Chapter 20.540
SURFACE MINING OVERLAY DISTICT
Sections:
20.540.010
Purpose.
20.540.020
Establishment of Boundaries
20.540.030
Approval Process.
20.540.040
Submission Requirements.
20.540.050
Performance Standards.
Section 20.540.010
Purpose.
General. The purpose of the Surface Mining Overlay District (sm) is intended to ensure the continued
extraction of rock, stone, gravel, sand, earth and minerals without disrupting or endangering adjacent land
uses, while safeguarding life, property and the public welfare. Provisions of Washington State Statutes
78.44 RCW and 332-18 WAC applicable to the City of Vancouver pertaining to surface mining are hereby
adopted by reference.
(M-3643, Added, 01/26/2004)
Section 20.540.020
Establishment of Boundaries
Boundary Map. The boundaries of the Surface Mining Overlay Zone are shown on Figure 20.540-1.
(M-3930, Amended, 10/05/2009, Sec 5; M-3643, Added, 01/26/2004)
Section 20.540.030
Approval Process.
A.A. Permitted uses. The following uses are permitted within this district, subject to site plan review as
regulated by Chapter 20.270 VMC:
1. All uses allowed in the base zoning district over which this district overlay is established.
2. Extractions from deposits of rock, stone, gravel, sand, earth and minerals along with related
accessory activities
A.B. Conditional Uses. The following uses may be conditionally permitted within this overlay, subject to
conditional use review, as governed by Chapter 20.245 VMC, and site plan review, as governed by Chapter
20.270 VMC:
1. Asphalt mixing.
2. Concrete batching.
3. Clay bulking.
4. Rock crushing.
5. On-site hazardous waste treatment and storage facilities subject to State Siting Criteria as regulated
by 70.105.210 RCW.
(M-3643, Added, 01/26/2004)
Section 20.540.040
Submission Requirements.
Submission requirements. The submission requirements of an application for site plan review of the uses
described in this chapter shall also include the following information
A. Vicinity map. General vicinity map of the proposed site.
B. Topography. Property limits and accurate contours of existing ground and details of terrain and area
drainage.
C. Grading plan. Dimensions, elevations or finished contours to be achieved by the grading, proposed
drainage channels, and related construction.
D. Physical characteristics. Detailed plans of all surface and subsurface drainage devices, walls,
cribbing, dams, berms, settling ponds, and other protective devices to be constructed with or as a part of
the proposed work, together with the maps showing the drainage area and the estimated runoff of the area
served by any drains.
E. Location of development. Location of any buildings, or structures on the property where the work is
to be performed, and the location of any buildings or structures on land of adjacent property owners
which are within 50’ of the property, or which may be affected by the proposed operation.
F. Landscape and rehabilitation plan. Landscape and rehabilitation plan as required by Section
20.540.050(O) VMC.
(M-3643, Added, 01/26/2004)
Section 20.540.050
Performance Standards.
A. Site area. When the activity includes both extractions and one or more of the conditional uses listed in
Section 20.540.030 (B) VMC, the total site area shall be a minimum of 20 acres. Activities that are limited
to extractions only shall not have a minimum site size.
B. Lot width. There shall be a minimum lot width of 330’ , unless the activity does not include any one of
the uses listed in Section 20.540.030 (B) VMC, in which case, there shall be a minimum lot width of 60’ .
C. Fencing. The periphery of all sites within the site area being actively mined or reclaimed shall be
fenced according to the State Department of Natural Resources standards.
D. Berms. Berms of sufficient height, width, and mass to screen the site from adjacent land uses shall be
provided. Suitable planting shall be determined by the Planning Official during site plan review.
E. Setbacks. The tops and toes of cut and fill slopes shall be set back from property boundaries according
to the State Department of Natural Resources' standards for safety of the adjacent properties, and to prevent
damage resulting from water runoff or erosion of slopes.
F. Maximum permissible noise levels. Maximum permissible noise levels shall be according to the
provisions of the 173-60 WAC.
G. Hours of operation. Hours of operation, unless otherwise authorized or restricted by the Planning
Official, shall be between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
H. Excavations to water-producing depth. The intent of this provision is to allow reclamation of the land
that will result in the establishment of a lake of sufficient area and depth of water to be useful for residential
or recreational purposes. All excavations must either be made to a water-producing depth, or graded in a
manner approved by the City Engineer. The excavations made to a water-producing depth shall be
reclaimed in the following manner:
1. The depth of the excavations must not be less than 2’ measured below the low-water mark.
2. All banks shall be sloped to the water line no steeper than 1-1/2’ horizontal to 1’ vertical.
3. All banks shall be sloped from the low-water line into the pond or lake with a minimum slope of
1-1/2’ horizontal to 1’ vertical, to a depth of 5’ .
4. In no event shall the term “water-producing depth,” as herein used, be construed to allow stagnant
or standing water to collect or remain in the excavation.
I. Slope. When reclaimed, no slope of cut and fill surfaces shall be steeper than is safe for the intended
use, and shall not exceed 1-1/2’ horizontal to 1’ vertical for gravel, and ¼’ horizontal to 1’ vertical,
unless otherwise approved by the City Engineer for consolidated material.
J. Erosion control. All disturbed areas including faces of cuts and fill slopes, shall be prepared and
maintained to control erosion. This control may consist of planting sufficient in amount or type to stabilize
the slope as approved by the Planning Official.
K. Drainage. Provisions shall be made to:
1. Prevent any surface water or seepage from damaging the cut face of any excavations or the sloping
face of a hill.
2. Drain any surface waters that are or might be concentrated as a result of a fill or excavation to a
natural watercourse, or by other means approved by the City Engineer.
3. Prevent any sediment from leaving the site in a manner which violates 90.48.080 RCW and
173-201-100 WAC.
L. Bench/terrace. Benches shall be back-sloped, and shall be established at not more than 40’ vertical
intervals, to control surface drainage and debris. Swales or ditches on benches shall have a maximum
gradient of 5%.
M. Maintenance of access roads. Access roads to mining and quarrying sites shall be maintained and
located to the satisfaction of the City Engineer, to minimize problems of dust, mud and traffic circulation.
N. Overburden. Overburden shall only be removed to accommodate aggregate and related activities of
this chapter.
O. Land restoration
1. Upon the exhaustion of minerals or materials, or upon the permanent abandonment of the quarrying
or mining operation, all buildings, structures, apparatus or appurtenances accessory to the quarrying and
mining operation which are nonconforming to the underlying district, shall be removed or otherwise
dismantled to the satisfaction of the Planning Official by means of a Type I procedure.
2. Final grades shall be such so as to encourage the uses permitted by right or allowed conditionally
within the base zoning district.
3. Unless approved as a sanitary landfill, grading or backfilling shall be made with non-noxious,
non-flammable and non-combustible solids.
4. Such graded or backfilled areas, except for roads, shall be seeded or surfaced with soil of a quality at
least equal to the topsoil of the land areas immediately surrounding, and to a depth of at least 4”, or a depth
of that of the topsoil of land areas immediately surrounding, if less than 4”.
5. Such topsoil as required by Subsection 4 above shall be planted with trees, shrubs or grasses.
6. Graded or backfilled areas shall be reclaimed in a manner that will not permit stagnant water to
remain. Suitable drainage systems approved by the City Engineer shall be constructed or installed if natural
drainage is not possible.
7. Waste or soil piles shall be leveled and the area treated, as required in Subsections 4 and 5 above.
(M-3643, Added, 01/26/2004)