General Standards 1) In all cases where fill, excavation, or leveling works are carried out, the following standards shall apply.
- a)Fill slopes shall have a maximum gradient of 30%.
- b)All waste materials, whether from excavation, fill, or construction, shall be removed from the area and may not be deposited in tidal waters or coastal zones.
- c)When adjacent upper lands are affected by a construction area, they must be leveled and their vegetation restored 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 could cause contamination in tidal waters, estuaries, etc.
- e)As a method of changing slopes in sandbanks, cutting will be preferred over filling.
- 2)The following standards shall apply on upper lands and on shorelines, in those cases where the Municipal Council determines that additional measures are required to protect the environment of the coastal region. Such requirements shall be established as stipulations for the corresponding visa.
- a)For works on the soil of the coastal zone.
a.a) Before the start of construction, the contractor shall meet at the site with representatives of the Municipal Council and the Urbanism Directorate of the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo to clarify permit conditions.
a.b) Construction or excavation materials may not be placed or stored in the public zone (zona pública).
a.c) All affected soils must be uniformly leveled, and the restoration of vegetation must be done immediately after construction; otherwise, the soil must be temporarily stabilized using manure, straw, jute, or something similar until climate conditions are adequate for planting.
a.d) In those cases where a temporary disturbance of coastal features, beach slopes, buffer zones, or coastal vegetation is authorized, the affected area must be completely restored at the owner's expense and with the guidance of the involved control institutions.
- b)In case of works on lots adjacent to the beach on the upper part, to minimize erosion, the following measures shall be taken.
b.a) Along the entire lower perimeter of the area intended for construction, before executing any fill work, excavation, leveling, or any other earthworks (movimientos de tierra), hay bales shall be placed, staked, and buried at least two centimeters, the bales needing to be replaced as many times as necessary until the permanent vegetation restoration has been established. No type of soil or materials shall exceed the limit of the bales.
b.b) Unless special changes are specified and approved, all slopes must be adapted to their original state.
b.c) Where natural or artificial slopes are in the process of erosion, leveling works may be carried out to achieve their equilibrium, and they must be repopulated with plants that have thick roots of the "capillo" type.
b.d) Construction must be scheduled to fit the dry season or to prevent water currents from discharging onto exposed lands, excavations, or unstable soils.
b.e) Sediment-laden water may not be discharged into natural watercourses, which shall be protected along their banks by straw bale fences that intercept possible sediments.
- c)For use affecting slopes of more than 15%.
c.a) Where this type of works is permitted, the following must be observed:
- Filling shall not be permitted - Cutting shall be kept to the absolute minimum - The vegetative cover shall be permanently maintained - As far as is physically possible, it shall be maintained on the slope.
c.b) When a potential for slope damage is determined due to erosion caused by falling water, straw bales shall be placed at the top of the slope, or similar elements constructed. The collected water shall be adequately disposed of through artificial drains or lagoons. Where possible, these drainage lagoons shall be built along property boundaries to prevent water from draining into neighboring lots.
These lagoons shall be designed to handle maximum flow rates obtained with a ten-year frequency.
c.c) In the case of slope cuts or excavations on land adjacent to coastal features, waste materials shall be placed at the top of the drop-off in such a way as to prevent sediment drainage.
c.d) Pedestrian accesses that run through coastal zones with steep slopes or on banks must be stabilized or constructed by means of elevated walkways.
- d)For individual or collective black water systems, it is necessary to submit for the corresponding visa, soil quality studies, infiltration tests, location, and respective design.
d.a) Under no circumstances will drains be accepted in fill zones near slopes and in the vicinity of the beach.
d.b) Aqueduct and storm sewer systems must demonstrate that they can be connected to the public system; if none exists, the services may be provided, provided that the extraction of water on site or the disposal of wastewater and stormwater does not have a significant impact on the environment or public health.