14.33A.100 Slope Protection and Stability.
(1) All development in the CH Zone shall comply with the applicable grading, fill, cutting, excavation, relocation of material, and drainage requirements of Title 15, Provo City Code, as well as any such requirements in Title 18, Provo City Code, except that the provisions of this Chapter shall supersede any conflicting provisions in Title 14, 15, or 18, Provo City Code.
(2) Structures shall be set back from ascending or descending slopes greater than thirty percent (30%) in accordance with the requirements of the currently adopted building code.
(3) Unless expressly allowed in Title 14 or 15, Provo City Code, all areas with a slope greater than thirty percent (30%) must remain in natural private or natural public open space; however, no portion of this Chapter shall be interpreted to eliminate the provisions of Chapter 15.05, Provo City Code, that allow for exceptions for grading and developing hillside slopes that exceed thirty percent (30%).
(4) All cut, filled, and graded human-made slopes, created or disturbed through the applicant’s development activities, shall be recontoured to the natural, varied contour of the surrounding terrain.
(5) Notwithstanding the requirements in Subsection (4) of this Section, the use of terraced retaining walls is permitted to reduce the steepness of human-made slopes and to provide planting pockets conducive to revegetation. The following requirements apply for terraced retaining walls and vertical walls:
(a) Terraces created between retaining walls shall be permanently landscaped or revegetated.
(b) Terracing is limited to three (3) walls with a maximum vertical height of eight (8) feet each. The width of a terrace shall be a minimum of a one-to-one ratio with the height of the wall. Terraces are measured from the back of the lower wall to the face of the upper wall. Terraces created between retaining walls shall be permanently landscaped or revegetated.
(i) The Development Services Director or designee may grant an increase in the number of terrace walls or an increase in vertical height of a terrace wall, if the applicant provides documentation, which has been stamped by an engineer licensed in the State of Utah, that demonstrates the property to be developed would be inaccessible without granting an increase.
(c) Retaining walls shall be faced with stone or earth-colored materials similar to the surrounding natural landscape.
(d) Vertical walls are only allowed if approved by the City Engineer and if the following criteria are met:
(i) The applicant provides documentation, which has been stamped by an engineer or landscape architect licensed in the State of Utah, that demonstrates an environmental, aesthetic, or safety concern with installing retaining walls on the subject property.
(ii) The vertical wall shall be constructed of earth-colored materials similar to the surrounding natural landscape.
(e) All applicable building code requirements must be met and applicable permits obtained.
(f)
Figure 14.33A.1. Terracing and Retaining Wall – Permitted
(Retaining wall faced with stone. Terraces have been revegetated.)
(g)
Figure 14.33A.2. Terracing and Retaining Wall – Not Permitted
(Wall is not constructed of earth-colored materials and does not provide opportunities for planting pockets.)