Earth Change Permit

So, after 14 years of marriage (15th anniversary Feb. 28, 2006) we return to the scene of the crime. This time we are here on a mission, and we feel charged and ready to go. Problem? Our draftsperson didn't do his job, and we are delayed getting the building permit, despite the lead time of 9 months we allowed.
The permitting system for building here in St. Croix, as well as St. John and St. Thomas, is a little different than a lot of other places. Being a wind swept, mountainous Island with ocean around it, erosion is a major concern, as are concerns with the proper disposal of septic waste.
Therefore, the first concern for any building being built is the excavation work. In the trade this is called site work. Site work is the work that must be done to prepare the location for construction and clean and dress the place up when the building is complete. This would also include scraping off the topsoil and storing it, either on-site or off. Digging the necessary trenches for the footings and the walls of the house, a hole for a cistern (more on this later). Digging a hole for the septic tank and the necessary trenching and other treatments for the septic system's leaching field, where the waste water from your house is drained back into the ground. Backfilling all holes, rough grading the entire building site, and, at the very end, final grading; this where the topsoil, set aside earlier, is redistributed for the seeding of a lawn and gardens.
The first permit you must apply for is an Earth Change Permit, this would be in conjunction with the building permit, for the particular house being constructed. Without an Earth Change Permit, you cannot even cut down a tree on your own property! The submitted plans must indicate the amount of dirt that is to be excavated (cut) and redistributeed (filled) during the process. This is indicated to the Island building department's engineers on the building plans and the topographical site plan.or topo. A topo is a land map, or plot plan, that is basically a schematic representation indicating the elevation contours of the land. The topographical plot plan of the property in then used, in profile, to show the amount of fill being dug up and redistributed, in order to put that particular house on that particular piece of land. All this must be done before an Earth Change Permit is issued, and only with this in hand can you modify your landscape. There are varying degrees of Earth Change provisions, which may differ with the other islands, so follow the instructions carefully. Our ECP said that we were only able to clear trees and brush, without any excavation of any kind, pending those cut and fill numbers my draftsperson failed to provide.
We had a small dilemna when we first arrived, with a 20 foot shipping container, loaded to the gills with household and building supplies, on it's way from Cape Cod, and we had to have a flat area to set it down on, without trees! We lucked out and were given the Earth Change Permit, with narrow parameters in regard to what we could and could not do with the ground under the trees.
The container arrived and was delivered to a level area, but it took a week, due to Thanksgiving and a five day weekend (Caribbean Rules), and U.S. Customs, what a ---- they were! More later..........