[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Vinland
as Title 7, Ch. 5, of the 2004 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A.
Authority. This chapter is adopted pursuant to the police powers
granted to the Town under Ch. 60, Wis. Stats.
B.
Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to:
(1)
Protect the health, welfare and safety of Town residents;
(2)
Protect public and private property located within the Town;
(3)
Regulate the use of explosive materials and establish uniform limits
on the permissible levels of blasting resultants to reasonably assure
that blasting resultants do not cause injury, damage or nuisance to
persons or property.
The following definitions shall apply in this chapter. Terms
not herein defined shall be understood to have their usual and ordinary
dictionary meaning:
An airborne shock wave resulting from the detonation of explosives.
Approval granted by the Town of Vinland.
Any individual holding a valid blaster's license issued by
the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services.
Any method of loosening, moving or shattering masses of solid
matter by use of an explosive.
Any operation, enterprise or activity involving the use of
blasting.
The physical manifestations of forces released by blasting,
including, but not limited to, projectile matter, vibration and concussion,
which might cause injury, damage or unreasonable nuisance to persons
or property located outside the controlled blasting site area.
A built-up inhabited area.
The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services.
Any device containing a detonating charge that is used for
initiating detonation in an explosive. The term includes, but is not
limited to, electric blasting caps of instantaneous and delay types,
blasting caps for use with safety fuses, detonating cord delay connectors,
and nonelectric instantaneous and delay blasting caps.
A blasting cap designed for, and capable of, initiation by
means of an electric current.
The substantially instantaneous release of both gas and heat.
Any chemical compound, mixture or device, the primary or
common purpose of which is to function by explosion, unless the compound,
mixture or device is otherwise classified by the Department by rule.
Explosives, blasting agents and detonators. The term includes,
but is not limited to, dynamic and other high explosives, slurries,
emulsions, water gels, blasting agents, black powder, pellet powder,
initiating explosives, detonators, safety fuses, squibs, detonating
cord, igniter cord and igniters.
Rock that is propelled through the air from a blast.
A shaking of the ground caused by the electric wave emanating
from a blast.
Any public street, public alley or public road.
A building regularly occupied in whole or in part as a habitation
for human beings, or any church, schoolhouse, railroad station, store
or other structure where people are accustomed to assemble, except
any building or structure occupied in connection with the manufacture,
transportation, storage or use of explosive materials.
An injurious effect on the safety, health or morals of the
public, or a use of property which works some substantial annoyance,
inconvenience or injury to the public, and which causes hurt, inconvenience
or damage.
Any measure of ground vibration describing the velocity at
which a particle of ground vibrates when excited by a seismic wave.
The area that surrounds a blasting site, and:
Any individual, corporation, company, association, firm,
partnership, society or joint stock company.
Any ratio between the amount of powder loaded and the amount
of rock broken.
A capped fuse, electric detonator or any other detonating
device inserted in or attached to a cartridge of explosive.
The inert material, such as drill cutting, used in the collar
portion or elsewhere of a blast hole to confine the gaseous products
of detonation.
The Town of Vinland, Winnebago County, Wisconsin.
A.
General.
(1)
General permit(s) required. No person shall handle or use explosive
material in the Town of Vinland unless he:
(a)
Possesses a valid State of Wisconsin blaster's license with
the proper classification or is supervised by a holder of a valid
State of Wisconsin blaster's license with the proper classification.
(2)
Firearms exception. For purpose of this chapter, blasting does not
include the discharge of firearms.
B.
Town permit requirements. No person shall handle, use or cause explosives
to be detonated within the Town of Vinland without an explosives use
permit issued by the Town of Vinland, as hereafter set forth, to such
person, his/her supervisor or employer.
(1)
Application. Applications for an explosives use permit shall be in
writing upon forms provided by the Town Clerk. Applications shall
be accompanied by a permit fee in accordance with the Town Board's
current fee schedule. Permits shall be issued on an annual basis commencing
January 1 and ending on December 31. Applications may be made by and
permits issued to the blasting business, provided that the person
doing the blasting or responsible for such blasting shall hold a valid
Wisconsin blaster's license with property classification. The application
will identify the licensed blasters operating under the permit and
the blasting locations within the Town of Vinland.
