Alameda Municipal Code § 13-17 Removal Permits

As used in this section:

Building shall mean and include any house, dwelling, building or structure, or any section or portion thereof.

Removal permit shall mean the permit referred to and required by subsection 13-17.2 of this section.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.)

No person shall move or transport any building over, upon or along any street, alley or other public place in this City without a written permit therefor issued in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.)

No removal permit shall be issued unless the applicant therefor has been granted a house mover's permit as required by Section 13-16 of this chapter and has posted the required bond and public liability policy and, except when the building is to be moved to a point outside the city limits of the City, unless there has already been granted a relocation permit, issued pursuant to the provisions of Section 13-18 of this chapter, for the relocation of the particular building.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.)

Removal permits may be granted by the Superintendent of Streets or his/her designee in the first instance, or by the City Council in case of appeal, as hereinafter provided.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.; Ord. No. 2533 § 26)

Application for a removal permit shall be filed with the Superintendent of Streets, shall be on forms furnished by the Superintendent of Streets, and must show:

a. The kind of building to be moved;

b. The street location, or other identifying description of the premises upon which it is proposed to relocate the building;

c. The route over, upon or along which such building, section or portion thereof is to be moved;

d. The number of sections in which the building will be moved;

e. The time when it is proposed to move the building and each section or portion thereof and the time within which removal will be completed;

f. The length of such route, which will be obtained from and entered upon the application by the Superintendent of Streets;

g. Such other information as the Superintendent of Streets may reasonably require in order to carry out the purposes of this section.

A separate application must be filed and a separate permit obtained for the moving of each separate building or portion of a building.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.)

Before any application for a removal permit is accepted, a fee shall be paid by the applicant. Said fee is necessary to cover administration costs. The removal fee shall be set by City Council Resolution.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.; Ord. No. 2576 N.S. 7)

It shall be unlawful to move or transport any building upon or along any street or public place in the City without complying with the following regulations:

a. No building shall be moved unless moved upon a truck or trailer equipped with pneumatic rubber tired wheels, or upon rubber or metal tired dollies, or upon rollers.

b. Whenever the limitations as to height, length, width or gross weight for trucks or trailers set forth in the Vehicle Code of the State of California or in any ordinance of the City are exceeded, or whenever dollies or rollers are used in moving a building, or whenever the Superintendent of Streets shall so require the house mover shall cause planks or timber mats, of sufficient strength to carry the load without breaking, to be placed on the surface of all improved streets along or upon which such building is moved, to serve as a runway for such wheels, dollies or rollers, and in such manner as to prevent damage to the street. At no time shall such wheels, dollies or rollers be permitted to revolve except on such runway.

c. The Superintendent of Streets may direct that plank or timber mat runways be used whenever any building is moved over any unimproved or oil graveled street.

d. Whenever a building is moved with pneumatic tired dollies the Superintendent of Streets may dispense with the use of plank or timber mat runways if in his/her judgment such moving can be accomplished without damage to the streets.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.)

No building shall be allowed to remain stationary upon any street intersection, or upon any street in such manner as to obstruct the access to any fire hydrant, stand pipe or other fire fighting appliance located upon or adjacent to such street.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.)

No building in process of moving shall be permitted to remain within the limits of one (1) block or in any one (1) location on any street or public place for a period longer than twenty-four (24) hours, except by written permission of the Superintendent of Streets.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.)

No building shall be moved upon any public street or place without notifying the City Fire and Police Departments of the location of such building immediately before the same is moved in the street or in any intersection of streets, and also immediately after the same is moved to the next succeeding block.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.)

No building shall be moved or allowed to remain stationary upon any street during the period between thirty (30) minutes before sunset and thirty (30) minutes after sunrise, or during any period when fog or rain obscure visibility for a distance of one hundred fifty (150') feet or less, unless red lanterns are kept lighted during such period at each corner of the building and at the end of any projection thereof and at intervals of not more than five (5') feet apart along all sides of the building facing any part of the traveled roadway.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.)

a. No building shall be moved or allowed to remain stationary upon any street unless "street closed" warning barriers are maintained at the ends of the block in which such building may be located or across all roadways at a distance of not less than one hundred (100′) feet from such building, whichever is the lesser distance. Such barriers shall be placed across the roadway on the side of the street in which the building is located and shall extend across such roadway for a distance equal to the width of the roadway occupied by the building.

b. During the period between one-half (½) hour before sunset and one-half (½) hour after sunrise, and during any period when fog or rain obscure visibility for a distance of one hundred fifty (150′) feet or less, red lanterns or torch lights shall be kept lighted on or along such barriers at distances not more than five (5′) feet apart, but not less than three (3) in all, on or along each barrier.

c. If, in any case, the Superintendent of Streets shall designate any particular location for barriers or lights, such barriers or lights shall be placed and maintained at the locations designated.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.)

a. No building shall be moved across any railroad or street railway tracks, except during the three (3) hour period between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. of the same day, unless with the written consent of the person or corporation controlling such tracks; and no such building shall be permitted to obstruct traffic on or be moved across such tracks during such three (3) hour period unless the house mover shall have notified in writing the person, or an executive or managing officer of the corporation, controlling such tracks, not less than thirty-six (36) hours before the proposed time for moving across such tracks, specifying the location and approximate time when it is desired to move and the time required to move such building across such tracks.

b. Within a reasonable time after receipt of such notice the person or corporation controlling such tracks shall designate and shall notify the house mover in writing of the time during such three (3) hour period when the moving of the building across such tracks can be accomplished without interference with regular schedules. If in the interest of safety the person or corporation controlling such tracks deems it necessary that a flagperson be stationed along such tracks while the building is being so moved, he/she or it may require the house mover to advance the amount of wages to be paid to such flagperson or it may direct the house mover to station a flagperson along such tracks and it shall be unlawful for such mover, if so directed, to move such building across such tracks unless he/she had advanced the requested amount.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.)

