CDI - Application Status

The application to construct a new residence and associated improvements (totaling 6,470 square feet of new impervious and/or semi-impervious area) has been received by the Stormwater Section of the County of Santa Cruz. The submittal has not been approved, please review and address each of the comments below (all applicants are required to follow the design requirements as outlined in the County of Santa Cruz Design Criteria referred to as the CDC hereon). The CDC can be found on the internet by navigating to County of Santa Cruz Public Works Department, Stormwater, Design Criteria (http://www.dpw.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/).

1. Thank you for submitting form PLG-300 (Geotechnical Consultant Plan Review). In addition to this form, please provide a signed, stamped letter of feasibility from the geotechnical engineer for the proposed retention location on or immediately above slopes exceeding 15% (per Part 3, Section H.3 of the CDC). The letter shall specifically address whether there are any potential slope stability concerns related to the proposed drainage design.

2. Please clarify how sediment transport from the swale behind the retaining wall will be minimized to reduce the potential for clogging the pervious pavers.

3. Please note, according to the submitted civil plans this application proposes more than 5,000 square feet of impervious and/or semi-pervious area. The review fee for a significant single-family is $1,800.00. The applicant has already paid $1,180.00; therefore, an additional $600.00 plan review fee will need to be submitted to the Planning Department prior to permit issuance.

Comments 4 and 5 below are notifications to the applicant of holds that may be placed on the permit once it is ready to be issued by the Planning Department. These items are not required to be addressed/completed prior to resubmittal.

4. Please notarize and record a maintenance agreement with upslope runoff acknowledgement (SWM-25A form) that includes the approved drainage plan and maintenance schedule as a packet. It will be the responsibility of the property owner to inspect and maintain all drainage features. Please contact the County of Santa Cruz Recorder’s office for appropriate recording procedures. The maintenance agreement form can be picked up from the Public Works office or can be found online by navigating to County of Santa Cruz Public Works Department, Stormwater, Permit Requirements, SWM-25A.

5. Upon approval of the project, a drainage "Hold" may be placed on the permit and will be cleared once the construction is complete and the stormwater management improvements are constructed per the approved plans: In order to clear the Hold, one of these options shall be exercised:

a. The Civil Engineer / Designer must inspect the drainage improvements on the parcel and provide public works with a letter and photographs confirming that the work was completed per the plans. The Civil Engineer / Designer’s letter shall be specific as to what was inspected (such as invert elevations, pipe sizing, the size of the mitigation features and all relevant design features). Notes of "general conformance to plans" are not sufficient.

b. As-built plans stamped by the Civil Engineer may be submitted in lieu of the letter. The as-built stamp shall be placed on each sheet of the plans where stormwater management improvements are shown.

c. The Civil Engineer / Designer may review as-built plans completed by the contractor and provide the County with an approval letter of those plans, in lieu of the above two options. The contractor installing the drainage improvements will provide the Civil Engineer / Designer as-built drawings of the drainage system, including construction materials, invert elevations, pipe sizing and any modifications to the horizontal or vertical alignment of the system. The as-built drawings, for each sheet showing drainage improvements and/or their construction details, must be identified with a stamp (or label affixed to the plan) stating the contractor’s name, address, license and phone number. The Civil Engineer / Designer will review the as-built plans for conformance with the design drawings. Upon satisfaction of the Civil Engineer / Designer that the as-built plans meet the design intent and are adequate in detail, the Civil Engineer / Designer shall submit the as-built plans and a review letter, stamped by the Civil Engineer / Designer to the County Public Works Department for review to process the clearance of the drainage Hold, if the submittal is satisfactory.

After receiving the requested information above, further comments may be made following the resubmittal. The applicant is encouraged to discuss the above comments with the reviewer, Jennifer Buckley, to avoid unnecessary additional routings. An additional review fee shall be applied to all re-submittals starting with the third routing.