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GRADING AND EXCAVATION MANUAL 2010 Edition

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SECTION 3: SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT

By far the most common type of development in Summit County is residential, whether in the form of primary residences, secondary residences, or rental properties. The grading and excavation standards that apply to this type of development are typical, and will attempt to be discussed herein concurrently with a typical application, development, and completion process. The first step in development is always the application, along with which there are certain submittal requirements that must be met before our review can begin. The Engineering Department offers a Preliminary Review service to thoroughly identify issues, clarify submittal requirements, and document findings for future permit applications. While there is no required pre-submittal review or meeting, the Engineering Department strongly recommends submitting for Preliminary Review for applicants who have obtained property and intend to develop. Designing the improvements to fit the site can save applicants enormous costs, frustrations and delays via the Preliminary Review process. Specific information and applications for a Preliminary Review are available online on the Engineering Department website.

There are many different types of development, and the submittal requirements for the various possibilities will be discussed in as much detail as is allowed in this context, but there may be other situations which are not discussed. In the event that you have any questions please feel free to contact us directly at your convenience. After the application is reviewed and approved, then development may begin. At this time, grading and excavation is typically the first step. It is not possible to develop a parcel without disturbing the surrounding earth to some degree; however disturbance should be limited in all cases, and shall always be protected from impacting adjacent property owners or public ways. Finally, once the project is complete a final inspection shall be performed by the Engineering Department to verify that the final condition of a property is in conformance with the standards in this Manual and in the Code.

For the purposes of differentiating there shall be 6 different types of single-family development discussed here. Those types, which shall each have their own submittal requirements and associated permit fees, shall be applied to each development proposal at the sole discretion of the County Engineer. Those types are:

New single family residence (SFR)
New single family attached (aka duplex) residence
Single family or duplex addition (major)
Single family or duplex addition (minor)
Garage additions to single family residences
Site improvements without structural additions

New SFR and duplex developments and major additions shall have the same submittal requirements and associated permit fees (Case 1). Minor additions and site improvement projects will be treated typically on a case-by-case basis, with minimum submittal requirements that must be met, and typically reduced fees (Case 2). Garage additions will also be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, with the submittal requirements and permit fees established based on the size of the garage and the existing conditions on the property (Case 3). These typical cases will be presented here.

Case 1: New SFR, Duplex and Major Addition

Submittal requirements for a GE permit for new SFR’s and major additions shall be as follows (see §6302: Project Grading Permit Procedures of the Code for more details):

Application (via the building permit application)
Site plan
Topographic and boundary survey of the property, completed by a Colorado licensed Professional Land Surveyor
Geotechnical report for slope stability

Must be completed by Colorado licensed Professional Engineer (CO PE) with experience and expertise in geotechnical engineering
This can be waived if disturbance of slopes in excess of 30% will be avoided (see §7102: Slope Limitation of the Code for details)
If slopes in excess of 3.33:1 (30% grade) exist on the property, a separate slope analysis shall be submitted, clearly indicating where the slopes in excess of 3.33:1 are located and what portion of those slopes will be disturbed

Wetland Delineation

This can be waived if ample evidence is provided that there are no wetlands or wetland setbacks proposed to be disturbed during construction
Ample evidence shall be determined at the sole discretion of the Engineering Department
A report from a recognized consultant may be required as evidence, or if no report is required then a specific erosion control plan may be required prior to issuance of a GE permit for a project

Any other information or technical reports as deemed necessary by the County Engineer such as applicable easements, retaining wall designs, Army Corps of Engineers permits, USFS permits or agreements, etc…

The site plan for all Case 1 submittals shall include the following information and conform to the following standards:

Drawn to 1:10 or 1:20 scale
Lot, block, subdivision and address information
All property line setbacks that apply (see §3505.13: Setbacks of the Code or contact the Planning Department directly)
Topography shall be shown at 2-foot contour intervals

Existing and proposed grades shall be indicated according to standards drafting practices on the site plan
All finished grades shall not exceed 2:1 (as shown) without the use of a soil retaining structure

Retaining walls shall be identified on the plans, with top and bottom of wall elevation points indicated clearly

A separate detail for retaining walls shall be provided, whether on the plans or as a separate submittal. An example of a retaining wall design for walls under 4-feet in height is attached in the appendices to this Manual
Retaining walls over 4-feet in height, whether in a single line or in steps, shall be designed and stamped certified by a CO PE (see §3505.17.D of the Code)
Walls proposed to be under 4-feet in height, with steps provided equal to or greater than the wall height as measured from the soil/structure interface of the lower wall to the face of the upper wall structure, the County Engineer may waive the requirement for an engineered design at his discretion
The County Engineer retains the authority to make determinations when there is a conflict regarding the interpretation of the Code pertaining to retaining walls

Proposed access, conforming to the driveway standards established in Chapter 5: Road and Bridge Standards, §5107.03: Standards for Driveway Design of the Code.

