Land clearing involves removing trees, stumps and other vegetation from wooded areas. The purpose of the practice is to achieve the necessary adjustments and improvements in land use in the interest of conservation of natural resources. Once a site has been inspected and any necessary demonstrations have been made, vegetation and surface debris are removed by cleaning and uprooting the landscape. Clearing means what it looks like, removing all vegetation.
Uprooting refers to the removal of roots that remain in the ground after cleaning. Forest and forest clearing is the process by which vegetation, such as trees and shrubs, along with their roots, are permanently removed. The main objective of this process is to clear areas of forests, forests or scrubland to use the soil for another purpose, such as grasslands, arable agriculture, human settlements or the construction of roads or railroads. Alteration, clearing and grading of land A.
Promote the public health, safety and general welfare of Ferndale's citizens; B. Recognize and protect the physical, natural and aesthetic character of the City by preventing the indiscriminate removal or destruction of trees on undeveloped properties; C. Ensure that land alteration, cleanup and qualification are consistent with the general objectives of the owner's property; D. Where appropriate, retain groups of trees to reduce or protect noise, wind or vision; E.
Achieve a balance between building and site planning practices and the preservation or improvement of existing and historic natural features, while recognizing that certain factors such as condition (for example,. Ensure that adequate erosion control methods are used in property development;. To retain groups of trees and native vegetation when practical;. Reflect the requirements of the Ferndale Critical Area Ordinance (Chapter 16.08 FMC), environmental policies (Chapter 16.04 FMC), the Stormwater Control Ordinance (Chapter 13.34 FMC), the coastal master program and other relevant regulations;.
Ensure rapid development, restoration and replanting, and effective control of property erosion after land clearance through the use of gradual development, stormwater management best practices, compliance bonds, life periods and well-defined and enforced permit requirements, and other reasonable requirements controls; K. Implement and promote the Comprehensive City Plan; and. For example, a 10-inch diameter trunk tree has a CRZ that is 10 feet in radius or 20 feet in diameter. Please note that the RCW uses the term “notice of conversion to non-forest use”.
Vegetation maintenance practices, including landscape maintenance and gardening, are not considered disruptive activity. The maintenance of stormwater facilities is not considered to be terrain disturbing activity if it is carried out in accordance with standards and procedures. No person, organization, group, corporation or other legal entity shall engage in or cause land clearance or land alteration activities without having obtained a land alteration or clearing permit from the Director of Public Works or designee, unless exempt from the permits set out in this chapter. In the event of a conflict between this Chapter and any other development ordinance, resolution or regulation adopted by the City, codified or uncodified, establishing policies or criteria for land clearance, forestry practices or land alteration activity, the strictest code shall apply.
Additional permits may be required if activities are regulated by other chapters of the Ferndale Municipal Code, including, but not limited to, the Ferndale Critical Areas Ordinance (Chapter 16.08 FMC), Environmental Policies (Chapter 16.04 FMC), Stormwater Control Ordinance (Chapter 13.34 FMC), coastal master, Uniform and International Codes — Adoption and Compliance (Chapter 15.04 FMC) and other relevant regulations, including forestry practice permits regulated by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. The City may issue a cleanup permit for one-time clearance of up to half an acre of land (21,780 square feet) on a registered legal lot, if no future development activity is identified; provided that the requirements of subsection (A) of this section are met. The City may issue a clearance permit for the clearance of more than half an acre of land in a legal registration lot only when it is based on an approved site plan, preliminary plan, general or specific binding site plan, or short plan. Applications for approval of compensation shall be processed as decisions of process 1 and shall follow the procedures of Chapter 14.09 CSP.
Such approval and notification to proceed may be granted at the same time or after the underlying permission has been granted. Approved compensation plans shall not be modified without the approval of the Director or designee. A land clearance permit may be suspended or revoked by the Director or designee due to incorrect information provided, for any violation of the provisions of this or any other chapter, or when a Director determines that emergency or life safety conditions exist or may exist. It consists of an inert fill less than one foot deep and placed on natural terrain with a slope flatter than five horizontal to a vertical, or less than three feet deep, for unconsolidated materials, and not intended to support structures; and B.
