AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ARTICLE X1, SECTION 2-155 OF THE LAKE FOREST
CITY CODE
BE IT ENACTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKE FOREST, ILLINOIS:
Section 1: That Article XI, "City Surveyor and Engineer," Section
2-155 (7) of the Lake Forest City Code is hereby amended to read as
follows:
No person, firm or corporation may disturb, change or reshape
existing topography in conjunction with building construction, site
grading or landscaping without first applying for a Grading Permit
from the City Surveyor and Engineer. Site grading or landscape work
undertaken as part of required subdivision improvements, in accordance
with plans approved by the City Surveyor and Engineer, shall not be
subject to the provisions of this ordinance.
When the City Surveyor and Engineer determines that the proposed
work is of sufficient scope to require a Grading Plan, a Grading Plan
shall be submitted to the City Surveyor and Engineer showing that the
proposed site grading, landscaping or building shall not adversely
affect or change drainage patterns on adjacent property; shall also
show erosion control measures, if required, to prevent siltation of
downstream properties and drainage facilities; and shall also show how
site grading and landscaping shall not adversely affect the principal
usage of the site.
Building permits shall not be issued for any structure,
construction or addition until a Grading Plan, or revision to an
existing Grading Plan is approved by the City Surveyor and Engineer or
until a Waiver of Permit and a Waiver of Plan submittal has been
issued by the City Surveyor and Engineer as provided herein.
The provisions of this ordinance shall govern undeveloped
properties where erosion sedimentation problems exist as determined by
the City Surveyor and Engineer.
The topographic surveying required for a grading plan shall be
prepared by either a professional engineer or land surveyor registered
in the State of Illinois. The required Grading Plan shall be prepared
by a professional engineer registered in the State of Illinois. Unless
otherwise approved by the City Surveyor and Engineer, the plan shall
include the following minimum requirements:
1. The plan shall be drawn at a scale of no less than one (1)
inch equals twenty (20) feet, except for properties exceeding two
(2) acres where a smaller scale may be accepted.
2. The drawing size of the plan shall be no less than eight and
one-half (8 ½) inches by eleven (11) inches and not larger than
twenty-four (24) inches by thirty-six (36) inches.
3. All elevations shall be in USGS datum (NGVD 1929) and bench
marks used shall be indicated.
4. The plan shall show spot elevations of all critical locations.
5. The plan shall show spot elevations at lot corners and at
twenty-five (25) foot intervals along the property lines or along
the perimeter of the area to be regraded or landscaped.
6. The plan shall show the elevations and location where drainage
courses cross the property lines.
7. The plan shall show existing contours for the entire tract on
one (1) foot contour intervals, or one-half (0.5) foot contour
intervals if the average slope of the tract is two (2) percent or
less, or five (5) foot contour intervals in ravine slopes.
8. The plan shall show proposed driveway location and gradients.
9. Where driveway culverts are required, the plan shall show
proposed location, size and type of culvert, and shall show proposed
entrance and discharge elevations and shall show ditch gradients at
twenty-five (25) foot intervals, one hundred (100) feet upstream and
downstream from the proposed culvert, including inverts of existing
upstream and downstream culverts.
10. The plan shall show proposed contours at the same contour
interval as required in "7."
11. The plan shall show proposed building top of foundation;
elevations of all entries; and elevations of proposed finished
ground grade at all significant points around the proposed building.
12. The plan shall show floodplain elevation, in conformance to
the Lake Forest Floodplain Regulations if said floodplain elevation
is within three (3) feet of the elevation of the lowest floor of
existing or proposed structure.
13. The plan shall show conformance to the Lake Forest Floodplain
Regulations.
14. The plan shall show all proposed connections to public sewers
and shall include invert elevations size and location of said public
sewers.
15. The plan shall show conformance to all Ravine and Bluff
Control Regulations.
16. The plan shall include provisions and a time schedule for
restoring grass and lawns or for other erosion control measures.
17. Four (4) copies of the plan shall be submitted.
18. A reproducible copy of the original plan shall remain in the
possession of the property owners.
19. The plan shall show location and disposition of downspouts
and footing drain discharge.
20. The plan shall include information on adjacent properties to
show contours, drainage courses, structure locations, and foundation
elevations, within fifty (50) feet of the subject property.
A waiver of the Grading Permit may be approved by the City Surveyor
and Engineer only on property previously improved with the principal
use or structure; where the project consists only of minor additions
to existing dwellings or structures, the construction of accessory
buildings, tennis courts, swimming pools, or minor landscaping.
