Chapter 15.45
SITE DEVELOPMENT

Sections:

15.45.010    Short title.

15.45.020    Purpose.

15.45.025    Repealed.

15.45.030    Repealed.

15.45.040    Related regulations and regulatory agencies.

15.45.050    Permits required.

15.45.060    Permits – Exemptions.

15.45.070    Site development permit requirements.

15.45.075    Site development permit – Additional application requirements.

15.45.080    Repealed.

15.45.090    Repealed.

15.45.100    Drainage.

15.45.110    Violation – Nuisance.

15.45.120    Violation – Penalty.

15.45.010 Short title.

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “site development code” of the town of Hunts Point. [Ord. 225 § 1, 1989]

15.45.020 Purpose.

(1) To safeguard life, limb, property and the general welfare of the citizens of Hunts Point by regulating excavation, fill, grading, rockeries, retaining walls, impervious and pervious surface and ground water runoff and storm water detention during construction and upon completion of construction.

(2) To prevent unwarranted accumulation of water, erosion of soil, siltation and water pollution in Lake Washington or tributary watercourses and minimize the need for storm drainage systems by regulating surface water runoff.

(3) To preserve and enhance the town’s unique physical and aesthetic character, natural topography, historically dominant vegetation features, waterfront views and environmental advantages by regulating topographic site modifications, building and site development and removal or placement of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs.

(4) To implement the goals and objectives of the State Environmental Policy Act and the Shoreline Management Act of the state of Washington. [Ord. 225 § 2, 1989]

15.45.025 Certificate of occupancy.

Repealed by Ord. 458. [Ord. 378 § 2, 2000]

15.45.030 UBC Appendix Chapter 70 adopted – Site development code.

Repealed by Ord. 378. [Ord. 225 § 3, 1989]

15.45.040 Related regulations and regulatory agencies.

The following named agencies have or are hereby delegated jurisdiction over work that may be required as part of site development in the town of Hunts Point. Separate permits may be required for work performed under their jurisdiction. It shall be the responsibility of the person doing work in the town to obtain all required permits and post such permits in a conspicuous location on the property, protected from the weather on the site.

(1) Rules and regulations of the United States Corps of Engineers;

(2) Rules and regulations of the state of Washington, Department of Ecology;

(3) Rules and regulations of the state of Washington, Department of Fisheries;

(4) Rules and regulations adopted pursuant to the state of Washington, Shoreline Management Control Act, as adopted and in force in the town of Hunts Point;

(5) Rules and regulations of the state of Washington, Department of Labor and Industries, regulating contractor licensing;

(6) Rules and regulations of the state of Washington, Department of Labor and Industries, regulating electrical service and installations;

(7) Rules and regulations of the city of Bellevue, department of public works and utilities, regulating sanitary side sewer installation and connections;

(8) Rules and regulations of the city of Bellevue and Water District 17, regulating water service, fire protection and water main connections;

(9) Rules and regulations of the fire department and fire marshal of the jurisdiction providing fire protection services to the town by contract;

(10) Rules and regulations of the police and public safety department providing police services to the town by contract. [Ord. 460 § 1, 2007; Ord. 225 § 4, 1989]

15.45.050 Permits required.

No person shall do any excavation, grading, site drainage, landscaping, utility or sprinkler system installation, or any other site work, unless exempted hereinafter, without first obtaining a site development permit; provided, that a site development permit shall also be required for any exempt work if in the opinion of the building official, town engineer, or town arborist, the total scope of exempted site work makes periodic review by town officials necessary or site drainage and erosion control measures are required or if the work will remove, destroy, damage, or impair the viability of any regulated vegetation; and provided further, that if a permit is required, all site work relative to the project shall be included therein whether or not exempted hereinafter. [Ord. 458 § 5, 2007; Ord. 225 § 5(A), 1989]

15.45.060 Permits – Exemptions.

A site development permit shall not be required for the following:

(1) An excavation below grade for basements and/or footings of a building, retaining wall, or other structure authorized by a valid building permit; provided, that such operations do not affect the lateral support or increase the stresses in or pressure upon any adjacent or contiguous property or create an erosion hazard. This shall not exempt any permanent fill made with the material from such excavation nor exempt any excavation or permanent fill having an unsupported or supported height above original or finish grade greater than the wall or fence/wall heights provided for in the town zoning code, HPMC Title 18.

(2) Temporary stockpiling of soils from permitted excavations; provided, however, that if in the opinion of the building official or the town engineer collapse of soils or erosion or siltation of contiguous properties, drainage systems, Lake Washington or tributary watercourses may occur, a site development permit shall be required and the applicant shall immediately apply for a site development permit and furnish a plan for interim storm water retention and erosion control as stipulated hereafter.

(3) Permanent excavations not supported by a retaining wall or rockery which are less than 50 cubic yards total volume on any one site and less than two feet in depth which do not obstruct or alter an established drainage course or create a cut slope steeper than one and one-half horizontal to one vertical.

(4) Exploratory excavations for the purpose of determining subsurface soils conditions or original grade elevations under the direction and control of soils engineers or engineering geologists; provided, grades are restored to original condition.

