14.40.150 Grading inspection | Gig Harbor Municipal Code

14.40.150 Grading inspection.

A. General. All projects which include grading shall be subject to inspection by the permit authority. The permit authority shall be granted unlimited right of entry to the work site by submittal of the grading application for the purposes of review, making inspections to determine that the requirements of the plans and permits are being complied with, and for the purposes of taking corrective measures of an emergency nature. The cost of such corrective measures shall be borne by the permittee. The permit authority may require inspection and testing by an approved testing agency at any stage of the application or project.

B. Contractor Requirements. Every contractor or other person performing or directing the performance of any work requiring a permit under this chapter shall have in his/her possession prior to commencement of and during all phases of the work an original or copy of a valid permit therefor, and shall further have a duty to be familiar with the terms and conditions of the permit and approved plans.

1. For grading projects requiring plan submittals by a professional engineer licensed to practice in the state of Washington, it shall be the responsibility of the professional engineer who prepares the plan submittal to incorporate all recommendations from the soils engineer and engineering geology reports into the grading plan. The professional engineer shall be responsible for the inspection and approval of the grading within the professional engineer’s area of technical specialty. This responsibility shall include, but need not be limited to, inspection and approval as to the establishment of line, grade and drainage of the development area. The professional engineer shall act as the coordinating agent in the event the need arises for liaison between the other professionals, the contractor and the permit authority. The professional engineer also shall be responsible for the preparation of revised plans and the submission of as-graded record drawings upon completion of the work. The grading contractor shall submit in a form prescribed by the permit authority a statement of compliance to the record drawing.

2. Soils engineering and engineering geology reports shall be required as specified. Before and during grading all necessary reports, compaction data and soil engineering and engineering geology recommendations shall be submitted to the civil engineer and the permit authority by the soils engineer and the engineering geologist.

3. The soils engineer’s area of responsibility shall include, but not be limited to, the professional inspection and approval concerning the preparation of ground to receive fills, testing for required compaction, stability of all finish slopes and the design of buttress fills, where required, incorporating data supplied by the engineering geologist.

4. The engineering geologist’s area of responsibility shall include, but need not be limited to, professional inspection and approval of the adequacy of natural ground for receiving fills and the stability of cut slopes with respect to geological matters and the need for subdrains or their groundwater drainage devices. He shall report his findings to the soils engineer and the civil engineer for engineering analysis.

5. The permit authority shall inspect the project at the various stages of the work requiring approval to determine that adequate control is being exercised by the professional consultants.

1. The permit authority may require inspection and testing by an approved testing agency at permittee’s expense.

2. The testing agency’s responsibility shall include, but need not be limited to, approval concerning the inspection of cleared areas and benches to receive fill, and the compaction of fills.

E. Notification of Noncompliance. If, in the course of fulfilling his responsibility under this chapter, the civil engineer, the soils engineer, the engineering geologist or the testing agency finds that the work is not being done in conformance with this chapter or the approved grading plans, the discrepancies shall be reported immediately in writing to the person in charge of the grading work and to the permit authority. Recommendations for corrective measures, if necessary, shall be submitted to the permit authority.

F. Transfer of Responsibility for Approval. If the registered professional or the testing agency of record is changed during the course of the work, the work shall be stopped until the replacement has agreed to accept the responsibility within the area of his or her technical competence for approval upon completion of the work.

G. It shall be the permittee’s responsibility to notify the permit authority or his designee at least 48 hours prior to the time required for inspection. If the permit authority fails to inspect the project within eight working hours after the scheduled inspection time, the permittee may proceed with the project but shall not be relieved from compliance with the requirements of the plans, specifications, and permit as approved. All inspections and testing required shall be determined prior to issuance of the permit, except those that may be required when conditions exist that were not covered in the documents submitted when requesting a permit. The permit authority may require additional inspection or testing if conditions are found to be different than those presented in the plans or supporting documents; however, if and when conditions change, it shall be the responsibility of the applicant or the professional consultants who submitted the plans or documents to provide the permit authority with recommended changes to procedures, for its review and approval.

H. Suspension of Permits. Whenever the permit authority determines that the act or intended act of grading (excavation or fill has become or will constitute a hazard to life and limb, or endangers property, or adversely affects the safety, use or stability of a public way, drainage channel, stream or surface water, including siltation and sedimentation therein, the permit authority shall immediately suspend the clearing and grading permit. The permittee or other person or agent in control of the property, upon receipt of notice in writing from the permit authority shall, within the period specified therein, terminate such clearing, grading, excavation, embankment or fill, or eliminate the same from the development plans. (Ord. 1169 § 4, 2009).