DCS General Policy
[This policy PDF Format for retention or printing.]
These Standards have been developed for use by developers, consulting engineers, contractors, and City Engineering forces working on projects within the City of Staunton. The standards are to be used as a guide in preparing drawings, specifications and the construction of all projects in the City. These standards are intended to supplement and reinforce City of Staunton Ordinances dealing with public infrastructure, zoning and environmental issues.
State and Federal regulations shall be satisfied on all projects. In the event that the City Standards differ from State or Federal Requirements, the more restrictive standard shall be utilized.
It is very difficult to generalize when addressing matters of engineering design without endangering the final project; therefore, consultants should strive for designs which show consideration of details presented herein. However, these details are secondary to good engineering judgment.Unless other plans and specifications are approved by the City these standards will be adhered to during project construction.
The work described herein is under the jurisdiction of the City of Staunton City Engineer hereinafter referred to as the Department.
NOTICE: Plans and specifications presented to the City Engineer for approval shall be in conformance with these standards. The City Engineer’s time for scrutinizing such presentations is limited; therefore the following rules for City Engineer approval shall be enforced.
a. Plans and specifications shall be returned when more than one major defect is found. No attempt towards finding other defects shall be made.
b. Communication by the City Engineer shall be with the applicant only or the applicant and his consulting engineer, not the consulting engineer alone.
c. Responsibility for thorough submittals lies with the applicant.
Applicability
A complete site development plan is required for any project involving the extension, addition, replacement or repair of City infrastructure including but not limited to streets, water lines, sanitary sewer lines, storm sewer and associated facilities and for any land distributing activity greater than 10,000 square feet.
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Certification
Plans for all public facilities shall be prepared by a licensed Professional Engineer certified to perform the work in the Commonwealth of Virginia in accordance with Title 54, Chapter 3 of the Code of Virginia, 1950 as amended. Where applicable, design be preformed under the direction of a certified land surveyor in accordance with Section 54-17.1(3)b of the above stated code. Costs
The developer is responsible for all costs incurred in planning, constructing, installing and testing of all public facilities required to complete the proposed project. Before site plan review begins, the developer shall pay all fees applicable for the review by the City staff or State or Federal agencies.
The maintenance of all public facilities shall be the responsibility of and at the sole cost of the developer until such time as the completed facilities have been accepted by the City and appropriate maintenance bond has been posted.
Compliance
Designs submitted for all erosion control and public facilities shall be in compliance with the standards cited in the Manual unless otherwise approved by the City staff. Justifications for any deviations from these standards shall be provided. The City may require changes in designs which are not in substantial compliance with this Manual and which are not adequately justified by the engineer/owner.
Approval Required
Prior to any land disturbance greater than 10,000 square feet, or the construction of any water supply, fire protection, sanitary sewer, storm drainage, erosion and sediment control to transportation facility, plans must be approved by the City Engineer as meeting the requirements contained in the Manual.
Plan and Review
Seven sets of all plans are to be submitted to the Department of Planning and Inspection. After payment of appropriate fees, the plans will be reviewed by the City Engineer. Those plans not permitted for local plan review such as pumps, storage facilities and some larger diameter pipes shall require approval from the appropriate offices of the State Department of Health or Department of Environmental Quality.
The City shall retain a Professional Engineer on staff to review plans. The City shall retain the services of a Professional Consulting Engineer to provide review services for in-house designs.
After receiving notification of approval of plan requirements, the requested number of plans shall be submitted to the City Engineer, together with the required bond, for signature acceptance. All sets of approval plans will be stamped by the City Engineer and one set will be returned to the owner. The approval plans shall allow for the permitting process to continue and shall be valid for one year, otherwise requiring resubmittal for approval if construction has not started or becomes inactive. |
Bonding ProcedureA. Construction Bond Cost Estimate
The City Engineer shall set the value of the bond required for associated public improvements and associated environmental controls. The developer shall have the right to have his design engineer provide an itemized cost estimate for the City Engineer’s review.
B. Performance Bond
Before final construction plans will be approved by the City Engineer, or before issuance of an Earth Disturbing Permit for any project, the developer or his agent shall submit a performance bond with surety, irrevocable letter of credit, cashier’s check or any surety from approved by the City Attorney to ensure that measures could be taken by the City at the developer’s expense should he fail to complete the public facilities and erosion control measures required for the project within the specified time frame.