(2)
Financial assurance. Each application for an explosives use permit
as herein stated, or a renewal thereof, shall be accompanied by a
certificate of insurance evidencing comprehensive general public liability
insurance against claims for bodily injury, death or property damage
arising out of the blasting operation; such insurance to afford protection
to the Town of Vinland and its residents of not less than $1,000,000
with respect to bodily injury or death to any one person, not less
than $3,000,000 with respect to any one accident, and not less than
$100,000 with respect to property damage. The certificate of insurance
shall name the Town of Vinland and its residents as additional insureds
under the relevant policy. Any insurance which the blaster is obligated
to carry under the terms of this chapter may be carried under so-called
"blanket" policies covering other properties or liabilities of the
blaster, provided that such blanket policies otherwise comply with
the provisions of this subsection. Each insurance policy shall provide
that it shall not be cancelled by the insurance company, except after
not less than 90 days' notice to the Town, in writing, by registered
or certified mail. Not less than 30 days prior to the expiration of
the ninety-day notice of cancellation, the blaster shall cease. The
liability insurance must be issued by a company licensed by the State
of Wisconsin to issue the policy. The Town Board reserves the right
to increase the amount of the insurance policy depending on the circumstances
of the blasting activity.
(3)
Explosives use plan. Each application for an explosives use permit
or a renewal thereof shall include a written description of the total
area within which explosives are proposed to be used, the blasting
procedures to be employed, including types of explosives, initiating
systems, and an aerial photograph or drawing acceptable to the Town
Board with a scale of no less than one inch equals 100 feet and having
an overlaying grid of 50 feet by 50 feet, which accurately includes
all areas and inhabited buildings within 500 feet of all proposed
blasting areas.
(4)
Hours of operation. Blasting shall only be conducted between 9:00
a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Monday through Friday; provided, however, that
in the event an emergency has delayed a blast beyond 4:00 p.m., a
loaded hole may be blown within a reasonable time thereafter. Blasting
shall not be conducted at other times or on Sundays or legal holidays
without written permission from the Town Board or its designee, which
shall only be granted upon a showing of extreme need.
(5)
Blasting log. An accurate blasting log shall be prepared and maintained
for each blast fired, and a true and complete copy of said log shall
be supplied to the Town Clerk within seven working days of the initiation
of the blast. The Town may require that the permittee furnish to the
Town an analysis of any particular blasting log to be prepared by
the permittee. In the event the permittee cannot or will not prepare
a reliable analysis, the Town may obtain such analysis from an independent
expert. The permittee shall be liable for the reasonable cost of such
analysis if it is determined, after an opportunity to be heard, that
this requirement was violated by the permittee. Each blasting log
shall include, but not be restricted to, the following information:
(a)
Name and license number of blaster in charge of blast;
(b)
Blast location with grid coordinate references to the supplied
aerial photograph or drawing of the explosives use area;
(c)
Date and time of blast;
(d)
Weather condition at time of blast;
(e)
Diagram and cross-section of blast hole layout;
(f)
Number of blast holes;
(g)
Blast hole depth and diameter;
(h)
Spacing and burden of blast holes;
(i)
Maximum holes per delay;
(j)
Maximum pounds of explosives per delay;
(k)
Depth and type of stemming used;
(l)
Total pounds of explosives used, including primers and initiating
cord;
(m)
Distance to nearest inhabited building not owned by permittee;
(n)
Type of initiation system used;
(o)
Seismographic and airblast information, which shall include:
[1]
Type of instrument and last calibration date;
[2]
Exact location of instrument and date, time and distance from
the blast;
[3]
Name and company affiliation of person taking reading;
[4]
Name of the person and firm analyzing the seismographic and
airblast data when required;
[5]
Vibrations and airblast levels recorded; and
[6]
Copy of the seismograph printout.
A.
Temporary permit requirements. The Town Clerk, upon receipt of a properly completed temporary permit application form, may issue a temporary permit to allow for special construction or demolition activities requiring the use of explosives. Temporary permits shall be issued for a duration of 14 consecutive working days. The Town Board, in its discretion, may grant one fourteen-day extension. Only one temporary permit (and one renewal) can be issued for any given site within one year of permit issuance. Applicants for temporary permits are required to provide financial assurance as specified in § 182-3B and provide notice to all neighbors within 500 feet of the special construction or demolition activity.
B.
