of approval of a grading application under this chapter, the applicant shall post a cash or performance bond or other security acceptable to the Borough in the amount of 50% of the estimated cost to perform the work. The cost estimate shall include the complete scope of work needed to be performed by the applicant to comply with this chapter and shall be prepared and certified by the applicant's engineer or architect and accepted as reasonable by the Borough Engineer. The Borough Engineer shall be the final arbiter as to the reasonableness of any cost estimates.
B. 
Upon completion of the job, a maintenance bond in an amount of 15% of the cost estimated shall be posted (payable to Dormont Borough) for a period of two years.
C. 
No bond shall be required if another bond or approved security is posted for construction and/or site improvements which already covers the cost of grading and other control facilities.
The following general working conditions will apply to all grading sites:
A. 
Dust control. During grading operations, necessary measures for dust control will be exercised.
B. 
Cleanup. All soil washed or carried onto public streets during grading operations shall be cleaned up each day. Temporary driveway or road surfaces shall be provided as soon as possible. The owner of the property being graded shall be responsible to protect and clean up lower properties of silt and debris which have washed down onto the lower properties as a result of the grading work on the higher property and to restore to original condition.
C. 
Workdays. None of the work or activity covered by a grading permit shall be conducted on a Sunday or legal holiday without the approval of the Council or the Council's designated representative.
D. 
Work hours. All of the work and activity covered by a grading permit shall be conducted between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., unless these time limits are extended, excused or otherwise modified by the Council or its designated representative.