Statutes, codes, and regulations
District Of Columbia Administrative Code
Title 12 - CONSTRUCTION CODES SUPPLEMENT OF 2013Subtitle 12-K - GREEN CONSTRUCTION CODE SUPPLEMENT OF 2013
Chapter 12-K4 - SITE DEVELOPMENT AND LAND USE
Rule 12-K405 - MANAGEMENT OF VEGETATION, SOILS AND EROSION CONTROL

D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 12, r. 12-K405

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Current through Register Vol. 72, No. 2, January 10, 2025
Rule 12-K405 - MANAGEMENT OF VEGETATION, SOILS AND EROSION CONTROL

Strike Section 405.1 of the International Green Construction Code in its entirety and insert new Section 405.1 in the Green Construction Code in its place to read as follows:

405.1

Soil and water quality protection. Soil and water quality shall be protected in accordance with Section 405.1.4.

Strike Sections 405.1.1, 405.1.2, 405.1.3, 405.1.5 and 405.1.6 of the International Green Construction Code in their entirety without substitution.

Strike Section 405.1.4 of the International Green Construction Code in its entirety and insert new Section 405.1.4 in the Green Construction Code in its place to read as follows:

405.1.4

Soil reuse and restoration. Soils that are being placed or replaced on a building site shall be prepared, amended and placed in a manner that establishes or restores the ability of the soil to support the vegetation that has been protected and that will be planted. Soil reuse and restoration shall be in accordance with Sections 405.1.4.1 and 405.1.4.2.

405.1.4.1

Preparation. Before placing stockpiled or imported topsoils, compliance with all of the following shall occur:

1. Areas shall be cleared of debris including, but not limited to, building materials, plaster, paints, road base type materials, petroleum based chemicals, and other harmful materials;
2. Areas of construction-compacted subsoil shall be scarified; and
3. The first lift of replaced soil shall be mixed into this scarification zone to improve the transition between the subsoil and overlying soil horizons.

Exceptions: Scarification is prohibited in all of the following locations:

1. Where scarification would damage existing tree roots.
2. On inaccessible slopes.
3. On or adjacent to trenching and drainage installations.
4. On areas intended by the design to be compacted such as abutments, footings, inslopes.
5. Brownfields.
6. Other locations where scarification would damage existing structures, utilities and vegetation being preserved.
405.1.4.2

Restoration. Soils disturbed during construction shall be restored in areas that will not be covered by buildings, structures or hardscapes. Soil restoration shall comply with the following:

1.Organic matter. To provide appropriate organic matter for plant growth and for water storage and infiltration, soils shall be amended with a mature, stable compost material so that not less than the top 6 inches (152.4 mm) of soil contains not less than 3 percent organic matter. Sphagnum peat or organic amendments that contain sphagnum peat shall not be used. Soil organic matter shall be determined in accordance with ASTM D 2974. Organic materials selected for onsite amendment or for blending of imported soils shall be renewable within a 50-year cycle.

Exception: Where the reference soil for a building site has an organic level depth other than 6 inches, soils shall be amended to organic matter levels and organic matter depth that are comparable to the site's reference soil.

2.Additional soil restoration criteria. In addition to compliance with Item 1, soil restoration shall comply with not less than three of the following criteria:

1. Compaction. Bulk densities within the root zone shall not exceed the densities specified in Table 405.1.4 and shall be measured using a soil cone penetrometer in accordance with ASAE S313.3. The root zone shall be not less than 6 inches (152.4 mm), nor less than the site's reference soil, whichever results in the greater depth of measurement. Data derived from a soil cone penetrometer shall be reported in accordance with ASAE EP542.

2.Infiltration rates. Infiltration rates or saturated hydraulic conductivity of the restored soils shall be comparable to the site's reference soil. Infiltration rates shall be determined in accordance with ASTM D 3385 or ASTM D 5093. For sloped areas where the methods provided in the referenced standards cannot be used successfully, alternate methods approved by the code official shall be permitted provided that the same method is used to test both reference soil and onsite soil.
3.Soil biological function. Where remediated soils are used, the biological function of the soils' mineralizable nitrogen shall be permitted as a proxy assessment of biological activity.
4.Soil chemical characteristics. Soil chemical characteristics appropriate for plant growth shall be restored. The pH, cation exchange capacity and nutrient profiles of the original undisturbed soil or the site's reference soil shall be matched in restored soils. Salinity suitable for regionally appropriate vegetation shall be established. Soil amendments and fertilizers shall be selected from those which minimize nutrient loading to waterways or groundwater.

TABLE 405.1.4

MAXIMUM CONE PENETROMETER READINGS

SURFACE RESISTANCE (PSI)

SUBSURFACE RESISTANCE (PSI)

All Textures Sand

Sand (includes loamy sand, sandy loam, sandy clay loam, and sandy clay)

Silt (includes loam, silt loam, silty clay loam, and silty clay)

Clay (includes clay loam)

110

260

260

225

Any questions or comments regarding this notice shall be addressed by mail to Victor L. Reid, Esq., Administrator, Office of Documents and Administrative Issuances, 441 4th Street, N.W., Suite 520 South, Washington, D.C. 20001, email at victor.reid@dc.gov, or via telephone at (202) 727-5090.

405.2

Invasive plant species.Invasive plant species shall not be planted on a building site. Containment or removal of any invasive plant species currently on the site is required.

Strike Section 405.3 of the International Green Construction Code in its entirety and insert new Section 405.3 in the Green Construction Code in its place to read as follows:

405.3

Native plant landscaping. Where new landscaping is installed as part of a site plan or within the building site, not less than 50 percent of the newly landscaped area shall be planted with native plant species.

Exceptions:

1. Locations where non-native plant species are required by laws or regulations of the District of Columbia;
2. Vegetative roofs for buildings or structures; or
3. Trees.

D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 12, r. 12-K405

Final Rulemaking published at 61 DCR 3356 (March 28, 2014 Part 2); as corrected by Errata Notice published at 61 DCR 5246 (May 23, 2014); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 61 DCR 9832 (March 28, 2014)
The District of Columbia Green Construction Code (2013) , referred to as the "Green Construction Code," consists of the 2012 edition of the International Green Construction Code published by the International Code Council (ICC), as amended by the District of Columbia Green Construction Code Supplement (2013)(12 DCMR K). The International Green Construction Code is copyrighted by the International Code Council and therefore is not republished here. However, a copy of the text may be obtained at: http://publicecodes.cyberregs.com/icod/igcc/2012/index.htm?bu=IC-P-2012-000023&bu2=IC-P-2012-000019.
Authority: Section 10 of the Construction Codes Approval and Amendments Act of 1986 (Act), effective March 21, 1987 (D.C. Law 6-216; D.C. Official Code § 6-1409 (2012 Repl.)) and Mayor"s Order 2009-22, dated February 25, 2009, as amended.