16.10.085 Geotechnical report.
(1) All geotechnical reports shall be prepared by a consultant team including a geologist and/or geotechnical engineer; or an engineer or an engineering geologist, who is knowledgeable of regional geologic conditions and who derives his/her livelihood from employment in one of these specialized fields.
(2) A geotechnical report shall include a description of the geology of the site, conclusions and recommendations regarding the effect of geologic conditions on the proposed development, and opinions and recommendations on the suitability of the site to be developed. More specifically, the report shall evaluate the actual presence of geologic conditions giving rise to the geologic hazard, including without limitation the following:
(a) Documentation of site history, evidence of past geologically hazardous activities in the vicinity, quantitative analysis of slope stability and available geologic information;
(b) Surface reconnaissance of the site and adjacent areas;
(c) Subsurface exploration of the site to assess potential geologic impacts of the proposal;
(d) Hydrologic analysis of slope and/or soil stability;
(e) Approximate depth to groundwater;
(f) Evaluation of the safety of the proposed project, and identification of construction practices, monitoring programs and other mitigation measures necessary; and
(g) Demonstration of the following:
(i) There will be no increase in surface water discharge or sedimentation to adjacent properties;
(ii) There will be no decrease in slope stability on the site nor on adjacent properties;
(iii) There is no hazard as proven by evidence of no past geologically hazardous activity in the vicinity of the proposed development and a quantitative analysis of slope stability indicates no significant risk to the development proposal and adjacent properties; and
(iv) The geologically hazardous area can be modified or the development proposal can be designed such that the hazard is eliminated or mitigated, making the site as safe as one without a hazard.
(3) The recommendations from a soils engineering report and the engineering geology report shall be incorporated in a geotechnical report and in the grading plan specifications.
(a) The soils engineering report, prepared according to Chapter 18 of the International Building Code (I.B.C.), shall include data regarding the nature, distribution and strength of existing soils, conclusions and recommendations for grading procedures and design criteria for corrective measures if necessary.
(b) The engineering geology report, prepared according to Chapter 18 of the I.B.C., shall include an adequate description of the geology of the site, conclusions and recommendations regarding the effect of geologic conditions on the proposed development, and opinion on the adequacy for the intended use of sites to be developed by the proposed grading. (Ord. 563 § 1, 2019)