It should be mentioned that an inspector may extend or
shorten this time frame, based on soils, slope, proximity to sensitive
areas, and the seven (7) day weather forecast. While some sites may need
little protection during a dry week in August, it is still possible to have
a site that is required to be covered at the end of each work day, based on
the criteria stated above. While we recognize
it is important to accomplish as much building progress as possible during
the summer months, the developer/contractor must remember that controlling
erosion and keeping dirt, mud and sediment-laden water on the construction
site remains their responsibility year round. Experience has shown us that
rain events during the spring and summer months can create significant
erosion problems if the proper BMP's are not in place. These problems may
lead to habitat damage, fines and/or more costly work stoppage delays until
the problems are resolved.
Clearing & Grading Restrictions Effective After
October 1st
Each fall DDES publishes information on erosion
control requirements in unincorporated King County. This information has
been compiled and provided to inform the building industry of current
regulations, practices and restrictions during the coming wet season. With
the listing of the Chinook Salmon and the Bull Trout onto the federal
Endangered Species List, erosion and sediment control (ESC) is critical. As
part of the County’s pro-active approach to the ESA listings, staff at DDES
will perform enhanced erosion and sediment control site inspections for
permitted activities. These staff will also address code violations on
non-permitted sites relating to the protection of listed species.
This year, in addition to providing revised and
updated information of Best Management Practices (BMP’s) for residential and
small construction sites, we would like to clarify code restrictions on
clearing and grading work at sites. KCC 16.82.150D states no clearing
grading can occur between October 1st and March 31st in certain areas of the
County and unless specific conditions are met. These areas include
Northshore, Bear Creak and Sammamish planning areas, plus the Soo’s Creek
and Hylebos drainage basins. A County map showing the location of these
areas may be found at
ftp://ftp.metrokc.gov/ddes/acrobat/esa/KCC1682150D.pdf (925KB Adobe
file).
You will need to install
Adobe Acrobat
Reader v. 4.0 or higher on your PC to view some of the reference links
found on this page. If you are experiencing difficulty viewing any of the
documents from this site please refer to our
trouble
shooting page .
Additional Erosion Control Plan Components
In these areas after October 1st, clearing and grading
work can occur only if: The site has 100% infiltration (no water leaves the
site) OR The applicant writes, submits, and obtains approval of a
‘Winterization’ Plan from DDES. The plan should contain these elements:
Where: A plan that shows areas work is to be performed (Enhanced Erosion
Control Plan); How: A description of techniques to mitigate erosion to be
used, construction schedule and/or sequencing; Who: A 24 hour contact
person’s phone number (person shall have demonstrated ability in Erosion
Control). BMP’s must be fully implemented and maintained at the site.
In summary, for construction sites in those areas listed above, no tree
can be cut, groundcover removed, dirt moved or utility trench dug between
October 1st and March 30th without first meeting these requirements. For all
other areas after October 1st, constructions sites are required to meet an
enhanced standard of erosion control as outlined in the Surface Water
Drainage Manual.
Other Reference Materials for Builders and Contractors
Erosion control BMP’s and literature explaining the steps homebuilders
must take are being attached to every building permit issued by DDES. In
addition, this information may be viewed and printed from the web site
referenced above. These materials, also enclosed with this letter, include:
Note: If you do not have Adobe Acrobat installed on you computer you can
obtain a free installation file and instructions from the
Adobe web site .
New Abatement Process to Correct Violations and Problem Sites
Finally, DDES is implementing new abatement procedures for applicants
that do not comply with the above requirements. Failure to control site
erosion may result in a Correction Notice requiring immediate attention.
DDES field staff have been instructed to issue ‘Notices” if they find mud at
a building site with the potential of being deposited off-site or tracked
onto roadways. These offenses will not get a ‘verbal warning’. If a builder
fails to take immediate action to control the problem, DDES has 5 different
contractors on-call to address the situation. The applicant will also be
billed for this abatement work. Ultimately; the enforcement action may
require the contractor to discontinue any further clearing or grading,
except for erosion and sediment control maintenance and repair, until the
end of the wet season.
We hope that builders and contractors working in King County share DDES’
commitment to an effective erosion and sediment control program to protect
our streams, lakes, wetlands and the aquatic species that inhabit them.
Additional technical assistance for erosion control on project sites is
available. DDES inspection staff are available to offer suggestions to help
you stay in compliance with County Code and permit conditions. At the same
time, it is your responsibility to implement and maintain controls on the
job site. We look forward to working with our customers to meet this goal.
Who to Contact for More Information
DDES inspection staff are available to answer any questions you may have
about erosion and sediment control and wet season stabilization measures for
permitted activities in unincorporated King County. For more information,
please contact the main DDES customer service line at (206) 296-6600
and ask to speak with the inspector assigned to the specific project you're
interested in. Also available on-line are King County's
Erosion and Sediment Control Standards (1 MB Adobe Acrobat file)
as outlined in Appendix D of the King County Surface Water Design Manual,
and additional information on permitting procedures and the
Endangered
Species Act. |