It does not create a cutting slope greater than five feet in height and steeper than one and a half horizontal to a vertical, or less than three feet in depth, for unconsolidated materials, and is not intended to support structures, which does not exceed 50 cubic yards in total in a single batch and does not alter a course of drainage. Is less than two feet deep; or B. It does not create a cutting slope greater than five feet in height and steeper than one and a half feet horizontal to a vertical, or less than three feet deep, for unconsolidated materials, and less than 7,000 square feet in size, not intended to support structures, that does not exceed 50 cubic yards in total in any one lot and does not alter a course of drainage. A general site plan (or, as appropriate, cleanup) approved by the Ferndale Community Development Department describing the location of property boundaries, roads, construction sites, areas to be cut, buffer zones, drainage pathways, erosion control measures, streams and wetlands.
The plan must have a minimum scale of one inch equals 100 feet and include contour lines at appropriate intervals. Stormwater Site Plan in accordance with Chapters 13.34 (Stormwater Control), 19.45 (Stormwater Management System Design) and 19.50 FMC (Materials and Installation Standards). A temporary sediment and erosion control plan in accordance with Chapter 19.45 FMC (Stormwater Management System Design). Other proposed mitigation efforts as required by the City.
A statement stating the type, scale and timetable of future development plans. Permits or approvals from state or federal agencies related to the proposed activity. All cleaning and grading design and construction shall comply with this code and all provisions of the Ferndale Municipal Code. In the event of a conflict, the strictest code will be applied.
No cleaning or leveling activity may be performed within a critical area, critical area buffer zone, or coastal area without specific approval for this activity. Impacts in these areas, including surface water and groundwater recharge areas, shall be minimized. Projects will be staggered to the maximum practical degree to take account of seasonal constraints, reduce areas of exposed soils and contribute to the stabilization of disturbed areas. The Director of Public Works shall have the authority to require a plan for phased ground clearance and to extend the working life of a permit when necessary to avoid impacts.
The Director shall have the authority to require that the City approve complete civil drawings before allowing clearing or land alteration activity to begin as a first phase of a project. Dust from cleaning activities will be minimized at all times. Impervious surfaces in or near the construction area must be swept, vacuumed or otherwise maintained to prevent dust from being trapped. All dust suppressants used shall be approved by the principal or designee.
Watering the site to remove dust is also prohibited, unless it can be done so that sediments do not enter the stormwater system. Native soil (soil and topsoil) should be stored and reapplied to cleared areas when possible. A security fence may be required around cleaning and leveling activities at a project site. It will be the responsibility of both the permit holder and the owner to inform the City promptly of any discrepancies, modifications, hazardous conditions or problems affecting the safety and stability of the project.
For leveling activities, compaction of temporary stockpile fills shall not be required except where the construction officer determines that compaction is necessary as a safety measure. For clearing activities, the clearing rod must be chipped and used in areas of native vegetation on the site within one year of the clearing activity. For cleanup activities, debris and log storage will be maintained in an approved area away from critical areas and adjacent properties, and removed within one year following cleanup. If impacts to critical areas or adjacent properties cannot be avoided, the applicant will remove the debris and store it within 30 days of the cleanup activities.
For clearing activities in the vicinity of tree retention or protection areas, the applicant shall be required to establish fencing or other protective measures to protect the remaining specimens. The City may require, as a condition of granting a permit, that the applicant provide a performance bond, cash guarantee, or other financial security to the City to secure the applicant's obligation. The recoil at the top of a cutting slope must not be less than five feet, or the recoil needed to accommodate any required interceptor drainage, whichever is greater. The distance from the top or tip of a slope to a structure must not be less than 10 feet.
