[Amended 10-9-2018 by Ord. No. 897]
The following requirements may apply to certain regulated earth
disturbance activities associated within Table 408-5 and must be met
prior to commencement of regulated earth disturbance activities, as
applicable:
A.
ALLUVIAL SOILS
CUT AND/OR FILL
RUNOFF (HYDRAULICS)
SEDIMENT
SLOPE
SOIL DRAINAGE
SUBSOIL
TOPSOIL
VEGETATION DISTURBANCE
Definitions. Definitions listed in the section are in addition to the definitions listed in § 408-13. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:
An azonal great group of soils, developed from transported
and relatively recently deposited material (alluvium), characterized
by a weak modification (or none) of the original material by soil-forming
processes.
The process of earthmoving by excavating part of an area
and/or using excavated material from embankment or fill areas.
That portion of the precipitation and a drainage area or
watershed that is discharged from the area in stream channels; types
include surface runoff, groundwater runoff or seepage.
Solid material, both mineral and organic, that is in suspension,
is being transported or has been moved from its site of origin by
air, water, gravity or ice and has come to rest on the earth's
surface, either above or below sea level.
The degree of deviation of a surface from the horizontal,
usually expressed in percent or degrees.
A condition of the soil, referring to the frequency and duration
of periods when the soil is free of saturation.
Material immediately underlying topsoil, consisting of, but
not limited to, either singly or in combination, clay, sand, gravel
or crushed rock, but not including bedrock or other impervious surface,
as more fully defined and set forth in the most recently adopted and
approved Montgomery County Soil Survey exclusive of the A horizon.
The topmost layer of ground cover containing humus in some
concentration capable of supporting plant growth, as more fully defined
and set forth in the most recently adopted and approved Montgomery
County Soil Survey under the designation of the A horizon, but not
including subsoil as heretofore defined.
Activities involving relandscaping, disturbing the landscape
or vegetation or any ground cover within a project site.
B.
Activities which are exempt from the grading requirements of this section (§ 408-54). The following activities require no grading review:
(1)
Improvements, such as driveway paving, minor regrading or activities
on a property which do not adversely affect the natural overland or
subsurface flow of stormwater or the drainage of any premises or adversely
disturb the landscape.
(2)
Farming, gardening, lawn installation or lawn restoration.
(3)
Work within the ultimate right-of-way of a public street or alleyway
to be offered for dedication or previously ordained by the Borough,
county or commonwealth, or any park, playground, recreation area or
open space dedicated to and accepted by the Borough, county or commonwealth.
C.
Standards for grading activities. Except for those activities exempted by § 408-54B, the following standards shall apply to all activities permitted or allowed under § 408-5 of this chapter:
(1)
The permittee is responsible for the prevention of damage to other
property or personal injury, which may be affected by the activity
requiring an approval.
(2)
No person, firm or corporation shall modify, fill, excavate, pave,
grade or regrade land in any manner so close to a property line as
to endanger or damage any adjoining street or alley or any other public
or private property without supporting and protecting such property
from settling, cracking, erosion, sediment, flooding or any other
physical damage or personal injury which might result.
(3)
Notwithstanding any other term or provision of this section, no person,
firm or corporation shall cause or allow to be removed greater than
50% of the existing topsoil from any site, and in no event shall the
topsoil existing on any site be reduced to less than a depth of eight
inches as measured from the underlying subsoil, except as may be modified
by the Borough Engineer by issuance of a conditional permit, which
permit shall be issued to modify the terms of this section only based
upon sound engineering practices and subject to appeal by any party
in interest, including the applicant, the Borough or any other interested
or affected party filing an appeal to be heard by the Borough Council
in the same manner as an application or petition to rezone. Further,
it is the intention of this section to achieve conservation of both
topsoil and subsoil in such a manner that disturbance of the subsoil
will achieve a balance on each and every disturbed site, resulting
in the removal of no subsoil; however, no more than 800 cubic yards
of subsoil per disturbed acre may be removed from any site to be relocated
on a site or area not part of the proposed development and in single
and common deed with the disturbed area, except as this subsection
may be modified by the Borough Engineer by issuance of a conditional
permit, which permit shall be issued to modify the terms of this section
only based upon sound engineering practices and subject to appeal
by any party in interest, including the applicant, the Borough or
any other interested or affected party filing an appeal to be heard
by the Borough Council in the same manner as an application or petition
to rezone.
