How steep is TOO steep?

[gotrocks]

Good morning TBN'ers,
Please let me have your thoughts and comments regarding a situation that bothers me.

The land that borders our 20 A is being developed of PRD (Planned Residential Development) That's a joke!

The bulldozers have cut a "bluff" along the back side of us that is 30 feet down with a slope that a mountain goat would love. It drops 3 feet in 4 feet. Not quite a 45 degree slope.

What would you do - say - request - from the developer and or the city goverment that approves this and inspects before accepting the finished subdivision?

Some of my concerns are,
1. if someone is walking along our line and slips that will be quite a tumble?
2. As time passes if erosion takes place will the "new" neighbors expect us
to take care of the "run off" from our property?
Or even worse if the hill side slides down and does damage to others.

Thanks for reading, now what say you?

 

[schmism]

to answer your title question....

depends on soil type.

obiously road cuts through rock are nearly vertical... and genearlly dont "errode"

as for dirt/clay.... the rule used by a lot of municipalities/DOT's is a max of 2:1 (1 vertical foot per 2 horzontal feet) but maintance guys dont like anything over 3:1 as "you cant mow it"

if the soil is stable at a steeper slope, you should still voice your concern to the developer/engineer/city. At least youll have documaentation that you complained about the issue should there be an "incident" in the future.

as for water, the developer should be takeing that in to account, ie they should know how much water will be makeing down that slope and should build accordingly.... (what that usually means is putting a drainage swale at the back of the property of the new houses to catch the runn off from the adjacent property and divert it to were it needs to go before it causes "problems" in that persons backyard/house/basement....
BUT
the issue lies in the developer not indicating clearly that "your gonna have a wet backyard when it rains cause your lot is the lowest and collects all the water" and some "sucker" is upset cause he didnt understand what he bought. (he didnt make the connection of why his lot was 15% less than all the others)

you should be able to sleep well at night knowing that if the existing condtion before any dirt was moved, meant that the water went his way, then any issues created by that water, are HIS problem, NOT yours. At the same time, if he were to build up his side of the line, and now the water that USED to flow across his property no longer does, and instead pools up in your back yard causeing problems.... again, that is HIS problem HE has to fix... not yours. (at least in theory)

 

[RonMar]

How close is this cut bank to your property line? And I did understand correctly, that it slopes down and away from your property? It would probably be better to voice your concerns to the planners/approvers about angle, safety, erosion/collapse and slide while the heavy equipment is still there

 

[gotrocks]

Thanks to you Two,

The "bluff" runs along our line and drops away with a 3 foot drop in 4 horizontal feet.
If my geometry is correct a
2 -1 would be 26.6 degree slope
3 - 1 would be 18.4 degree slope
and our situation 4 - 3 is 36.9 degree slope

I have a call in to speak with the city engineer and will also put in writing to city and owner (assuming I can get name and address).

Any others I'm still listening.
Thanks,
Norris

 

[SnowRidge]

I have a call in to speak with the city engineer and will also put in writing to city and owner (assuming I can get name and address).

Any others I'm still listening.
Thanks,
Norris

The property and/or tax records at the courthouse will have the name and address of the owner. They are public records, and you have the right to inspect them. Just stop by the courthouse and inquire.

 

[MikeD74T]

Not knowing exactly how close your boundary is to the edge of the drop off I'd be thinking that the abuttor may have created a nuisance hazard that should be protected by a fence. If the developer covered the cost of an adequate fence your fall liability should be negated. MikeD74t

 

[Highbeam]

Just think, you'll be able to look right into their backyards with a birdseye view.

You should be able to get a set of the grading plans showing existing and proposed countours, grades, and slopes to verify that the site was built per plan. If the plans only called out a 2:1 slope and they did a 4:3 then they went too steep and the liability game will be hard to play with all of the finger pointing. Need to deal with that now. If the plans call out 4:3 and they were constructed properly then the engineer is liable and he has insurance. There is typically a geotechnical report as well addressing the stability of the slope at such a steep cut.

We frequently allow 2:1 slopes to be used in our junky ground. I've never approved anything steeper.

 

[rox]

Not knowing exactly how close your boundary is to the edge of the drop off I'd be thinking that the abuttor may have created a nuisance hazard that should be protected by a fence. If the developer covered the cost of an adequate fence your fall liability should be negated. MikeD74t

Seems like tath would ahve to be a pretty tall fence, would'nt it?
If it were me I would take some pictures now, jsut so you ahve some landmarks and bearing before any more construciton happens. probably never need the pics, but an hours time spent taking oics now of the vacant land might prove valuable in the future. And hopefully your camera can put the date and timein the pic. Tht that developmet next door, kind f makes you wonder what your 20a is worth, now doesn't it?

 

[Soundguy]

Not knowing exactly how close your boundary is to the edge of the drop off I'd be thinking that the abuttor may have created a nuisance hazard that should be protected by a fence. If the developer covered the cost of an adequate fence your fall liability should be negated. MikeD74t

That's a good point. The city put in a WRA in behind a fast food joint , and made that thing so steep that it has to use boom mounted ditch bank mowers to cut it. You can't even walk down the slope.. you almost have to rapell down ( spelling? ).. In any case.. there are sidewalks past this WRA to the fast food joint, and in short order a 'public safety' fence had to go up.. etc..

soundguy

 

[BTDT]

The timing on this thread is unbelievable. Just turn on the tv and look at that development in California where the upper houses are sliding toward the lower houses. Could this be your place in 20 yrs!