[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough
of Wenonah 12-11-2008 by Ord. No.
2008-26. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A construction permit shall not be issued until a grading plan
has been reviewed and approved by the Borough Engineer, or the Combined
Planning/Zoning Board in accordance with the provisions of this ordinance.
The requirements set forth herein shall apply to the development
of all property within the Borough of Wenonah, whether for residential
or nonresidential purposes. Expressly excluded from the requirements
set forth herein is the construction of proposed additions to existing
buildings or structures having, at grade for floor level, a total
of 600 square feet or less of area.
An applicant for a construction permit permitting the development
of any property in the Borough of Wenonah must provide a grading plan
for each lot and property proposed to be developed. The grading plan
shall contain all of the information required in the Grading Plan
Checklist hereinbelow specified, which Checklist shall be made available
to all applicants for construction permits. The applicant/developer
must submit a completed Grading Plan and Checklist with the application
for a construction permit.
The following shall be incorporated into a Grading Plan Checklist[1] provided to all applicants for construction permits. All
applicants must complete this Checklist and supply the required information
on a plan prepared, signed and sealed by a professional engineer or
professional land surveyor licensed in the State of New Jersey.
[1]
The Grading Plan Checklist is included as an attachment to this chapter.
The grading plan must conform to the following standards:
A.
All gradings shall be done in a manner as to not result in any adverse
effects to adjacent properties. The plan shall not increase the amount
of water which drains onto adjoining lots. For properties where a
drainage problem already exists, the drainage plan shall reduce the
impact on adjoining tracts to the greatest extent possible by causing
the surface water to drain to nearby streets, into approved drainage
facilities or into other accepted devices. All lots shall be graded
to direct surface water runoff away from structures and toward the
frontage road or other defined drainage paths.
B.
Lawn areas shall be sloped away from buildings and structures at
a minimum of 5% for the first 10 feet from a foundation wall. A minimum
slope of 1% should be maintained in all other lawn areas. A minimum
slope of 2% shall be maintained for all swales. Swales are normally
placed at the edge of both lots so that water will flow from the back
of the house to the curb. Water also may be directed to flow on neighboring
lots where easements are applicable to the curb or to the source where
the water will be discharged.
C.
All slopes shall be no greater than 3:1.
D.
Driveway grades shall not exceed 10%.
E.
No grading shall occur within five feet of a property line unless
necessary to direct drainage off the site and into acceptable drainage
facilities in accordance with the standards.
F.
The top of any excavation of slope shall be no closer than five feet
to an adjoining property and shall not provide for water runoff to
the adjoining property unless an agreement shall have been provided
and recorded in the form of an easement.
G.
If a retaining wall is proposed, construction details must be provided.
In cases where a retaining wall is higher than 48 inches, calculations
prepared by a licensed professional engineer must be submitted certifying
the stability of the structure.
Each person or entity to whom this chapter applies must obtain
approval of his/her grading plan in the following manner:
A.
In those applications within the jurisdiction of the Borough's
Combined Planning/Zoning Board in the nature of site plan applications
or major subdivision applications, site grading plans are required
by applicable land use ordinances of the Borough. In such cases, the
Combined Planning/Zoning Board shall have jurisdiction to approve
such grading plans. In all other cases, grading plans shall be submitted
to the Borough Engineer for review and approval prior to issuance
of any application for construction.
B.
The Borough Engineer shall inspect the final grade of constructed
improvements or alterations to a property. No certificate of occupancy
shall be issued until the Borough Engineer approves the final grade.
C.
Following completion of all grading and drainage work, the applicant
must submit two copies of an as-built survey, prepared by a New Jersey
licensed surveyor or engineer, with final grades and a request for
a final inspection. If any discrepancy exists between the grading
plan and actual construction, the applicant will be required to perform
any necessary site work to correct the deficiency. All as-built site
work must be done in conformity with the approved grading plans. Any
significant deviations may be approved only by the relevant approving
agency or the Borough Engineer.
D.
Following completion of all work and receipt of the as-built grading
plan, the Borough Engineer shall conduct the final inspection and
notify the Construction Official, in writing, whether the final construction
is in compliance with the approved grading plan and that a certificate
of occupancy may be issued. The Construction Official shall issue
the certificate of occupancy only if all conditions for the approved
grading plan have been satisfied.
E.
All grading work shall be completed within 180 calendar days from
the issuance of the building permit.
F.
For lots not subject to review by the Combined Planning/Zoning Board,
an individual grading plan shall be filed for each lot.
Any person or entity to whom this ordinance applies must pay
the following fees to the Borough for review of the grading plan and
inspection of the as-built plan and the completed improvements on
any property, as follows:
A.
Application fee. $300 payable at the time of submission of a grading
plan (per lot) and the sum of $100 upon submission of any revised
grading plan.
B.
Inspection fee. A fee of $200 per lot to be used to defray the costs
of the Borough Engineer's review and inspection of the site and
the sum of $100 for any reinspection of the site. The fees of this
subsection shall be paid prior to the site inspection of completed
lot improvements required by this ordinance.
All ordinances inconsistent with the provisions of this ordinance
be and are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency.
All existing ordinances not inconsistent with the provisions
of this ordinance are hereby saved from repeal. Should any section,
clause, sentence, phrase or provision of this ordinance be declared
unlawful or unenforceable by a Court of competent jurisdiction, all
other parts or provisions of this ordinance shall be considered severable
and deemed lawful and enforceable.
This ordinance shall take effect immediately upon passage, publication
and as otherwise provided by law.
