Excavating/grading question

[Jpcjguy]

Sounds like you have the plan. If you can operate a wheeled loader, rent it. You can dig out large rocks if and when encountered. If there a school bus sized rocks, leave them there for landscape appeal. An excavator would get in the way in my opinion. To finish the grade, you could use the tractor guy to do that.

I have thought of that. Do most of the digging myself and get it roughly where I want it and then have a professional do the finish work.

 

[Jpcjguy]

Two things that I have learned by building a road, excavating for a barn and clearing fields that I suggest you meditate on:

1. What look like modest changes in grade can involve HUGE amounts of dirt. It is easy to underestimate how much dirt you will need to move.

2. It is all about cycle time. That long ride between A & B is going to eat up a LOT of seat time. Give careful thought to how long it takes to move each bucket of dirt. You might be near the break point of using a dump truck to save on tractor time.

I live northwest of Richmond and have learned that Virginia has some righteous rocks, as they say the best laid plans "gang aft aigly"

Excellent points. I am getting more quotes on the work also.
I am in agreement in with #2. It might make sense to have a dump truck rather than have the tractor go back and forth 1000 times.
I see that you are in Goochland - so am I! I am in Manakin Sabot about 13 minutes from Short Pump mall.

 

[s219]

One thing to mention up front is that since you're disturbing more than 2500 sq.ft, you will need to get a land disturbing permit (VA state rule) and that means running a site plan by your local environmental or building department and dealing with erosion/sedimentation countermeasures ($$$). Since you're potentially altering drainage to neighboring properties, I suspect the permit won't come easy. There may be an easement for that drainage area passing through the neighbors property, but that just means they can't block it. It doesn't mean you can do stuff upstream that would alter drainage to downstream properties.

I think it would be a mistake to fill in the swale. It's not just a drainage point for the tree area, it's a drainage point for all the land around it (whether there is visible surface water or not -- that's a common misconception). Filling it and putting a pipe in will only allow drainage from the tree area, and all other existing flows will just collect and turn your fill into mud and create problems later on. To really do it right, you'd need slotted pipe, stone, and drainage fabric, and that is a big project.

If i was me, I would leave that swale just the way it is and simply drop a short section (15-20') of pipe where the driveway is to cross over, creating a culvert there. You can get a 20' section of 12-15" black poly pipe for cheap, and it will support a cement truck with 12" fill cover. That way you are not screwing up the swale or altering any current drainage.

That size building will require a permit in VA, which means you will potentially be having inspectors on the property who can see other violations regarding land disturbance, drainage, erosion/sedimentation, etc. I had to get all my ducks in a row with that stuff just to build a 20x20 barn.

I don't want to sound like the sheriff, but I have become very familiar with all these rules after having built a home and barn, working with a developer, and becoming the land agent for our subdivision. I see a few red flags in your plan. My land is zoned agricultural (A-1) which makes life a little easier, but there are still plenty of rules/regs for non-agricultural use on that land, basically to protect my neighbors from me doing stupid things with drainage and land disturbance. In developed subdivisions with neighbors, things are even more restrictive because of architectural and property line rules.

Good luck!

 

[Jpcjguy]

One thing to mention up front is that since you're disturbing more than 2500 sq.ft, you will need to get a land disturbing permit (VA state rule) and that means running a site plan by your local environmental or building department and dealing with erosion/sedimentation countermeasures ($$$). Since you're potentially altering drainage to neighboring properties, I suspect the permit won't come easy. There may be an easement for that drainage area passing through the neighbors property, but that just means they can't block it. It doesn't mean you can do stuff upstream that would alter drainage to downstream properties.

I think it would be a mistake to fill in the swale. It's not just a drainage point for the tree area, it's a drainage point for all the land around it (whether there is visible surface water or not -- that's a common misconception). Filling it and putting a pipe in will only allow drainage from the tree area, and all other existing flows will just collect and turn your fill into mud and create problems later on. To really do it right, you'd need slotted pipe, stone, and drainage fabric, and that is a big project.

If i was me, I would leave that swale just the way it is and simply drop a short section (15-20') of pipe where the driveway is to cross over, creating a culvert there. You can get a 20' section of 12-15" black poly pipe for cheap, and it will support a cement truck with 12" fill cover. That way you are not screwing up the swale or altering any current drainage.