All ground disturbance activity shall be subject to these standards, the standards and specifications of Appendix J of the most recent edition of the International Building Code, the specifications contained in the specifications of the State Standard and the specifications of the APWA standard, the provisions of the Area Ordinance , Chapter 16.08 FMC, and the standards and specifications of the Washington State Department of Ecology Stormwater Management Manual currently adopted for Western Washington. Land disturbance permits, authorization and exemption notices, or any other land use permit involving land disturbing activity, must be published and clearly visible on access to the site at all times. All soil disturbance activities regulated by this title must be performed by an operator who holds a valid Washington State contractor license. The license number must be published with the permission as in subsection (B) of this section.
All land disturbance activities regulated by this title must be carried out by an operator holding a valid business license from the City of Ferndale. The permit will be null and void if the authorized work does not begin within 180 days from the date of issue, or if the authorized work is suspended or abandoned at any time after the work has started for a period of 180 days. One or more extensions may be requested for a maximum of 180 additional days each in writing and only before their expiration. The permit may, in writing, be suspended or revoked by the City provided that the permit is issued in error or on the basis of incorrect information provided or in violation of any ordinance or regulation or any of the provisions of these rules.
Except for extreme hardship, such as a natural disaster or serious illness, in no case shall the land disturbance permit remain valid for more than 24 months. The legal limits of ownership of the property in question must be established by a licensed surveyor, and must be clearly marked and marked on the site prior to any land disturbance activity. The stops and setbacks required by this title shall be clearly marked and marked on the site prior to any soil disturbance activity. Promote the public health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of Mount Vernon; B.
Preserve and improve the physical and aesthetic character of the city by preventing the indiscriminate removal or destruction of trees on undeveloped properties;. For retaining groups of trees for noise reduction and for wind protection; D. Promote building and site planning practices that are consistent with the city's natural topographic and forest characteristics, while recognizing that certain factors such as condition (for example,. To ensure rapid development, restoration and replanting, and effective control of property erosion after land clearance through the use of gradual development, compliance bonds and other reasonable controls; F.
Implement the goals and objectives of the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA);. Implement State Forest Practices Act policies pursuant to Chapter 76.09 RCW and Chapter 222-20 WAC; H. To protect and improve critical areas and their catchment areas;. Implement and promote the city's comprehensive plan; and J.
Allowing Reasonable Land Development in the City of Mount Vernon. No person, corporation or other legal entity shall participate in or cause land clearance in the city without having obtained a clearance permit from the planning director or designee, unless exempt from the permits set out in this chapter. In the event of a conflict between this chapter and any other development ordinance, resolution or regulation adopted by the codified or non-codified city that establishes policies or criteria for land clearance or forestry practices, this chapter shall control. All ordinances or parts of ordinances inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter are repealed.
Additional permits may be required if activities are regulated by other chapters, such as, but not limited to, Chapter 13.33 MVMC, Stormwater Drainage Utility; Chapter 15.16 MVMC, Classification, Excavation, and Fill; and Chapter 15.40 MVMC, Critical Areas. Except as permitted in subsection A of this section, on undeveloped land, land clearing shall not be permitted without an approved management plan for the non-structural activities listed in subsection C of this section. Approved management plans for forest or landscape uses shall include a site plan, a description of the proposed uses, drainage and erosion control measures, fencing where necessary, and property management methods that prevent damage to adjacent land and natural resources as required. The maximum area that can be cleared is one and a half times the minimum lot size for the area where the property is located.
Management plans shall be an administrative approval of the Director or designee. On developed land, land clearing shall not be allowed without an approved management plan for the non-structural activities listed in subsection F of this section. For lots created through development processes submitted prior to the effective date of this chapter, land clearing will not be allowed without an approved management plan for the non-structural activities listed in subsection F of this section. With the exception of an approved master plan, land clearing will be allowed for the construction of improvements to the streets, water, storms and sanitary sewers associated with an approved preliminary branch; provided that such approval is granted only for the cleanup necessary for infrastructure construction and not to clean or level an individual building lot until building permits are approved.
