(1) “Bench” means a relatively level step excavated or constructed into earth material on which fill is to be placed.

(2) “Best management practices (BMPs)” means the best available and reasonable physical, structural, managerial, or behavioral activities that, when used singly or in combination, eliminate or reduce the contamination of surface and/or ground waters.

(3) “Borrow” means earth material acquired from an off-site location for use in grading on a site.

(4) “Clearing and grading permit” means the written permission of the Director to the applicant to proceed with the act of clearing and grading within the provisions of this chapter. The clearing and grading permit includes the associated approved plans and any conditions of approval as well as the permit form itself.

(5) “Compaction” means the densification of a fill by mechanical means.

(6) “Earth material” means any rock, natural soil or fill, or any combination thereof.

(7) “Excavation” means the removal of earth material. The term “cut” can also be used to describe excavation.

(8) “Fill” means a deposit of earth material placed by mechanical or other means.

(9) “Infrastructure improvements” means streets, drainage facilities, utilities, and associated appurtenances typically constructed as part of a development project for the purposes of serving the development.

(10) “Key” means a compacted fill placed in a trench excavated in earth material beneath the toe of a slope.

(11) “Modular block wall” means a wall constructed of manufactured modular wall units acting as a protective facing for an exposed soil face or as a gravity retaining wall.

(12) “Reinforced fill” or “reinforced soil” means soil fill designed by a geotechnical engineer which includes reinforcement consisting of metal or synthetic materials in bars, strips, grids, or sheets.

(13) “Retaining wall” means a wall designed to resist the lateral displacement of soil or other materials.

(14) “Rockery” or “rock wall” means one or more courses of large rocks stacked near vertical in front of an exposed soil face to protect the soil face from erosion and sloughing. A rockery or rock wall is not a retaining wall.

(15) “Site restoration” means the permanent restoration of lands modified under the provisions of this code, typically in the form of the establishment of vegetation and drainage facilities to control the rate and erosive force of stormwater runoff.

(16) “Terrace” means a relatively level step excavated or constructed in the face of a graded slope surface for drainage and maintenance purposes. (Ord. 04-19 § 2 (Exh. B); Ord. 08-13 § 1 (Exh. A))