Temporary permit categories. Permits shall be in the following categories:
(1)
Road, sewer, heavy construction. The fee shall be as prescribed in
the current Town Fee Schedule, determined by the Town Board based
on the explosive use plan submitted by the contractor or blaster.
(2)
Construction authorized by Town Board. Construction authorized by the Town Board for Town use is exempt from the fee. Applicants for these permits are required to file financial assurances as specified in § 182-3B and provide notice to all neighbors within 500 feet.
(3)
Construction. This category includes home building, septic systems,
swimming pools, etc. The fee is included in the building permit. If
blasting becomes necessary after the issuance of a building permit,
a fee in accordance with the Town Board's current fee schedule will
be assessed for the blasting permit. No bond is required. However,
proof of insurance and notice to all neighbors within 500 feet is
required.
(4)
Agricultural. This category includes stump removal, silo demolition,
manure pits, etc. The fee shall be a fee in accordance with the Town
Board's current fee schedule for the permit. No bond is required.
However, proof of insurance and notice to all neighbors within 500
feet is required.
A.
Purpose of section. It is the purpose of this section to provide
for the establishment of uniform limits on permissible levels of blasting
resultants to reasonably assure that blasting within the Town does
not cause injury, damage or a nuisance to persons or property outside
and beyond the permitted explosives use area.
B.
Instrumentation. All blast-monitoring instruments used to produce
data to support compliance with this subsection shall meet the following
minimum specifications:
(1)
Seismic frequency range: two to 200 Hz (± 3Hz).
(2)
Acoustic frequency range: two to 200 Hz (± 1dB).
(3)
Velocity range: 0.02 to four inches per second.
(4)
Sound range: 100 to 140 dB linear.
(5)
Transducers: three mutually perpendicular axes.
(6)
Recording. Provide time-history of waveform.
(7)
Printout. Direct printout showing time, date, peak air pressure,
peak particle velocity and frequency in three directions and a printed
waveform graph of the event depicting measured airblast and particle
velocity in the three directions.
(8)
Calibration. At least once every 12 months according to manufacturer's
recommendations.
C.
Control of adverse effects generally. The permittee shall take necessary
steps prescribed by the Town to control adverse effects from his/her
activity.
D.
General requirements. Blasting shall be conducted so as to prevent
injury and unreasonable annoyance to persons and damage to public
or private property outside the permitted explosives use area.
E.
Airblast.
(1)
Limits. Airblast shall not exceed the maximum limits listed in Table
A-1 at the location of any dwelling, public building, place of employment,
school, church or community or institutional building outside and
beyond the permitted explosives use area. Notwithstanding this general
requirement, an annual permit holder subject to this limitation may
exceed the limitation on up to 5% of the blasts it initiates during
the period from January 1 to December 31 without violating this chapter,
provided that the airblast produced by such blasts does not exceed
the limitations on airblast imposed by the Wisconsin Department of
Safety and Professional Services in § SPS 307.44(3), Wis.
Adm. Code, as amended from time to time.[1]
|
Table A-1
Airblast Limits
| ||
|---|---|---|
|
Lower Frequency Limit of Measuring System
(Hz)
|
Maximum Level
(db)
| |
|
2 or lower - flat response
|
123 peak
| |
|
6 or lower - flat response
|
129 peak
| |
(2)
Monitoring.
(a)
The permittee shall monitor all blasts at the closest location
to the blast of any dwelling, public building, place of employment,
school, church or community or institutional building outside and
beyond the permitted explosives use area; provided, however, that
the permittee may monitor, at another location approximately the same
distance from the blast site, if the permittee is unable to obtain
permission to conduct the monitoring from the owner of the preferred
location. The Town Board or its designee may, at its discretion, require
the relocation of monitoring equipment to a more suitable site and/or
may conduct independent airblast monitoring to spot check data supplied
by the permittee. If independent monitoring by the Town after hearing
discloses that this chapter was violated by the permittee, then in
that event the permittee shall pay the reasonable costs incurred by
the Town for the independent monitoring. Upon receiving and approving
billings for such expenses, the Town shall cause notice of the expenses
to be mailed to the permittee, who shall reimburse the Town for such
expenses within 30 days after receipt of such notice.
(b)
The measuring equipment used shall have an upper-end flat-frequency
response of at least 200 Hz.