Forestry practices and land clearing permits are subject to environmental review in accordance with Chapter 15.06 MVMC. Applications for approval of compensation shall be processed as Type II and shall follow the procedures of Chapter 14.05 MVMC. Approved compensation plans shall not be modified without the approval of the director or designee. A land clearance permit may be suspended or revoked by the principal or designee due to incorrect information provided or any violation of the provisions of this chapter.
Installation and maintenance of fire hydrants, water meters, pumping stations, electrical transformers, sewage and water networks, pedestrian or bicycle connections, street improvements and street furniture by the city or utility companies or their contractors. Disposal of trees in emergency situations involving immediate danger to life or property or significant fire hazards. Minimal flare for site line topography and foot access. Clearing of developed land as defined in this chapter, which would not otherwise require a SEPA permit or review.
Routine maintenance activities including routine vegetation management and essential tree removal for public and private utilities, road rights-of-way, easements and parks. Normal and routine maintenance of undeveloped non-forest properties, such as mowing lawns, rototilling, composting, gardening and pruning vegetation on any lot or plot that would not otherwise require other permits or SEPA review and includes minor removal of trees, shrubs or ground cover for maintenance purposes general normal of the property. Routine gardening and landscape maintenance of existing garden areas in developed lots, including pruning, weeding, planting and other activities associated with maintaining an already established landscape limited to mechanical equipment of 27 horsepower or less. If applicable, a critical area report as set out in Chapter 15.40 MVMC.
A stormwater control plan consistent with Mount Vernon design and construction standards and specifications. A title report as proof that the plot is not currently subject to a six-year development moratorium. If the property is subject to a six-year development moratorium, the application will not be accepted, until the end of the moratorium or until the moratorium has been lifted. Payment of the application fee for clearing land in the amount established by the council.
All clearing activities shall conform to applicable rules adopted by the City of Mount Vernon. All clearing activities shall be carried out in a manner that minimizes impacts on forest areas, surface water, critical areas, groundwater recharge, adjacent properties and natural features. All debris storage and handling resulting from the cleanup will be done within the right of way to avoid damage to the adjacent land. No waste will be stored for more than one year from the time of completion of the cleaning activity.
The cutting of the felling should preferably be chipped and used in areas of native vegetation on the site within one year of the clearing activity. Before commencing any clearing activity on the site, trees to be protected and preserved must be protected from potentially harmful activities as follows, unless otherwise approved by the City of Mount Vernon. Projects will be staggered to the maximum practical degree to take account of seasonal constraints, reduce areas of exposed soils and help stabilize disturbed areas. The Director shall have the authority to demand a plan for the gradual clearance of the site.
Impervious surfaces in or near the construction area must be swept, vacuumed or otherwise maintained to prevent dust entrainment. Watering the site to remove dust is also prohibited, unless it can be done so that sediments do not enter the drainage system. Stormwater Control BMPs shall be implemented in accordance with the DOE Stormwater Manual and all other stormwater regulations adopted by the City and in effect at the time the land use application is granted. In addition, the director may require additional funding to conduct further inspections or stop work to control erosion sedimentation.
No clearing shall be performed in a critical area or associated buffer area, except as permitted in Chapter 15.40 MVMC. Setbacks, barriers, stormwater control and other BMPs should be used as needed to protect critical areas from adverse impacts. Aerial application of chemicals is prohibited within the city of Mount Vernon. Land application of chemicals with electrical equipment and chemicals applied by hand should only be applied to specific targets, such as trees, stumps and burrows, or as bait or in traps.
The application of chemicals within critical areas or their associated buffer is not allowed, unless necessary to meet harmful weed control requirements or to meet requirements to prevent the spread of disease. This provision may be waived when the use of emergency fire retardants is necessary to control the spread of fire. Chemical containers shall be removed from the application area and disposed of in accordance with label instructions, or removed and cleaned for reuse in a manner consistent with any applicable Washington State Department of Agriculture or local health regulations. departments.
