The purpose of the Geologic Hazard (GH) combining district is to protect the public's health and safety and minimize property damage by designating areas that are subject to or potentially subject to surface faulting, groundshaking, ground failure, landslides, mudslides, or other geologic hazards by establishing reasonable restrictions on land use in such areas. The GH district shall be applied to lands designated Map Code 2.1, 2.2, or 2.3 by the county general plan and to any other area where there is a reasonable presumption based on documented evidence that a hazardous or potentially hazardous condition exists. The regulations established by the GH district shall be in addition to the regulations of the base district with which the GH district is combined.

(Prior code § 7155.01)

Permitted uses in a GH district are those uses permitted by the base district with which the GH district is combined, except as modified in accordance with the standards and procedures set out in Sections 19.68.130 through 19.68.150 of this chapter.

(Prior code § 7155.02)

Uses permitted with a conditional use permit in a GH district are those conditional uses permitted by the base district with which the GH district is combined, except as modified in accordance with the standards and procedures set out in Sections 19.68.130 through 19.68.150 of this chapter.

(Prior code § 7155.03)

Prohibited uses in a GH district are those uses prohibited by the base district with which the GH district is combined.

(Prior code § 7155.04)

Minimum lot size requirements in a GH district are per the requirements of the base district with which the GH district is combined.

(Prior code § 7155.05)

Requirements for minimum lot area per dwelling unit in a GH district are per the requirements of the base district with which the GH district is combined.

(Prior code § 7155.06)

Yard and setback requirements in a GH district are per the requirements of the base district with which the GH district is combined, except as modified in accordance with the standards and procedures set out in Sections 19.68.130 through 19.68.150 of this chapter.

(Prior code § 7155.07)

Height limit requirements in a GH district are per the requirements of the base district with which the GH district is combined.

(Prior code § 7155.08)

(Ord. No. G-8226, § 79, 11-8-11)

Requirements for minimum distance between structures in a GH district are per the requirements of the base district with which the GH district is combined, except as modified in accordance with the standards and procedures set out in Sections 19.68.130 through 19.68.150 of this chapter.

(Prior code § 7155.09)

Parking requirements in a GH district are per the requirements of the base district with which the GH district is combined.

(Prior code § 7155.10)

Sign requirements in a GH district are per the requirements of the base district with which the GH district is combined.

(Prior code § 7155.11)

Landscaping requirements in a GH district are per the requirements of the base district with which the GH district is combined.

(Prior code § 7155.12)

No use shall be established, no development shall occur, and no building permit or grading permit shall be issued for any use or development in the GH combining district until an application for plot plan review has been submitted to and approved by the planning director in accordance with the procedures set out in Sections 19.102.040 through 19.102.060 of this title.

(Ord. G-6077 § 235, 1994: Prior code § 7155.13 (part))

An application for plot plan review shall include the following:

A.

Name and address of applicant;

B.

Name(s) and address(es) of the property owner(s);

C.

Assessor's parcel number(s);

D.

Legal description of the property;

E.

A plot plan drawn at the scale specified by the planning director, which includes the following information:

1.

Topography and proposed grading,

2.

Location and extent of all geologic hazards, including areas subject to surface faulting, groundshaking, ground failure, landslides, mudslides and other geologic hazards,

3.

Location of all proposed buildings and structures,

4.

Location of proposed streets, roads and parking areas,

5.

Proposed drainage improvements,

6.

North arrow;

F.

A geological report prepared by a qualified engineering geologist, certified by the state of California, shall be required for the following projects:

1.

Any subdivision of land which is subject to the Subdivision Map Act, Division 2 (commencing with Section 66410) of Title 7 of the Government Code, and which contemplates the eventual construction of structures for human occupancy,

2.

Structures for human occupancy, with the exception of:

a.

Single-family wood frame dwellings to be built on parcels of land for which geologic reports have been approved pursuant to the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection,

b.

A single-family wood frame dwelling not exceeding two (2) stories when such dwelling is not part of a development of four (4) or more dwellings,

c.

Residential accessory structures,

d.

Single mobilehome installations on individual lots;

G.

The geological report shall be prepared in conformity with the policies and criteria of the State Mining and Geology Board and the Guidelines for Evaluating the Hazard of Surface Fault Rupture, promulgated by the California Division of Mines and Geology. The geological report shall include the following information:

1.

The original signature and certification number of the responsible geologist,

2.

An index map showing the regional setting of the study area,

3.

A description of the study methods used; the methods may include, but are not limited to, field traverses and inspections, test pits or trenches, drill holes, geophysical investigation, aerial photo analysis, laboratory texts and review of previously published or unpublished maps and reports,

4.

On an appropriate topographic base, an orig-inal geological map of the site and as much of the surrounding area as is practicable. The scale shall be one (1) inch to one thousand (1,000) feet or larger for the main geologic map, and one (1) inch to one hundred (100) feet for complementary geologic maps emphasizing special features or hazards,

5.

One (1) or more geologic structure sections showing actual or probable subsurface relations and clearly labeled as to which relations are conjectural,

6.

A statement of conclusions and recommendations regarding suitability of proposed uses, including, but not limited to, buildings, structures, roads and septic systems in relation to the existing or potential geologic hazards and recommended mitigation measures with respect to the following:

a.

Location of buildings, structures, roads and septic systems in relation to identified geologic hazard or hazards,

b.

Method of construction,

c.

Grading,

d.

Removal of native vegetation and re-planting of cut slopes,

e.

Any other aspect of building construction or site development that has a clear relationship to the identified geologic hazard or hazards,

7.

A list of references of geologic literature used in evaluation of the site.

(Ord. G-6077 § 236, 1994; Ord. G-4993 § 43, 1989; Ord. G-4832 § 158, 1988; Prior code § 7155.13(A))

Development in the GH combining district shall comply with the mitigation measures recommended in the geological report required by Section 19.68.140 of this chapter as approved by the Kern County planning department. In any event, structures for human occupancy shall be set back at least fifty (50) feet from any active fault trace or one hundred (100) feet from any fault trace that cannot be precisely located or is depicted as "inferred" on the Kern County Seismic Hazard Atlas.

(Ord. G-6077 § 238, 1994: Prior code § 7155.13(B))