HomeMy WebLinkAboutGrading Review for BLD98-00682 - GRD Engineering / Geo-Tech Reports - 7/29/1998 MASON COUNTY
PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR/COUNTY ROAD ENGINEER
Shelton,Washington 98584
DATE: July 29, 1998
INTER-DEPARTMENTAL COMMUNICATIONS
TO: Hugo R. Flores, DCD - Shoreline Planner
FROM: Alan A. Tahja, P/W- Co. Hydr. Engr. Work Order No. 9817
SUBJ: Grading Review NAME: Jerry Ward
BLD98-0682
To begin, an area 45'x90' receiving 60 cubic yards of material evenly distributed over the area would
result in a fill depth of approximately 0.3' ( 3-%")*. 200 cubic yards of fill material would result in a fill
depth of approximately 0.9' (11.2"). An estimate of the depth of material could help determine what
quantity of material has been received on the site, and quickly determine whether it exceeded the
threshold for a grading permit requirement.
By the County's Grading Ordinance Chapter 33, the applicant could argue that he had not exceeded the
maximum quantity of material available to relieve him from a grading permit, except that the fill is
intended to support a structure. As a structure supporting fill, it would seem appropriate to require a
grading permit application, and also require that the proposed grading be done as engineered grading
because of the structure. With the fill material already in place, it should be up to the applicant to show
that the ground was properly prepared to receive fill material (removal of vegetation prior to fill
placement). If soil boring, hand dug holes, or soil logs indicate a layer of unsuitable material beneath the
fill, a building should not be allowed on the location until the fill is removed, the unacceptable material
removed, and then the fill replaced with suitable borrow material compacted as engineered fill. Another
option to removing the material would be to have the applicant's engineer determine what depths the
building's pole supports need to be buried to, and whether the anticipated deterioration of the vegetative
layer will affect the concrete floor proposed for the garage. Achievement of compaction should be
certified by the applicant's engineer along with certification that the fill meets his requirements and
satisfaction.
To keep this short, since the fill is intended to support a structure, a grading permit should be required,
and the fill material should be place as engineered fill.
I hope these comments help you resolve these issues. Please feel free to contact me at County extension
461 if you have any questions regarding these comments, or if you have additional information that
would help make a decision as to how this activity should be addressed.
Sincerely,
r
Alan A. Tahja
* these depth include a 30%reduction in depth attributable to compaction
File: H:\WP\GRADING\WARD-JNS.RVW