(c)
All measuring equipment during monitoring shall be spiked to
the ground or sandbagged.
F.
Flyrock. Flyrock produced as a result of explosives use shall be
totally contained within the permitted explosives use area.
G.
Ground vibration.
(1)
General.
(a)
The maximum ground vibration at the location of any dwelling,
public building, place of employment, school, church or community
or institutional building outside or beyond the permitted explosives
use area shall have a maximum peak-particle-velocity limit as provided
by the Department, the scaled-distance equation provided by the Department,
or the blasting level chart provided by the Department, whichever
is applicable hereunder.
(b)
All structures in the vicinity of the permitted explosives use area not listed in Subsection G(1), such as water towers, pipelines and other utilities, tunnels, dams, impoundments and underground mines, shall be protected from damage by establishment by the permit holder of a maximum allowable limit on the ground vibration. The permit holder shall establish the limit after consulting with the owner of the structure.
(2)
Seismic monitoring.
(a)
The Town Board, in its discretion, may conduct independent seismic
blast monitoring to spot check data supplied by the permit holder.
If the independent monitoring was done after good cause was shown
therefor and after the permittee was given notice and an opportunity
to be heard on the matter, the permittee shall be liable to the Town
for all expenses incurred by the Town as a result of such independent
monitoring. Upon receiving and approving billings for such expenses,
the Town shall cause notice of the expenses to be mailed to the permittee,
who shall reimburse the Town for such expenses within 30 days after
receipt of such notice.
(b)
The Town Board, upon good cause shown and after giving the permittee
notice and an opportunity to be heard, may request analysis of records
and data for any or all blasts which occurred within the permitted
explosives use area.
(3)
Preblasting notification.
(a)
Each explosives use permit application and all reapplications shall include the names and addresses of all residents or owners of dwelling or other structures located within an area affected by the permitted explosives use. The affected areas shall be determined based on the maximum pounds of explosives per eight MS delay from the previous three years' high. This calculation's square root times 100 shall determine the affected area in feet. This calculation shall be the maximum distance from the boundary of the quarry where a preblast survey may be requested. One thousand feet shall be the minimum distance for which a preblast survey may be requested, regardless of the above calculation. Residents outside of these boundaries may petition the Town Board for a preblast survey, with the survey to be at the quarry operator's expense. Residents denied this preblast survey may, at their own expense, secure a survey by a company acceptable to the quarry operator. The quarry operator may not unreasonably reject the company proposed to perform the survey. The surveys performed in this paragraph will serve as the basis for damage claims against the quarry operator. The blasting logs used to determine the previous three years' high, as referenced in this subsection, are available for inspection from the Town Clerk. [See § 182-3B(5).]
(b)
At the time of the permit application, the applicant shall have notified, in writing, all residents or owners of dwellings or other structures located within the affected area, previously defined in Subsection G(3)(a) immediately above, who may request a preblast survey. All preblast surveys shall include a water quality test for existing wells. The applicant shall cause a preblast survey to be conducted as to such dwellings or structures and extensive water quality testing for existing wells; provided, however, that the applicant shall not be required to conduct a preblast survey more than once every six years and a well water quality test more than once every four years. The applicant or permittee is responsible for the costs of all requested preblast surveys and water quality tests.
(c)
The survey shall include a written report signed by the person
who conducted the survey. Copies of the survey report shall be promptly
provided to the Town Clerk, the owner or resident, and the applicant/permittee.
The owner, resident or applicant/permittee shall promptly submit in
writing to the Town any objections to the survey report, setting forth
in detail such objections.
(d)
The owner of a dwelling or structure that is within the affected area defined in Subsection G(3)(a) above, who subsequent to the preblast survey has substantially modified or improved the dwelling or structure by 50% or more of the fair market value, may request a new preblast survey. If it is found that a preblast survey is appropriate, the permittee may conduct such surveys within a reasonable period of time, but not exceeding twice a year for all such requests by all owners. These updated surveys shall be requested in writing submitted to the Town Board, which shall promptly notify the permittee of the request.
(e)
All expenses incurred as a result of such independent surveys
shall be the responsibility of the applicant/permittee. Upon receiving
and approving billings for such expenses, the Town shall cause notice
of the expenses to be mailed to the applicant/permittee, who shall
reimburse the Town for such expenses within 30 days after receipt
of such notice.