No building shall be moved within the City unless provision be made for the protection of and prevention of injury to any tree, shrub or plant located in any street, park or other public place in the City.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.)

Gutters shall be kept free from obstructions of any kind which interfere with the free flow of water and no person shall place any such obstruction, or permit the same to remain, in any gutter as a result of or in connection with the work of moving any building.

(Ord. No. 835 N.S.)

The Superintendent of Streets may, in granting any removal permit, impose thereon such terms and conditions as he/she may deem reasonable for the protection of public and private property and for the safety and convenience of the general public. No building shall be moved upon any street at any other time or to any other destination or over any other street or route or in any manner other than as specified in the removal permit therefor, except with the written consent of the Superintendent of Streets.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.)

No removal permit shall authorize the moving of more than one (1) building, or more than one (1) section or portion of any building in any case where any building is to be moved in two (2) or more sections or portions. Every such permit shall become and be void unless such removal shall be completed within the time specified in the application for such permit or as provided in such permits, if a different time limit be therein specified; provided, however, that the Superintendent of Streets or his/her designee may extend such time when the moving of any building or any section or portion thereof is rendered impracticable by reason of inclemency of weather, strikes, or other causes beyond the control of the house mover.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.; Ord. No. 2533 N.S. § 26)

Should the house mover to whom a removal permit has been issued fail, refuse or neglect to diligently prosecute the work of moving or to complete the removal or transportation of the building as herein required and as specified in the permit, the City, in lieu of or in addition to any other remedy provided by law, may cause the building to be removed from any public place or street on which it may be situated and, at its option, cause the building to be moved or transported to the original location specified in the permit or to any other available location, and in so doing the City shall have the right to use all the equipment of the house mover under the building or at the site of the work. All costs and expenses incurred by the City in removing or transporting the building as aforesaid shall be a charge against and shall be paid by the house mover and the payment of such costs and expenses shall be a charge against and secured by the house mover's bond.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.)

Every building or section or portion thereof moved over, upon or along any street or public place shall be moved under inspection and supervision of the Superintendent of Streets.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.; Ord. No. 1790 N.S.)

a. For the purpose of this subsection and of subsection 13-17.21 certain words therein used shall have the meanings hereinafter set forth, to-wit:

Equipment shall mean and include wires, cables, guys, poles and equipment or properties of any kind whether of the same or different nature;

Removal shall mean and include removal, displacement and rearrangement;

Utility shall mean and include the City and any public or private utility.

b. Whenever the moving of any building over or along any public street or place requires the removal of the equipment of any utility, the house mover shall give the person controlling, managing or operating such utility and such equipment a notice in writing at least seventy-two (72) hours in advance of the time when such removal will be required to permit passage of such building. Such notice shall state the overall height of the building mounted on moving apparatus, the streets or route over which the building is to be moved, and the time within which removal of the equipment of such utility will be required.

c. Within twenty-four (24) hours after receipt of such notice the utility shall furnish to the house mover an estimate of the cost of the removal and of protecting and restoring its equipment, including any necessary protective flagging. Whereupon the house mover shall deposit with each utility affected the amount of the estimated cost in cash.

d. After such estimated amount shall have been so deposited no utility shall fail, neglect or refuse to complete the removal of its equipment within forty-eight (48) hours from the time such deposit was made or within the time specified in the notice given by the house mover under this section, whichever time is the later. Sundays and legal holidays shall be excluded in computing the time for the notice and the estimate herein required and for the removal of equipment.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.)

a. Such utility shall charge every house mover, as compensation for making such removal and for protection and restoration of its equipment, the actual cost of removal, protection and restoration of such equipment, plus a reasonable sum, not exceeding fifteen (15%) percent of such actual cost, as an allowance for supervision.

b. Such public utility shall, within thirty (30) days from and after the completion of the work of making such removal and restoration of its equipment, present an itemized bill of the cost thereof to the house mover for whom such removal of equipment was made.

c. In case the cost of removal, protection and restoration of the equipment is less than the amount estimated and deposited, as provided in subsection 13-17.20, then the utility shall return to the house mover depositing the same the amount of unused balance of the deposit, less the damage to the equipment, if any, caused by the neglect of the house mover in moving any building. In case the actual cost is more than half (½) the amount estimated, then such utility affected shall collect the actual cost of the work from the house mover and the house mover shall pay the total cost. In the event a change of route is necessary, any additional expense shall be home by the house mover.

d. The utility shall notify the house mover of any additional work required and it shall be incumbent upon the house mover to order the work done, or have a representative upon the ground who shall be authorized to order the additional work by approving the expense in connection with such additional work.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.)

No house mover shall interfere in any manner whatsoever with any equipment or property of any utility, notwithstanding anything in any removal permit issued pursuant to the terms of this section.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.)

If a removal permit be denied the applicant therefor may, within four (4) days from the date of such action, appeal to the City Council by filing with the City Clerk a written notice of appeal. The appeal shall come up for hearing before the Council at its first regular meeting occurring after such notice is filed. The determination of the Council on such appeal shall be final and conclusive. If no appeal is taken within the time above specified the action of the Superintendent of Streets shall become final.

(Ord. No. 865 N.S.)

When any building is removed from a parcel of land in this City, the house mover shall comply with the following conditions with respect to such parcel.

a. Prior to removal of the building, all utilities shall be discontinued.

b. Prior to the removal of the building, securely close and seal all sewer and other sanitary facilities.

(Ord. No. 2537 N.S. § 19)