- a)Fill slopes will have a maximum gradient of 30%.
- b)All waste materials, whether from excavation, fill, or construction, will be removed from the area and may not be deposited in tidal waters or in coastal zones.
- c)When adjacent upper terrains are affected by a construction area, these must be leveled and their vegetation renewed or stabilized by another system so as to prevent erosion during or after construction.
- d)Any fill must be clean and free of materials that can produce contamination in tidal waters.
- e)As a method of changing slopes on sand banks, cutting will be preferred over filling.
The following norms will be applied on upper terrains and on coastlines, in those cases where the Municipality determines that additional measures are required to protect the coastal region's environment. Such requirements will be established as stipulations for the corresponding approval, according to norms and requirements provided by the Instituto Nacional de Vivienda y Urbanismo.
1. For works on the ground in the coastal zone:
- a)Prior to the start of construction, the contractor will meet with officials from the Municipality, the Dirección de Urbanismo of the Instituto Nacional de Vivienda y Urbanismo, and officials from the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo to clarify the permit conditions.
- b)Construction or excavation materials may not be placed or stored in the public zone.
- c)All affected soils must be leveled uniformly. Vegetation replacement must be done immediately after construction; otherwise, the soil must be stabilized temporarily using manure, straw and burlap, or similar, until weather conditions are favorable for planting.
- d)In those cases where temporary disturbance of coastal features, beach slopes, buffer zones, or coastal vegetation is authorized, the affected area must be fully restored at the owner's expense and with the guidance of the control institutions involved.
2. In case of works on lots neighboring the beach on the upper part, to minimize erosion, the following measures will be taken:
- a)Staked and buried bales of hay, buried at least 10 cm, will be placed along the entire lower perimeter of the area destined for construction before executing any fill, excavation, leveling, or any other earthworks (movimiento de tierra) work, and the bales must be replaced as many times as necessary until permanent vegetation replacement has been established. No type of soils or materials shall exceed the limit of the bales.
- b)Unless otherwise specified and approved, all slopes must be adapted to their original state.
- c)Where natural or artificial slopes are in the process of erosion, leveling works may be done to achieve their equilibrium, and they must be repopulated with plants having thick roots of the "cepillo" type and, to the extent possible, with vegetation native to the zone.
- d)Construction must be scheduled to fit the dry season to prevent water currents from falling on exposed lands, excavations, or unstabilized soils.
- e)Sedimentary waters may not be discharged into natural watercourses, which must be protected along their banks by straw bale fences that intercept possible sediments.
3. For cases where slopes of more than 15% are affected.
- a)Where this type of work is permitted, the following must be observed:
- Filling will not be permitted.
- Cutting will be kept to the absolute minimum.
- The existing vegetation cover (cobertura vegetal) on the slope will be permanently maintained as far as it is physically possible to maintain it.
- b)When potential damage to a slope by erosion caused by water fall is determined, straw bales or similar elements will be placed at the top of the slope. The collected water will be disposed of adequately by means of artificial drainage or lagoons; where possible, these drainage waters will be built along the boundaries with other properties to prevent water from draining onto neighboring lots. These lagoons must be designed to handle maximum flows obtained with a frequency of 10 years.
- c)In the case of cuts on slopes or excavations on lands adjacent to coastal features, waste materials must be placed at the top of the drop-off so as to avoid sediment drainage.
- d)Pedestrian accesses running through coastal zones with steep slopes or on banks must be stabilized or built by means of elevated walkways.
4. For individual or collective wastewater (aguas negras) systems, it is necessary to present studies of soil quality, infiltration tests, and the respective location and design for the corresponding approval.
- a)Under no circumstances will drainage in fill zones close to natural watercourses, even if intermittent, or in the vicinity of the beach, be accepted.
- b)Aqueduct and storm sewer systems must demonstrate that they can connect to the public system; if one does not exist, services may be provided provided that the on-site water extraction or the disposal of wastewater and stormwater does not have a significant impact on the environment or public health.
Ciudad Cortés, May 17, 2000.—Roxana Ramírez Salazar, Auxiliar de Secretaría.