(4)
No person, firm or corporation shall deposit or place any debris
or any other material whatsoever or cause such to be thrown or placed
in any drainage ditch or drainage structure in such a manner as to
obstruct free flow.
(5)
No person, firm or corporation shall fail to adequately maintain,
in good operating order, any drainage facility on his premises. All
drainage ditches, culverts, drainpipes and drainage structures shall
be kept open and free-flowing at all times.
(6)
The owner of any property on which any work has been done pursuant
to an approval granted under this section shall continuously maintain
and repair all graded surfaces and anti-erosion devices, retaining
walls, drainage structures or means and other protective devices,
plantings and ground cover installed or completed.
(7)
All graded surfaces shall be permanently seeded, sodded and/or planted
or otherwise protected from erosion within 30 days, weather permitting,
and shall be tended and/or maintained until growth is well established.
The disturbed area and duration of exposure shall be kept to a minimum,
using temporary erosion and sediment control measures immediately
as outlined in the Erosion and Sediment Control Handbook, Montgomery
County, Pennsylvania.
(8)
All trees in an area of extreme grade change shall be protected with
suitable tree wells, unless the necessity for removal is established.
Precautions shall be taken to prevent the unnecessary removal of trees.
(9)
When required, adequate provisions shall be made for dust-control
measures as are deemed acceptable by the Borough Engineer.
(10)
All plans and specifications submitted for an approval shall
include provisions for both interim (temporary) and permanent erosion
and sediment control. The design, installation and maintenance of
erosion and sediment control measures shall be accomplished in accordance
with standards and specifications established by the Montgomery County
Conservation District, as adopted from standards and specifications
of the United States Natural Resources Conservation Service and as
outlined in the then-applicable and current handbook of administrative
regulations or guidelines, as may be adopted and enacted by the County
Soil Conservation District.
(a)
Technical standards for the design and installation of erosion
and sediment control measures are on file with the Borough of Royersford,
the office of the County Conservation District and other governmental
agency offices.
(b)
Standards and specifications adopted for the purposes of this
section and by the County Conservation District include, but are not
limited to, the following basic conservation measures:
[1]
Temporary cover on critical areas.
[2]
Permanent grass and legume cover for critical areas on prepared
seedbed.
[3]
Permanent grass and legume cover for critical areas on unprepared
seedbed.
[4]
Sodding.
[5]
Mulching.
[6]
Temporary diversion.
[7]
Permanent diversion.
[8]
Grassed waterway or outlet.
[9]
Grade stabilization structure.
[10]
Debris basin.
[11]
Drain.
[12]
Drainage, mains or laterals.
D.
A quality-control program is critical for fills; therefore, wherever
fill material is to be used, the person, firm or corporation shall
be responsible for testing to determine its dry density as per ASTM
D1556. It is recommended that the density of any load-bearing layer
supporting or to be incorporated in a road surface, detention basin
or erosion swale shall be not less than 90% of the maximum density.
(2)
Compaction test reports shall be kept on file at the site and shall
be subject to review at all times.
(3)
The degree of compaction required shall be determined by the Borough
Engineer following the guidelines in this section.
(4)
A soils investigation report is required if load-bearing fill is
proposed, which shall consist of test borings, laboratory testing
and engineering analysis to correlate surface and subsurface conditions
with the proposed plan. The results of the investigation shall be
presented in a report by a registered professional soils engineer
and shall include data regarding the nature, distribution and supporting
ability of existing soils and rocks on the site, conclusions and recommendations
to ensure stable soil conditions and groundwater control as applicable.
The Borough of Royersford may require such supplemental reports and
data as is deemed necessary by the Borough Engineer. Recommendations
included in such reports and approved by the Borough Engineer shall
be incorporated in the plan or specifications. In addition:
(a)
Fills toeing out on natural slopes steeper than two horizontal
to one vertical shall not be made unless a report is received which
is deemed acceptable by the Borough Engineer. The report shall be
made by a registered professional soils engineer, certifying that
he/she has investigated the property and made soils tests and that,
in his opinion, such steeper slopes will safely support the proposed
fill.
(b)
Natural and/or existing slopes exceeding five horizontal to
one vertical shall be benched or continuously stepped into competent
materials prior to placing all classes of fill.