All potentially harmful chemical spills will be reported immediately to the Washington State Department of Ecology. Emergency phone numbers to report spills will be available in the city. Compensation activities shall be carried out in a manner that minimizes possible adverse effects on adjacent properties. The clearing on steep slopes shall only be carried out in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 15.40 MVMC.
Additional site-specific requirements may be set after a site visit by the city. These requirements shall be based on site-specific conditions and shall be limited to additional temporary erosion and sedimentation control and mitigation of hazardous or potentially hazardous conditions that pose an off-site threat or to habitat conservation. To improve the administration of the excise tax on forest consumption created in Chapter 84.33 RCW, the City will report permit information to the Department of Revenue for all approved forestry practices permits no later than 60 days after the date the permit was approved. In addition to the penalties set forth in this chapter, the offender will be charged additional fees for registering the notice of development moratorium.
Prior to issuing a development moratorium imposed pursuant to Chapter 76.09 RCW, notice of the moratorium and hearing opportunity must be provided in front of the examiner of the city hearing. The department will provide a regular mail notice to each landlord located on the county tax lists of property subject to the moratorium that a hearing may be requested and that if no hearing is requested within 20 days of the date of the mail notification, the moratorium will be imposed. City may grant relief from development moratoria imposed pursuant to Chapter 76.09 RCW prior to moratorium expiration. Any landlord subject to a moratorium may request a release from the six-year moratorium by submitting such request to the community development department.
Upon such a request, the community development department will determine whether the condition of the land in question fully complies with local ordinances and regulations. If full compliance is not found, a mitigation plan is required to address any violations identified for the package in question. Required mitigation plans must be prepared by the owner and approved by the city. Once approved, the owner must implement the mitigation plan.
Mitigation measures that may be necessary include, but are not limited to, revegetation requirements to plant and maintain trees with sufficient maturity and adequate species composition, to restore critical area and buffer function, or to comply with other applicable local government regulations. Other times, when you are in the initial stages of a construction project, you need to clear the ground for the foundations of the buildings being erected. Information indicating the method of drainage and erosion control during and after the cleaning operation; and. Before the start of any clearing activity, three inches of composted wood chips will be placed over the critical root zone of the trees to be retained.
I can think of a lot of DIY projects, but I have to be honest; land clearing would be at the bottom of the list or left on purpose. When you hire a land clearing company, you get your land cleared by professionals who are licensed to operate heavy machinery, are used to the type of work involved, and who have a team ready to carry out your project in a short time. It's wonderful that you mention that using a land cleaning service can help you use part of your property for construction. The purpose of the restoration plan shall be a condition of the site that, to the greatest extent possible, is equal to the condition of the site that would have existed in the absence of the cleanup activity.
Manual land clearing: mainly used for smaller projects in smaller areas, professionals operate machinery such as cutters to strip and clean overgrown shrubs and shrubs. Depending on the type of trees proposed for logging and their age and condition, the arborist will determine an appropriate restoration plan to be implemented in the event that construction permits are not obtained within two years after the completion of the clearing activity. Clearing means removing or causing vegetation that grows on the ground to be removed, which protects and stabilizes the soil. For farmers, land clearing can be used to prepare land for crops, clearing shrubs, trees, rocks, removing stumps and smoothing large holes.
Land clearance differs from other landscaping services, as land clearing usually involves more machinery for thicker, brushy, and complicated terrains. You may need to hire a company that specializes in cleaning and booting up a landscape if the job seems too big. Whether on your own or while inspecting the ground with your demounting company, you should mark untouchable areas with bright yellow caution tape or wrap them in landscaping cloth to protect them. Always do your research to find an experienced, top-notch ground cleaning company, such as Marks Clearing in Augusta.
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