A.
Effective date. All use of explosives and blasting activity conducted
in the Town shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter. Existing
operations of whatever nature, including without limitation nonmetallic
mining operations, shall comply with the terms of this chapter.
B.
Other ordinances. Where the provisions of this chapter conflict with
any provisions of any other Town ordinance, the provisions of this
chapter, if more restrictive than those of the other ordinances, shall
control and shall supersede the provisions of the other ordinances.
C.
State and federal laws. Where the provisions of this chapter conflict
with the provisions of any applicable state or federal law or regulation,
the provisions of the most restrictive ordinance, statute or regulation
shall control, to the extent permitted by state and federal law.
A.
Enforcement provisions.
(1)
Enforcement. The following are criteria that the Town Board may consider
for issuance, reissuance, suspension or revocation of a blasting permit:
(a)
Compliance with the blasting standards established by the Town
of Vinland as noted herein this chapter.
(b)
Development and submittal to the Town Board of the Town of Vinland
the explosives use plan and fails upon operation to comply with the
plan.
(c)
Development and submittal to the Town Board of the Town of Vinland
the blasting log and fails upon operation to comply with the information
called for by the blasting log.
(d)
Maintaining the financial assurance requested by the Town Board
of the Town of Vinland.
(e)
Compliance with the operational hours for blasting as noted
herein by this chapter.
(f)
Compliance with airblast and ground vibration standards established
by the Town of Vinland as noted herein this chapter.
(g)
Compliance with the pre-blasting notification requirements to
residents and the Town Board as noted herein this chapter.
(h)
Attempts made by the permittee or party in interest to comply
with the provisions of this chapter.
(i)
Consideration of atmospheric, unknown conditions including geophysical
conditions, and other matters beyond the control of the permittee
or party in interest.
(2)
Suspension/revocation.
(a)
Unless expressly provided herein or by other Town of Vinland
ordinance provisions, the explosive use permit may be suspended or
revoked for cause for substantial noncompliance with this chapter
after the proper Town of Vinland hearing noted below, unless in an
emergency condition as determined by a designated member of the Town
Board and either the Town Clerk, Fire Inspector or the permit issuer
of the Town of Vinland, wherein the license, registration or permit
can be suspended temporarily for a set time period. Prior to any action
for suspension or revocation, the Town Board of the Town of Vinland
must, by the Town Clerk or the Town of Vinland, receive a verified
complaint concerning the licensee, registrant or permittee. The following
persons may file a verified complaint with the Town Board of the Town
of Vinland:
(b)
The Town Board will make a determination if the allegations
of the complaint are of sufficient magnitude, importance or otherwise
of such a nature as to require a formal evidentiary hearing.
(c)
The person subject to charges for violation of any Town of Vinland
ordinance or any violation of a condition of the explosives use permit
shall be provided a copy of the verified complaint and notice of hearing
before the Town Board of the Town of Vinland. The hearing shall be
required to be not less than 10 days nor more than 30 days after the
receipt of notice, unless stipulated in writing by the Town Board
of the Town of Vinland and the person who is subject to charges.
(d)
The person subject to charges for violation of any Town of Vinland
ordinance or any violation of a condition of the explosive use permit
shall be entitled to the following:
(e)
The Town Board of the Town of Vinland may, after the hearing
for any person previously issued an explosive use permit by the Town
Board of the Town of Vinland, act as follows:
(f)
The final decision of the Town Board of the Town of Vinland
to revoke or suspend the explosives use permit shall be subject to
appeal to the Circuit Court.
B.
Penalties for violations. In addition to the denial, suspension or revocation of a permit issued under this chapter, any person who shall violate any provision of this chapter or who shall fail to obtain a permit as required hereunder shall, upon conviction of such violation, be subject to a penalty of a civil forfeiture as prescribed in § 1-4 of this Code, together with the costs of prosecution. Each violation and each day a violation continues or occurs shall constitute a separate offense. Nothing in this chapter shall preclude the Town from maintaining any appropriate action to prevent or remove a violation of any provision of this chapter. Any default of such forfeiture determined by a court of competent jurisdiction shall be subject to any penalties as provided by §§ 66.0109, 66.0115 and 66.0114, Wis. Stats., as may be amended.