That size building will require a permit in VA, which means you will potentially be having inspectors on the property who can see other violations regarding land disturbance, drainage, erosion/sedimentation, etc. I had to get all my ducks in a row with that stuff just to build a 20x20 barn.

I don't want to sound like the sheriff, but I have become very familiar with all these rules after having built a home and barn, working with a developer, and becoming the land agent for our subdivision. I see a few red flags in your plan. My land is zoned agricultural (A-1) which makes life a little easier, but there are still plenty of rules/regs for non-agricultural use on that land, basically to protect my neighbors from me doing stupid things with drainage and land disturbance. In developed subdivisions with neighbors, things are even more restrictive because of architectural and property line rules.

Good luck!

Thanks for bringing that up. I am in Goochland county and have spoken and sent a lot of the above pics to one of the civil/environmental engineers for the county and he gave no indications that I would have a problem. This is what is posted on the county website also:
"The Department’s Environmental & Land Development component administers Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation [DCR] land disturbing regulations, provides inspection services and monitors compliance of land disturbing activity, and reviews land development proposals, including traffic ways.

DCR regulations state, in part, that land disturbing over 10,000 square feet requires a permit with some noted exceptions such as agricultural clearing, home landscaping, and utility work. "

I will confirm, in person, with the county again what my plans are and make sure everything is ok before moving forward. As you stated, I might just do the drop a small section of pipe for the driveway crossover. I am currently exploring all possibilities taking into consideration - rules and regulations, costs, feasibility, etc.

I appreciate everyone's feedback!

 

[s219]

There were some changes in 2013, and VA DEQ now oversees many land disturbance activities (my county website still points to DCR with some broken links).

You are right, you may be subject to the 10,000 sq.ft limit in that location, as I believe the 2,500 sq.ft limit is associated with watersheds and Chesapeake Bay areas (which covers my entire county here on the other side of Richmond from you).

 

[Jpcjguy]

There were some changes in 2013, and VA DEQ now oversees many land disturbance activities (my county website still points to DCR with some broken links).

You are right, you may be subject to the 10,000 sq.ft limit in that location, as I believe the 2,500 sq.ft limit is associated with watersheds and Chesapeake Bay areas (which covers my entire county here on the other side of Richmond from you).

That makes sense. Goochland has been pretty laid back on most things I have inquired about so far - only lived here for 1 year - coming from Richmond city and Henrico county.

 

[gwiley]

That makes sense. Goochland has been pretty laid back on most things I have inquired about so far - only lived here for 1 year - coming from Richmond city and Henrico county.

I have found Goochland to be super easy to deal with for home owners and non-commercial land owners. One of the nice things about living in a sparsely populated county is that the county government is approachable. When I excavated for the shop on my property a few years ago they just asked me to install a silt fence

 

[Jpcjguy]

I have found Goochland to be super easy to deal with for home owners and non-commercial land owners. One of the nice things about living in a sparsely populated county is that the county government is approachable. When I excavated for the shop on my property a few years ago they just asked me to install a silt fence

Good to hear! - Gwiley - want to come play with your Bobcat?

 

[gwiley]

Good to hear! - Gwiley - want to come play with your Bobcat?

It is fun to have an excuse to run the machine isn't it? I just bought a set of scarifier shanks from agri supply to add to my box blade - the driveway took a real beating this winter. I am hoping to get those added this weekend so that I can clean up the pot holes before one of them swallows the corolla.

I second the idea of not filling the swale. I buy culvert from Southern States in Goochland Courthouse (they are only about 10 miles from my place), the usually stock all the common sizes including collars.

I would be that you would be happier leaving the swale in place and having fill trucked in to level off that other area.

 

[Jpcjguy]

It is fun to have an excuse to run the machine isn't it? I just bought a set of scarifier shanks from agri supply to add to my box blade - the driveway took a real beating this winter. I am hoping to get those added this weekend so that I can clean up the pot holes before one of them swallows the corolla.

I second the idea of not filling the swale. I buy culvert from Southern States in Goochland Courthouse (they are only about 10 miles from my place), the usually stock all the common sizes including collars.

I would be that you would be happier leaving the swale in place and having fill trucked in to level off that other area.

Probably a good reason I don't own one - I would be "volunteering" all over the place just to play with the machine! ha!
Thanks for the heads up on where to get culvert.