17.55.050 Determination of slope and slope areas.
A. Slope shall be determined on an individual basis as an average percent natural slope for purposes of density limitations.
B. The contour interval maps and calculations required by this section shall be prepared in a report by a professional civil engineer or licensed surveyor and shall be submitted with applications for permits or subdivision approvals for lands subject to this chapter. Each report shall bear the certification of the engineer or surveyor as to the accuracy of the report.
C. The location of the natural fifteen percent, twenty-five percent, forty percent and forty-five percent slopes for the purposes of this chapter shall be determined using the following procedure:
1. Preparation of Contour Maps. Current contour maps shall be prepared and certified by a licensed engineer or surveyor showing contours at intervals no greater than five feet (the “contour map”) drawn at one inch equals two hundred feet scale maximum.
2. Verification Through Field Surveys. Field surveys may be required of the applicant by the City Engineer or city planner to verify the accuracy of the contour lines shown on the contour map. The contour map shall identify profile lines which shall be used to verify the field survey. Profile lines shall be perpendicular to contour lines and in no case occur at intervals greater than one hundred fifty feet apart or seventy-five feet from a property line.
3. Determination of Slope Areas for Density Calculations. Using the contour maps, slopes shall be calculated in intervals no greater than forty to eighty feet along profile lines. Points identified as slopes of fifteen percent, twenty-five percent, forty percent and forty-five percent shall be located on the contour map and connected by a continuous line. That area bounded by said lines and intersecting property lines shall be used for determining dwelling unit density. (Ord. 97-12 (part), 1997: Ord. 96-18 § 2 (part), 1996)