The waiver request shall include a description and address of the
property, a brief description and site plan of the work to be
performed, and a statement signed by the property owner as follows:
The applicant hereby certifies that he is the owner of the property
described above, and certifies that to the best of his knowledge, the
above-described project will not disturb existing topography within
three (3) feet of adjacent properties or will not create adverse
drainage problems on adjacent property. The applicant further agrees
to assume all responsibility for any drainage problems that may be
caused directly or indirectly by any action involving the
above-described project and further absolves The City of Lake Forest
of any responsibility for problems or actions that may result from the
granting of the waiver of the Site Grading Permit requirements.
Conditions
A permit may be granted without plan submittal as determined by the
City Surveyor and Engineer, when it is determined that the following
conditions are present:
1. No major water course crossing the buildable portion of the
property.
2. No portion of proposed building or site grading within the
floodplain.
3. No portion of proposed building or site grading within bluff
or ravine areas.
4. No filling, grading, paving or construction of auxiliary
buildings or structures within ten (10) feet of side or rear lot
lines.
5. Principal structure to be twenty (20) feet or more from any
side or rear lot lines.
6. A contour map of the area or property at no more than two (2)
foot contour interval and of scale no less than one (1) inch equal
to two hundred (200) feet, shall be on file in the office of the
City Surveyor and Engineer.
7. A building envelope, as defined in Chapter 42 of the City
Code, is not required.
Conditions
The request for Plan Waiver shall include the following:
1. Legal description of the property.
2. Brief description of project.
3. Plot plan of project showing dimensions from lot lines, height
of foundation, location of driveway, provisions for roof drainage,
and proposed grading limits.
4. A statement signed by the property owner as follows:
The applicant hereby certifies that he is the owner of the
previously described property, and certifies to the best of his
knowledge that the described project will conform to the conditions
for Plan Waivers stated in part "e" of the Site Grading Ordinance,
and will not create adverse drainage problems on adjacent property.
The applicant further agrees to assume all responsibility for any
drainage problems that may be caused directly or indirectly by any
action involving the above described project and further absolves
The City of Lake Forest of any responsibility for problems or
actions that may result from the waivering of the plan submittal as
required in part "b" of the Site Grading Ordinance.
The fee for a Grading Permit associated with new building
construction shall be five hundred dollars ($500.00)
and the fee for a Grading Permit not associated with new building
construction shall be two hundred dollars ($200.00).
The fee for a Waiver of a Grading Permit shall be one
hundred dollars ($100.00).
Where an existing Grading Plan is to be revised, a new Grading
Permit shall be requested for a fee of one hundred and twenty-five dollars ($125.00).
A bond will not be required when a grading permit is issued in
conjunction with new building construction where the applicant is
required to submit a cash bond.
Where a permit is requested for grading not associated with new
building construction, a cash bond shall be required. This bond shall
not be returned until after all grading and landscaping is completed,
inspected and approved. The amount of this bond shall be a minimum of
$200.00 and shall increase commensurate with the estimated cost of
minimum restoration and landscaping of the project site, as determined
by the City Surveyor and Engineer.
A financial guarantee, in the form of cash, certified check, bond,
or letter of credit will be required for all site grading permits.
This financial guarantee shall not be returned until all grading
improvements and required landscaping are completed, inspected, and
approved. The amount of this financial guarantee shall be $3,000.00
per acre of development.
The City Surveyor and Engineer shall inspect or cause to be
inspected all grading and landscaping activities as previously
described in "a" above, and including the public parkway.
Where the site grading work cannot be approved at the time of the
requested inspection, and where there is no hazard to adjacent
property, the owner shall be informed of the required corrective
measures and a copy of the inspection report shall be filed with the
Director of Building and Zoning. Failure to comply within a reasonable
time shall be a violation of this ordinance.
Violations of this ordinance shall be subject to a two hundred
dollar ($200.00) fine and, in addition, notice of such violation shall
be made available to adjacent property owners. Where continued
violation persists, after complaints have been registered by adjacent
property owners. Where continued violation persists, after complaints
have been registered by adjacent property owners or by the City
Surveyor and Engineer, the fine shall be assessed monthly until the
violation is corrected.
Violations of this ordinance shall be subject to fines as set forth
in Section 1-9 of the City Code of The City of Lake Forest.
