17.24.070 Geological hazard combining district.
A. Purpose. The purpose of the geological hazard (G-H) combining district is to protect the public’s health, safety and minimize property damage by designating areas that are subject to or are potentially subject to surface faulting ground shaking, ground failure or other geologic hazards by establishing reasonable restrictions on land use in such areas.
B. Permitted Uses and Permit Requirements. Uses permitted or conditionally permitted shall be those uses permitted by the base zone with which the G-H district is combined. Although the overlay is combined with a base zone, once applied, uses and development requirements shall be consistent with the approved G-H site plan review permit. A G-H site plan review permit shall be approved concurrently with approval of the G-H combining district. G-H site plan review permit requirements are outlined below in subsection (D) of this section and in Section 17.52.060.
C. Development Standards. The following general development standards apply within the G-H combining district:
Development Standard | Requirement | Additional Requirements |
|---|---|---|
Lot Standards | ||
Minimum lot area/density | Per the requirements of the base zone | |
Parking | ||
Landscaping | ||
Minimum Setbacks | ||
Front Side Rear | Per the requirements of the base zone, except as modified in accordance with the standards approved with the G-H site plan review permit | |
Distance between structures | ||
Structure Height | ||
Height | Per the requirements of the base zone, except as modified in accordance with the standards approved with the G-H site plan review permit | |
1. Development in the G-H district shall comply with the mitigation measures recommended in the geological report required by subsection (D) of this section as approved by the city of Wasco city engineer. In any event, structures for human occupancy shall be set back at least fifty feet from any active fault trace or one hundred feet from any fault trace which cannot be precisely located or is depicted as “inferred” on the Kern County Seismic Hazard Atlas.
D. G-H Plan Permit Procedures. No use shall be established, no development shall occur or grading permit shall be issued for any use or development within a G-H district until a G-H site plan review permit application has been submitted to and approved by the planning director, city engineer, and planning commission.
1. Application Contents.
a. Name(s) and address(es) of applicant(s).
b. Name(s) and address(es) of property owner(s).
c. APN (assessor parcel number(s)).
d. Legal description of property.
e. A site development plan drawn at the scale specified by the planning director, which includes the following information:
i. Topography and proposed grading;
ii. Location and extent of all geologic hazards including area subject to surface faulting, ground shaking, ground failure and other geologic hazards;
iii. Location of all proposed buildings and structures;
iv. Location of proposed streets, roads, and parking areas;
v. Proposed drainage improvements;
vi. North arrow.
f. A geological report prepared by a qualified engineering geologist, certified by the state of California, that includes the following information:
i. The original signature and certification number of the responsible geologist;
ii. An index map showing the regional setting of the study area;
iii. A description of the study methods used; the methods may include (but are not limited to) field traverses and inspections, test pits or trenches, drill holes, geophysical investigation, aerial photo analysis, and review of previously published or unpublished maps and reports;
iv. On an appropriate topographic base an original geological map of the site and as much of the surrounding area as is practical. The scale shall be one inch to one hundred feet for complementary geologic maps emphasizing special features or hazards;
v. One or more geologic structure sections showing actual or probable subsurface relations and clearly labeled as to which relations are conjectural;
vi. A statement of conclusions and recommendations regarding suitability of proposed uses, including (but not limited to) buildings, structures, roads, and sewer systems in relation to the existing or potential geologic hazards and recommended mitigation measures with respect to the following:
√ Location of buildings, structures, roads, and septic systems in relation to identified geologic hazard or hazards,
√ Method of construction,
√ Grading,
√ Removal of native vegetation and replanting,
√ Any other aspect of construction or site development that has a clear relationship to the identified geologic hazard or hazards.
g. A list of references of geologic literature used in evaluating the site. (Ord. 706 § 3 (Exh. A), 2019).