(5) Utility system installations authorized by valid permit from the appropriate regulatory agencies, including necessary trenching and excavations; provided, grades are restored to original condition, and, further provided, that unprotected or unfilled trenches and finished installations shall not create unstable soils conditions or potential erosion conditions.

(6) Sprinkler system installations, including necessary trenching and excavations; provided, that such installations do not create or intensify surface water or ground water runoff onto adjacent properties or public rights-of-way, or create potential leaching of pollutants into Lake Washington or tributary watercourses, or are not part of or contiguous with any other site work for which a site development permit is required.

(7) Fill of less than 50 cubic yards total volume on any one site and less than one foot in depth, placed on natural terrain with a slope flatter than five horizontal to one vertical, and that does not change or obstruct an established drainage course.

(8) Fill of less than 50 cubic yards total volume on any one site and less than three feet in depth, placed on natural terrain not subject to slippage, which does not change or obstruct an established drainage course.

(9) Removal or trimming of unregulated vegetation such as grass, ground cover, brush, bushes, shrubs and the removal or trimming of unregulated deciduous or evergreen trees.

(10) Removal of two or less regulated trees which has been authorized by a valid tree removal permit or trimming of regulated trees as permitted by Chapter 8.25 HPMC.

(11) Installation of planters, retaining walls and rockeries less than three feet in height above original grade and 30 inches above finish grades.

(12) Installation of freestanding structures or walls, retaining walls and rockeries, fences, railings and combinations thereof authorized by a valid building permit which do not otherwise require a site development permit.

(13) Installation of plantings, shrubs, bushes, trees and the like that will not in their mature untrimmed form constitute a hedge or living fence in excess of the height limits for hedges regulated by HPMC Title 18. [Ord. 225 § 5(B), 1989]

15.45.070 Site development permit requirements.

(1) Permits Required. Except as exempted in HPMC 15.45.060, no person shall begin excavation, filling or grading, install site utilities, or do any site development work that will remove, destroy, or impair the viability of regulated vegetation or trees, without first obtaining a tree removal permit and/or site development permit from the building official. If a site development permit is required, a separate permit shall be obtained for each developed site or building lot which shall include all items of site development work to be accomplished on the site, both regulated and exempt.

(2) Application. The provisions of Chapters 8.25, 12.10 and 15.05 through 15.40 HPMC, HPMC Title 18, the International Building Code and requirements of the town of Hunts Point relating to substantial development on the shorelines of the state are applicable to work regulated under this chapter. It shall be the responsibility of the applicant for a site development permit to ascertain the requirements for and obtain all separate permits that may be necessary for the work and call for inspections that may be required under site development and separate permits.

(3) Plans and Specifications. When required by the building official, each application for a site development permit shall be accompanied by two sets of plans and specifications, and supporting data clearly defining the project. When required by the building official, the supporting data shall include soils engineering reports, engineering geology reports, site boundary and topographic surveys and the like. All supporting data shall be prepared, stamped and signed by a professional, licensed under the laws of the state of Washington, in the specific discipline as appropriate to the design and analysis submitted. When deemed necessary due to the nature or scope of work, the building official may require all designs, plans, construction details and specifications, or any part thereof, be prepared, stamped, and signed by a licensed architect, landscape architect, soils engineer, civil engineer, structural engineer, or combination thereof.

(4) Information on Plans and Specifications. Plans and details shall be drawn to scale and submitted on substantial paper or other medium and shall be of sufficient clarity and completeness to indicate the full nature and extent of the work proposed and show in detail that the work will conform to the provisions of this code and all relevant laws, ordinances, rules and regulations of this and other legally constituted national, state, county, or other governmental agencies having jurisdiction over and regulating the proposed work. Each sheet of each set of plans shall state the name of the owner, location or address of the work, and the name, address, and phone number of the firm or person by whom they were prepared. When preparation has been done by a licensed professional, all sheets containing such drawings, information or data shall be stamped and signed, and, if necessary, the extent of responsibility therefore qualified by the licensed professional on said sheet.

Each site development permit application shall include forms, plans, data, drawings, specifications, and reports as set forth by the building official for site development permit document requirements. Application forms and requirements shall be furnished to the applicant for use in preparing the application.

(5) Incomplete Permit Applications. All permit applications shall be complete and supply all pertinent required information. Incomplete applications shall not be submitted without having obtained approval from the building official for omitting the specific item or items stipulated to be an application requirement and required by the scope of work. Submission of unapproved, incomplete applications will result in denial or delay of approval and may result in additional plan review charges, forfeiture of plan review deposit, and the requirement of an entirely new permit application and plan review fee prior to further review or processing.

(6) Issuance. The provisions of the International Residential Code are applicable to site development operations. The building official, city engineer, or town arborist may require that certain of the permitted operations and project designs be modified if delays and/or inclement weather occur which generate problems not considered at the time of permit review and approval. The building official shall approve a site development permit application if the application conforms to all applicable laws, codes and ordinances of the town. The town clerk may issue the permit after payment has been made for all town costs incurred or estimated. Permits for any work allowed by variance shall not issue until 10 days after the date of the variance approval. Work may begin immediately upon permit issuance.

