The Plan and Plan Review

1
The Plan and Plan Review
Level IB Advanced Fundamentals Seminar
Education and Training Certification
Requirements for Persons Involved with Land
Disturbing Activities
Issued May 2009
2
Introduction

• The Erosion, Sedimentation and Pollution Control
  Plan
• (ESPC Plan)
• Plan development process
• Plan review process
• Plan review checklist
• Reading the plan

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ESPC Plan

• An ESPC plan shows
• a series of structural and vegetative best
  management practices (BMPs) to control erosion
  and prevent sedimentation within a disturbed
  area.
• Detailed requirements for monitoring,
  inspections, reporting and record keeping.

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The Plan Development Process
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Steps to an Effective ESPC Plan

1. Project requirements
2. Project/resources description
3. Data collection (site visit)
4. Data interpretation
5. Plan preparation
6. Plan Review/Approval
7. Implementation
8. Operations, maintenance and inspections
9. Final stabilization

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Project Construction Issues

• Project location
• Required pre-design site visit
• Project size
• Project type
• Project phasing
• Project schedule

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Required Site Visit

• What a designer looks for
• Existing vegetation
• Potential U.S./State Waters
• Flood plain
• Springs
• Soils
• Drainage basins (both onsite and offsite)
• Wetlands
• Other possible critical areas

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Planning

• Stripping of vegetation, regrading and other
  development activities shall be conducted in such
  a manner so as to minimize erosion
• Cut and fill operations must be kept to a minimum
• Development plans must conform to topography and
  soil type, so as to create the lowest practicable
  erosion potential
• Whenever feasible, natural vegetation shall be
  retained, protected and supplemented

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Planning

• Disturbed soil shall be stabilized as quickly as
  possible
• Temporary vegetation or mulching shall be
  employed to protect exposed critical areas during
  development
• A series of well designed, installed, and
  maintained best management practices (BMPs)
  shall be implemented to control erosion at the
  source and prevent suspended sediments from
  leaving the site

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Planning

• Adequate provisions must be provided to minimize
  damage from surface water to the cut face of
  excavations or the sloping surface of fills
• Cut and fills may not endanger adjoining property
• Fills may not encroach upon natural watercourses
  or constructed channels in a manner so as to
  adversely affect other property owners
• Any proposed disturbance within a stream buffer
  must complete all necessary applications and
  receive all necessary approvals before beginning
  disturbance

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Plan Concepts

• Adapt the plan to resources available
• When possible, fit the project into the existing
  terrain
• Recommendations must be cost effective
• The plan must be flexible
• Maintain open communication with developer,
  contractors and local issuing authority

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Plan Concepts

• Notes and instructions must be clear and simple
• Timing and scheduling are very important
• Establish an effective maintenance program
• Identify critical areas offsite

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Construction Sequencing

• Plan sequence with contractor
• Advise inspector/LIA of sequence at
  pre-construction meeting
• Evaluate sequence during implementation
• Make sequence revisions if necessary
• Resubmit revised plans for approval to LIA or
  local SWCD
• Final stabilization plan

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What types of plan revisions require additional
design and review?

• The onsite addition of silt fence, check dams,
  and other generic BMPs DO NOT require design and
  review (BMPs must still conform with minimum
  standards set forth in the Manual)
• Modifications and addition/removal of designed
  structural BMPs such as sediment basins require
  professional design and review and approval!

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The Erosion, Sedimentation and Pollution Control
Plan Checklists

• Three checklists
• Stand Alone Projects
• Infrastructure Projects
• Common Developments
• Appendix 1

Available at www.gaswcc.georgia.gov
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Updates

• The new checklists include all previous
  requirements of the June 2007 version
• Updated to include provisions of the new NPDES
  General Permits

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Elements of the Checklist

• Site Plan
• Site Location Information
• Surveys, Maps, Soils, Hydrology Study
• Delineation of State Waters and Buffers
• Phasing of ESPC Plan

• Narrative Notes and Other Information
• Maintenance Notes
• Contact Info
• Signature and Seal
• BMP Details
• Storage Calculations
• Vegetative Plan
• Compliance with NPDES Permits

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Importance of Using Checklist

• The designer refers to checklist before, during
  and after design. Obtain all necessary
  information and visit the site BEFORE beginning
  the design!!!
• Designers and reviewers both work on many plans
  and using the checklist on every set of plans
  will help ensure important info is not forgotten.