For such surety which contains an expiration date, the permittee will be notified by the City Engineer 45 calendar days prior to that expiration date that an approved extension or new bond will be required. If an extension or new bond is not received by the Department of Community Development within 20 calendar days prior to the original’s expiration, action will be taken to draw upon the original to allow the City to complete the instillation of erosion control and public facilities. At that time, all construction permits will be revoked and continued work at the project will place the developer, the contractor or other associated parties in violation of City Code.
C. Maintenance Bond
Prior to the release of the performance bond or the acceptance of public facilities by the City, the developer or owner shall submit a maintenance bond in the amount of ten percent (10%) of the construction costs of the public works and water and sewer facilities. The maintenance bond shall run for one year from date of acceptance of the facilities and shall be used by the City to pay repair expenses of latent defects discovered during said year. In a non-emergency situation, the bond holder will be given a reasonable time to make any necessary repairs prior to the City making claim to the bond.
Pre-Construction Conference
Prior to the issuance of an Earth Disturbance Permit and the start of construction of any project involving proposed erosion control or public facilities, a pre-construction conference shall be held. The purpose of the meeting shall be to coordinate the construction schedules and to discuss implementation of erosion control measures. The developer, the contractor, affected public works department representatives and the City’s Inspector may be requested to attend this conference. Arrangements for this conference shall be made through the Office or the City Engineer. If all requirements have been met, the Earth Disturbing Permit may be released at the close of this meeting.
Revisions to Approved Plans
Any deviation from approved plans and specifications must be approved in writing by the City of Staunton and other agencies, if applicable, by written change order format. Requests for such deviations shall be presented to the City Engineer and be accompanied by revised plans. The City Engineer shall determine which departments are required to review the requested modifications and will oversee the implementation of this process. |
Acceptance of Public Facilities
A “Certificate of Substantial Completion” shall be issued at such time that the City of Staunton will commence perpetual maintenance of public facilities. Facilities as denoted refer to water, sanitary sewer, streets, drainage, erosion control and other construction which has been intended within the scope of work as determined by the contents of the approval drawings and other documents.
The City Engineer, the heads of departments of which the responsibilities for perpetual maintenance shall belong, and the inspector may jointly declare a project as being substantially complete. This declaration shall include water, sewer and all public works facilities as proposed in its entirety. Water and sewer facilities, however, may be declared substantially complete prior to other public facilities as proposed.
Where construction requires water transmission mains of size greater than 12’’, pumping, storage or treatment, the developer or his agent shall provide “Certificate to Operate” as issued by the Virginia Department of Health. (See App. I). In addition, approval shall be provided as issued by the City Building Inspections Office.
Where construction requires forced sewer pumping, the developer or his agent shall provide a “Certificate of Operate” as issued by the Virginia Department of Health/Department of Environmental Quality-Water Division. In addition, approval shall be provided as issued by the City Building Inspections Office. Where construction requires sanitary sewer pretreatment facilities, the developer or his agent shall provide a statement of acceptance by the Augusta County/Staunton Regional WWTP Operation Committee.
All referenced certificates for water and sewer utilities shall be required as a prerequisite to establishing billing accounts and setting of water meters.
Formal Procedure
Upon completion and testing of all water and sewer mains and/or upon completion, testing and placing in service of all proposed public street facilities; upon dedication of all required right-of-way and easements, and upon stabilizing of all disturbed areas in accordance with the approved erosion control plan, the Staunton City Engineer, at the request of the developer or his agent, shall schedule a final inspection.
A “Final Inspection” shall be conducted within seven (7) working days of the submitted request.
Upon completion of a final inspection and the correction of deficiencies, if any, noted during the final inspection and prior to final acceptance, and upon submission of all required documents (i.e. easements and one set of as-built-mylars), the City Engineer may issue a formal acceptance of the completed public facilities. The City will accept ownership of any maintenance responsibilities for such facilities on the effective date of said letter.
Prerequisite of Building Permit
Approval of development plans may be used as a conditional prerequisite for a building permit on individual sites within the project. Each Department head may issue a statement which can be provided to the Building Permit Officer, if required, and will acknowledge the future availability of adequate public facilities. Such statements may be issued when the proposed work of approved plans will meet the specific public works requirements. This statement shall indemnify the City from the responsibility of completion schedule. The building permit applicant shall acknowledge the conditional provision in writing.
Police and Fire Protection
Police and fire protection will be provide to all persons and corporations within the City; however, such protection may be deemed somewhat less than adequate prior to the instillation, testing, and placing into service of the necessary fire protection water mains and the construction of all-weather access to the properties and structures for which such protection is required.