(7) Permit Effective Date. All work authorized by a site development permit shall be completed and final inspections made and the completed work under the permit approved within 540 calendar days from the date of permit issuance and all permits shall finally expire by limitation 540 calendar days from the date of issuance.

(8) Permit Extensions. Permit extensions granted by the building official of the time to commence or to recommence work under a permit shall automatically extend the time of final expiration by the amount of time of the extension granted. Any permittee holding an extended or unexpired permit may apply for one extension of the time of final expiration for good and satisfactory reasons. If the building official finds these reasons acceptable, the final expiration date of the permit may be extended for a maximum of 180 days, provided:

(a) No unapproved changes to the original approved plans have been or will be made.

(b) An additional inspection fee set by the building official is paid.

In order to renew action on a permit after final expiration, the permittee shall obtain a new permit and pay a full new permit fee. [Ord. 458 § 6, 2007; Ord. 327 § 1, 1997; Ord. 225 § 6, 1989]

15.45.075 Site development permit – Additional application requirements.

(1) An application for a site development permit shall include all of the following components before being deemed complete for review:

(a) A survey of all significant trees, including trees growing 20 feet outside the property line on all adjacent properties;

(b) A grading plan showing all cut and fill locations in relationship to significant trees;

(c) A plan showing all significant trees to be retained and protected, and all trees to be removed (a separate tree removal permit shall be required prior to the removal of such trees);

(d) A site restoration and tree protection plan indicating tree locations, methods for protection, and graphic representation of the root protection zone for all significant trees; and

(e) A preliminary planting plan indicating the locations and species for all trees planted for mitigation purposes.

(2) Exceptions or alternatives to these requirements must be reviewed and accepted in writing by the building official.

(3) The town may require that a project arborist be retained for the duration of the project if it is determined that there is a potential for negative impacts on significant trees. [Ord. 417 § 1, 2002]

15.45.080 Permits – Board of adjustment approval.1

Repealed by Ord. 327. [Ord. 315 § 1, 1996; Ord. 225 § 8, 1989]

15.45.090 Nonconforming conditions.

Repealed by Ord. 467. [Ord. 422 § 8, 2003; Ord. 315 § 2, 1996; Ord. 225 § 9, 1989]

15.45.100 Drainage.

(1) Surface Drainage. All drainage or runoff of storm water from impervious and pervious surfaces on site shall be controlled to prevent unwarranted accumulation of water, flooding, erosion, siltation or contamination on the site, adjacent properties, public rights-of-way, Lake Washington, tributary watercourses, or private or public storm drainage systems. All systems shall be designed to accommodate a 100-year storm.

(2) Interim and Construction Storm Water Control. If required, the site development plans and specifications shall include an engineered method of containing and controlling all storm water runoff, siltation, erosion, and discharge during construction, and such plans shall be approved by the town engineer. All systems shall be designed to accommodate a 100-year storm.

(3) Final Storm Water Control Systems. The site development plans and specifications shall include an engineered method of containing and controlling storm water runoff from pervious and impervious surfaces and ground water collection drains approved by the town engineer. All systems shall be designed to accommodate a 100-year storm and in addition:

(a) Roof and Impervious Deck Drainage. All roof and impervious deck drainage shall be collected into the site drainage system and conducted by tightline to an approved point of discharge.

(b) Patio, Walk, Terrace, and Pool Deck Drains. Patio, walk, terrace, and pool deck drains, when required, shall be collected into the site drainage system and conducted by tightline to an approved point of discharge.

(c) Drives and Vehicle Parking Surface Drainage. Surface runoff from impervious surface drives and vehicle parking areas shall be controlled by a method approved by the town engineer. All runoff from impervious surfaces where vehicles may be parked shall be collected and conducted through an approved oil/water separator into the site drainage system and conducted by tightline to an approved point of discharge.

(d) Ground Water and Subsurface Drainage. All building wall footings, foundation walls, retaining walls, and rockeries shall be provided with drainage systems to ensure continual soil bearing capacity and prevent excess build-up of surcharge or ground water pressures. All subsurface drainage systems, including collector trench drains, which may concentrate surface or subsurface water runoff, tightlines, and the like, shall be collected and conducted to an approved point of discharge.

(e) Storm Water Detention Systems. If required by the town engineer, the site shall be provided with an engineered storm water detention system approved by the town engineer. [Ord. 458 § 7, 2007; Ord. 225 § 10, 1989]

15.45.110 Violation – Nuisance.

Any violation of the provisions of this chapter is hereby declared to be a public nuisance and may be abated through proceedings for injunctive or similar relief in superior court or other court of competent jurisdiction. [Ord. 225 § 12, 1989]

15.45.120 Violation – Penalty.

It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation, or association to violate any provision of this chapter. Violations shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $5,000, or by imprisonment not to exceed 90 days, or by both fine and imprisonment. Each day that a violation is continued, maintained, or in existence shall be considered as a separate offense. [Ord. 225 § 11, 1989]


1

Code reviser’s note: See HPMC 11.10.120, relating to hearing examiner review of permit applications.