8% maximum grade at any point on the centerline of the driveway
For uphill lots, the driveway grade shall match the cross-slope of the road to the centerline of the culvert

2% for paved roads
3% for gravel roads

Width per Table 5-12
Driveway opening width at the connection to the road shall be between 18-ft and 24-ft, as measured at the flares (Table 5-12)
Turnouts or turnarounds as required (Table 5-12)
Show access to the road, which may require 1:30 or larger scale for longer shared accesses
Class VI road base or recycled asphalt surface (4” compacted depth, per §5203.09.A of the Code) for single family residence, Asphalt surface (2” asphalt on 4”compacted road base, per §5203.09.C of the Code) for duplexes accessing off of paved roads
Drainage swales on uphill sides of driveways to prevent erosion of driving surface or subgrade, or as required by §5107.03.H of the Code
Existing non-conforming accesses on major additions and garage addition projects shall be brought into compliance with all current Code standards at the time of permit issuance.

Erosion control measures (permanent and temporary)

See Section 4 of this manual for detailed requirements and suggestions pertaining to erosion and sediment control.

Location of any drainage improvements, including the location of foundation drain daylights
Location of any geologic features, wetlands, streams, ponds, lakes, ephemeral or intermittent drainages, drainage ditches, or any other natural or man-made surface water accommodations.
Location of all easements or rights-of-way, whether platted or otherwise recorded.
Location of any trails, including but not limited to those serving recreational or wildlife purposes, crossing the property.
Provide net volume calculations for all cut and fill proposed on the site.

Once all of the above items and any other conditions in the Code are satisfied, along with any other conditions or standards that are required by the Planning Department, the Engineering Department will issue a GE permit for the project which must be kept with the approved plans onsite at all times. The full permit fee must be paid before the permit can be issued, and before any work may commence unless specifically directed or approved by the Engineering Department.

Case 2: Minor Additions and Site Work Projects

Minor additions and site work projects will be evaluated on a case by case basis, based on the proposed amount of disturbance and existing conditions on the site. Examples of projects of this type might be deck additions, small additions to homes, some minor garage additions or expansions, larger landscaping projects (as defined in §6402: Exemptions from Requirement of the Code), or significant drainage improvements. Projects involving homeowner landscaping or disturbance of less than 500 square feet of earth or the installation of berms with a volume less than 50 cubic yards may be exempted from obtaining a permit (see §6402 of the Code for further details), however Code standards must still be met as applicable, and the Engineering Department must be notified prior to commencement of work on a project in order to evaluate the need for a permit or special conditions. Any time a building permit is required, regardless of the size of the project, a minimum plan review fee will be charged and a limited permit shall be issued, in order to provide the Planning and Engineering Departments the opportunity to review the proposal for compliance with Code and Manual standards. At a minimum, the following information and materials must be submitted for review of a minor addition or site work project:

Based on the review of the application and site plan the Engineering Department may require any additional information, up to and including anything that may be required for a new development. Certain information or standards as related to the site plan may be waived based on the scale and scope of the proposed project, however the site plan shall include the following information at a minimum, and additional information may be required upon request following a review of the initial submittal:

Property boundary information
Topographic information as pertains to the proposal
Location of existing improvements including access(es), drainage improvements, structures, landscaping features, or any surface water or wetlands that may be impacted by the project.
Location of easements and/or setbacks, especially as relating to the proposed improvements.
Location of all proposed improvements, including all grading work that is desired or that must be performed in order to complete the project.

Upon completion of the review, the applicant shall be notified of the cost of the permit and any special conditions or requirements that must be met prior to final approval of the project by the Engineering Department. Once all of the above items and any other conditions in the Code are satisfied, along with any other conditions or standards that are required by the Planning Department, the Engineering Department will issue a GE permit for the project which must be kept onsite and available at all times. The full permit fee must be paid before the permit can be issued, and before any work may commence unless specifically directed or approved by the Engineering Department.

Case 3: Garage Additions

Garage additions are treated as a separate group by the Engineering Department primarily because of their impact to the property’s access in all cases. Any time a garage is built or added onto, whether attached or detached, it is necessary to bring the property’s access into conformance with current County standards, regardless of the age or existing condition of the driveway. As such, there are specific submittal and site plan requirements for garage addition proposals. The submittal requirements for garage additions are as follows:

Application (via the building permit application)
Site plan
Any additional information as may be required based on the initial review of the proposal

The site plan for garage additions shall in all cases include the following minimum information and standards:

1:10 or 1:20 scale
2-foot contours of all impacted areas

Existing and proposed grade contours shall be differentiated according to standard drafting practices

2:1 maximum slope on all finished grades
Existing driveway location, grade, and width.
Existing drainage improvements in the right-of-way, if any.

This shall include materials, size, slope, and location for culverts.
This shall also be reflected in the contours shown for locations where there is a swale at the access point to the County road.

Proposed driveway improvements including location, width, surface, and grade
Proposed drainage improvements, if any
Proposed location of the structure(s)
Location, scale and scope of any other proposed improvements to the property including utilities, landscaping, hardscaping, and snow storage areas

Based on the final review of the proposal, the Engineering department will contact the owner/applicant to inform them of the fee and any special conditions or requirements that must be met prior to final approval by the Engineering Department of the Certificate of Occupancy for the structure. Once all of the above items and any other conditions in the Code are satisfied, along with any other conditions or standards that are required by the Planning Department, the Engineering Department will issue a GE permit for the project which must be kept onsite and available at all times. The full permit fee must be paid before the permit can be issued, and before any work may commence unless specifically directed or approved by the Engineering Department.

GRADING AND EXCAVATION MANUAL 2010 Edition

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