Sec. 23-5. - Soil erosion and sediment control plan.

(a)

Plan preparation. The erosion and sediment control plan shall be prepared by a registered engineer, or landscape architect, or a soil and water conservation society certified erosion and sediment control specialist, or others as allowed by the building official, and copies of the plan shall be submitted to the building official.

(b)

Plan contents. The erosion and sediment control plan shall include sufficient information about the proposed activities and land parcels to form a clear basis for discussion and review and to assure compliance with all applicable requirements of this chapter. The plan shall be consistent with the data collection, data analysis, and plan preparation guidelines in the current "Rhode Island Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Handbook," prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service, RI Department of Environmental Management, RI State Conservation Committee, and at a minimum, shall contain:

(1)

A narrative describing the proposed land disturbing activity and the soil erosion and sediment control measures and stormwater management measures to be installed to control erosion that could result from the proposed activity. Supporting documentation, such as a drainage area, existing site, and soil maps may be provided as required by the building official.

(2)

Construction drawings illustrating in detail existing and proposed contours, drainage features, and vegetation; limits of clearing and grading, the location of soil erosion and sediment control and stormwater management measures; detail drawings of measures, stock piles and borrow areas; sequence and staging of land disturbing activities; and other information needed for construction.

(3)

Other information or construction plans and details as deemed necessary by the building official for a thorough review of the plan prior to action being taken as prescribed in this chapter. Withholding or delay in providing information may be reasons for the building official to judge the application as incomplete and provide grounds for disapproval of the application.

(c)

Performance principles. The contents of the erosion and sediment control plan shall clearly demonstrate how the principles outlined in this subsection have been met in the design and are to be accomplished by the proposed development project.

(1)

The site selected shall show due regard for natural drainage characteristics and topography.

(2)

To the extent possible, steep slopes shall be avoided.

(3)

The grade of created slopes shall be minimized.

(4)

Post development runoff rates should not exceed predevelopment rates, consistent with other stormwater requirements that may be in effect. Any increase in storm runoff shall be retained and recharged as close as feasible to its place of origin by means of detention ponds or basins, seepage areas, subsurface drains, porous paving, or similar technique.

(5)

Original boundaries, alignment, and slope of watercourses within the project locus shall be preserved to the greatest extent feasible.

(6)

In general, drainage shall be directed away from structures intended for human occupancy, municipal or utility use, or similar structures.

(7)

All drainage provisions shall be of a design and capacity so as to adequately handle stormwater runoff, including runoff from tributary upstream areas, which may be outside the locus of the project.

(8)

Drainage facilities shall be installed as early as feasible during construction, prior to site clearance, if possible.

(9)

Fill located adjacent to watercourses shall be suitably protected from erosion by means of riprap, gallons, retaining walls, vegetative stabilization, or similar measures.

(10)

Temporary vegetation and/or mulching shall be used to protect bare areas and stockpiles from erosion during construction; the smallest areas feasible shall be exposed at any one time; disturbed areas shall be protected during the nongrowing months, November through March.

(11)

Permanent vegetation shall be placed immediately following fine grading.

(12)

Trees and other existing vegetation shall be retained whenever feasible; the area within the dripline shall be fenced or roped off to protect trees from construction equipment.

(13)

All areas damaged during construction shall be resodded, reseeded, or otherwise restored. Monitoring and maintenance schedules, where required, shall be predetermined.

(d)

Existing uses and facilities.

(1)

The building official shall accept plans for existing uses and facilities which by their nature may cause erosion and sedimentation, such as excavation and quarrying operations; provided, that this section shall not apply to subsection (a)(1) of section 23-3. Plans or satisfactory evidence to demonstrate that the existing operations accomplish the objectives of the section shall be submitted to the building official within 120 days from the date of the determination of applicability. implementation of the plan shall be initiated upon approval of the plan.

(2)

When the preexisting use is a gravel extraction operation, the property owner shall conduct the operation in a manner so as not to devalue abutting properties; to protect abutting property from wind erosion and soil erosion due to increased runoff, sedimentation of reservoirs, and drainage systems; and to limit the depth of extraction so as not to interfere with the existing nearby water table.

(Ord. of 3-7-22, § 1)