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Submitting an ESPC Plan for Review

• Once ESPC plan is complete (all checklist
• items addressed), submit plans to local
• issuing authority. If the local issuing
• authority does not have an MOA, they
• forward plans to the local SWCD.
• Must include copy of checklist with page
• numbers indicating where information can be
• found.

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Original Submittal

• Typically, there will be some form of comments
  during the original submittal
• Plans received without the signature and seal of
  the Design Professional will not be reviewed.

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Second and Third Submittals

• By submitting a complete ESPC plan on first
  submittal, plans can usually be approved on first
  or second submittal.
• Plans that have extensive comments on original
  submittal, typically are not approved until at
  least the third submittal and this can
  dramatically delay the permitting process.

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Submitting an ESPC Plan for Review

• In areas where there is not a certified issuing
  authority, 1 copy of the plan is submitted to
  EPDs Watershed Protection Branch and 1 copy to
  the appropriate EPD District office

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Relationship between Designers and Reviewers

• The Design Professional designs plans and is
  ultimately responsible if plans fail
• ?Adjacent property owners lake impacted due to
  poor planning and implementation

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Reviewers Role

• Ensure all checklist items are addressed
• Reviewers do more than check off checklist
• Make sure plans consist of three phases with a
  series of sound Best Management Practices
• Ensure BMPs are designed in accordance with
  specifications set forth in the Green Book
• Adequate sediment storage for each drainage basin
  onsite
• Look for stream buffer encroachments that are not
  going for EPD variance application

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Relationship between Designers and Reviewers

• Reviewer double checks plan to ensure minimum
  requirements are met
• Designer should welcome reviewers comments and
  concerns

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Reading the Plans
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Reading the Plan

• A good ESPC plan provides all the necessary
  information that will allow an individual to view
  the site plan and understand what is taking place
  at any given time.

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Reading the Plan

• Recognize existing and proposed grading
  activities
• Evaluate topography, slope steepness and slope
  profiles, using given contours on plans
• Recognize drainage patterns and basins
• Check the selection, location, and effectiveness
  of approved BMPs as shown on plans

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Topographic Mapping
Most grading plans are based on some type of
topographic map. Topographic information allows
a trained viewer to see the plan in three
dimensions, thus enabling the viewer to see
changes in grade within the site.
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The flow of water is always perpendicular to the
contour
saddle
summit
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Reading the Plans

• Perhaps, the most important aspect of reading the
  plans is understanding the onsite and offsite
  drainage patterns for pre, during and post
  construction conditions.
• Initial plan for perimeter control and initial
  sediment storage
• Intermediate plan for grading and drainage
• Final ESPC plan

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790
800
820
810
Drainage Basin Delineation
820
790
820
830
800
The first step in identifying drainage basins
within a site is to find the high and low points
and determine the overall directions of flow.
The ridges and valleys start to appear.
840
810
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810
864.41
820
830
840
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857
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790
800
820
810
820
790
820
830
800
Study where the water flows
840
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810
864.41
820
830
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857
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790
800
820
810
Drainage boundaries can then be drawn along the
ridges where the flow patterns break in opposite
directions. Drainage basins, also called
watersheds, are now defined. Each basin can
now be treated as a separate site.
820
790
820
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840
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864.41
820
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857
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X
Cd
X
X
X
Sd3
X
X
X
X
X
drainage boundary in graded area
732
X
Scale 1 40 feet
734
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Plans on the Site

• An approved set of plans must be on site at all
  times.
• Use approved plans for each inspection.

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Questions???