Council Bluffs Landscaping and Stabilization Requirements for Post-Construction Stormwater Control

Council Bluffs’ landscaping and stabilization requirements for post-construction stormwater control establish that any area of land from which the natural vegetative cover has been either partially or wholly cleared or removed by development activities shall be revegetated within ten (10) days from the substantial completion of such clearing and construction. The following criteria shall apply to revegetative efforts:
a. Reseeding must be done with an annual or perennial cover crop accompanied by placement of straw mulch or its equivalent of sufficient coverage to control erosion until such time as the cover crop is established over ninety (90) percent of the seeded area.
b. Replanting with native woody and herbaceous vegetation must be accompanied by placement of straw or mulch or its equivalent of sufficient coverage to control erosion until the plantings are established and are capable of controlling erosion.
c. Any area of revegetation must exhibit survival of a minimum of seventy-five (75) percent of the cover crop throughout the year immediately following revegetation or by the third year if native vegetation is used. Revegetation must be repeated in successive years until the minimum survival rate is achieved or
d. In addition to the above requirements, the as-planted landscape maintenance plan must be submitted with the final as-built drawings describing the vegetative stabilization and management techniques to be used. This plan will explain how the site will be stabilized after construction, who will be responsible for the maintenance of the vegetation at the site and what practices will be employed to ensure that adequate vegetative cover is preserved. This plan must be prepared by a registered landscape architect or by the soil conservation district, and must be approved prior to receiving a permit.