The purpose of this chapter is to promote, protect and preserve the public interest by regulating land alteration, particularly the clearing and grading of land and stormwater runoff impacts of land development in the City. This chapter is necessary in order to provide development regulations and construction procedures for protecting and preserving the natural qualities of lands and watercourses within the City; to minimize water quality degradation and the sedimentation of creeks, streams, ponds, lakes, wetlands and other water bodies; to minimize the impact of increased runoff, erosion and sedimentation caused by land development and maintenance practices; to preserve and enhance, to maintain and protect groundwater resources; to minimize adverse effects of alterations in ground and surface water quantities, locations and flow patterns; to promote safety upon City roads and rights-of-way; to decrease potential landslide, flood and erosion damage to public and private property; and to promote site planning and building practices which are consistent with the City’s natural topographical, vegetation and hydrological features while allowing for the removal of vegetation and grading activities.

This chapter is intended to require that development in environmentally critical areas be accomplished in a manner which protects those areas from damage or degradation.

This chapter is also intended to promote the health, safety and welfare of the public and nothing in this chapter is intended to or shall be deemed to create a duty in the City to protect or promote the interests of any particular person or class of persons. The existence of these regulations or any failure, refusal or omission of the City to enforce any provision in this chapter shall not prevent, supplant or affect the right of any person affected by the clearing and grading operations of another to invoke such private remedies as may be available against each other person. (Ord. 2783 § 3 (Exh. A3), 2016; Ord. 2560 § 3 (Exh. A2), 2009; Ord. 2487 § 1, 2007).