17.05.020 Earth.
Existing ordinances administered by the building and engineering departments provide standards for safe development with respect to slope stability and the suitability of soil-bearing capacity for placement of structures. However, development may comply with these standards yet fail to minimize the disturbance of existing vegetation and soils, thereby affecting the use and amenities of nearby properties and the community in general (for example, by use of retaining structures, a project may be “safe” even though the natural terrain and vegetation are greatly disturbed). It is the intent of this chapter to:
A. Encourage land development practices which minimize disturbance to vegetation and soils, adopting development plans to the natural topographical features to the extent feasible and particularly avoiding disturbance of steep slopes, where the visual impact, erosion potential and opportunity for landslides is greatest;
B. Encourage prompt development and/or restoration of property after land clearing through phased clearing and grading, hydro-seeding, and other appropriate engineering techniques;
C. Encourage applications for plats, and other site plans, to be submitted as planned unit developments for greater flexibility in design, thereby helping to avoid disturbance of natural terrain and vegetation, and the consequent impacts mentioned above, which sometimes occur because of adherence to rigid standards;
D. Areas which are so steep that development at the allowed density is believed inadvisable shall be classified as environmentally sensitive areas. (Ord. 1416 § 2, 1984)