City of Colorado Springs�Geological Hazards Ordinance

Peter Wysocki, AICP Planning and Community Development Director

Background

o Originally adopted in 1996 o Subsequent amendments, most recent in 2011 o New amendments in 2017

WhenRequired?

•  Expansivesoilsandexpansiverock;•  Unstableorpoten;allyunstableslopes;•  Landslideareasorpoten.allandslideareas;•  Debrisflowanddebrisfans;•  Rockfall;•  Subsidenceandabandonedminingac;vity;•  Shallowwatertables;•  Groundwatersprings;•  Floodproneareas;•  Collapsiblesoils;•  Faults;•  Landfillsandareasofuncontrolledandundocumentedfill;and•  Steeplydippingbedrock.

ApplicableProjects

RequiredwithsubmiMalof:•  Neworupdatedmasterplans•  Rezoning,ifrequiredbydirector•  Preliminaryplats•  Finalplats•  Developmentplans•  WestofI-25,unlesswaived

Exemp;onsandWaivers

•  ProjectseastofI-25areexempt,unlesscertaingeologichazardsareknown

•  Waiversmaybegrantedadministra;velyforprojectswestofI-25ifpriorandrelevantstudyhasbeenprepared,orifthesiteisnotinanhazardarea

KeyRequirements Ingeneral,thegeologicalhazardstudyshallbeofsufficientdetailandscopeto:•  Iden;fythegeologichazardsaffec;ngthedevelopmentsite;

•  Analyzethepoten;alnega;veimpactsthegeologichazardswillhaveupon

theproposedproject;

•  Providemi;ga;ontechniques,whichwillreducetoacceptablestandardstheriskposedtothedevelopmentbyanyiden;fiedgeologichazards;

•  Analyzepoten;alimpactstheproposedprojectwillhaveonsurroundingproper;esorpublicfacili;esrelatedtoexis;nggeologichazards;and

•  Providerecommenda;onstobeincorporatedintotheproposedprojectwhichmi;gatesignificantpoten;alimpactstosurroundingproper;esorpublicfacili;es.

KeyRequirements

Theconclusionsandrecommenda;onsofthestudyshallbebasedupon:•  SiteSpecificSubsurfaceInves;ga;ons:Thisisnotrequiredformaster

planlevelstudies;

•  SiteReconnaissance:Sitereconnaissancetoiden;fythegeologicfeaturesofthesiteandsurroundingproperty;

•  PreviousGeologicReports:Reviewofpreviousgeologicreportswithincloseproximitytothesubjectsite;

•  GeologicMapping:Reviewofpastgeologicmappinginthearea;and

•  ExperienceOfGeologist:Conclusionsdrawnfromtheexperienceofthereviewinggeologist.

ReviewProcess

ReviewProcess

•  GeohazardreportsubmiMedwithlanddevelopmentapplica;on

•  GHRsenttoCGSforreview•  CGSprovidescommentstocitystaffandapplicant

–  CGSandapplicanthaveflexibilitytoworkdirectly

•  CGScommentsincorporatedinthelanddevelopmentapproval

•  CitystaffverifiesfinalrevisionstotheGHR

•  Disclosurestatementonplatordevelopmentplan

A]erthe2014-2015raineventsandlandslides,evalua;onoftheordinanceensued…

…Everyonewaseagerandexcited

KeyShort-ComingsIden;fied

•  [Lackof]homebuyerawareness

•  Disclosurestatementtoovague

•  [Lackof]reviewoffinalreportsanddevelopmentplansbyCGS

•  [Lackof]requirementofgeologicalhazardstudiesforsingle-familyhomes

•  [Lackof]cer;fica;on/verifica;onofas-builtsingle-familyhomes

•  Noanalysisofimpactstosurroundingproper;es

…a6erstakeholderprocess

KeyModifica;ons

[New]:TheManagermayrequestasite-specificgeologichazardstudyinconjunc;onwithabuildingpermitforanew,reconstruc;onoranexpansionofthebuildingfootprintofmorethan50%ofasingle-familyorduplexbuildingwherenopreviousgeologichazardstudyhasbeenreviewedbytheCityaspartofthemasterplan,zonechange,developmentplan,preliminaryplatorfinalplat.

KeyModifica;ons SuggestProvidemi;ga;ontechniques,whichwillminimizereducetoacceptablestandardstheriskposedtothedevelopmentbyanyiden;fiedgeologichazards.;[New]:Analyzepoten;alimpactstheproposedprojectwillhaveonsurroundingproper;esorpublicfacili;esrelatedtoexis;nggeologichazards;and[New]:Providerecommenda;onstobeincorporatedintotheproposedprojectwhichmi;gatesignificantpoten;alimpactstosurroundingproper;esorpublicfacili;es.

KeyModifica;ons [New]:FinalgeologicalhazardsreportandplanssentbacktoCGSforreviewpriortotheCity’sfinalapprovalofapplicableapplica;ons.CGStoreviewwithin14days[New]:Forsingle-familyhomesandduplexes,anImprovementLoca;onCer;ficate(ILC)mustbesubmiMedtotheCitypriortotheissuanceofaCer;ficateofOccupancybythePikePeakRegionalBuildingDepartmentDisclosurestatementtoiden;fythespecificgeologicalhazard(s)presentontheproperty

•  Moratoriumonnewdevelopmentand/orbuildingpermits

–  Notsupported•  Formalrealestatedisclosurestatementswithpropertytransfers

–  Citydoesnothaveauthoritytoregulatelandtransac;ons•  Overlayzoning/;tleencumbrance

–  Notsupported–  Nega;veaffectonpropertyvalues–  Imprecisemapping

•  Cer;fica;onbygeologist/geotechnicalengineerthatdevelopment/buildingconstruc;oncompletelyfollowedrecommenda;onsofthegeohazardreport–  Notsupported–  Liabilityinsuranceforfirms/professionals

OtherConsidera;ons