Butte County Municipal Code Art. VI (D). - Construction Standards

In addition to the County Improvement Standards, the Director of Public Works may establish typical details as standards for the encroachments set forth in this chapter.

(Ord. No. 3907, § 1, 3-1-2005)

All underground utility excavations made on County highways shall comply with the following requirements:

a

All excavations shall be evenly cut from the grade to a depth which will provide a minimum cover of thirty (30) inches between the top of any object placed in the excavation and the bottom of the lowest ditch draining the road, measured at right angles to the centerline of the road. Pavement shall be scored to provide even break.

b. All excavations shall be backfilled in conformance with the Improvement Standards adopted by Resolutions of the Board of Supervisors and any modifications thereto as noted in the encroachment permit.

c. After compacting the backfill, at a minimum, the road shall he surfaced in the same manner as the road was surfaced prior to the excavation. In no case shall the wearing surface, on paved or chip sealed roads, be less than two (2) inches asphaltic concrete Type B three-quarters (¾) inch max., medium grading over eight (8) inches class 2 aggregate base three-quarters (¾) inch max. grading.

d. Where an excavation consists of trenching parallel to the centerline of the road, the total length of open trench shall not exceed five hundred (500) feet at any time.

e. The person making any excavation on a County highway shall place warning signs and devices and take such other safety measures as necessary, including flagmen, to warn persons using the road of the excavation and to prevent injury to persons or damage to property lawfully on the road.

f. The work shall be done in an expeditious manner so as to cause as little inconvenience to the traveling public as possible. One (1) lane of traffic must be allowed to pass at all times unless a convenient detour is approved by the Director of Public Works. At night, and during other periods when work is not in progress, two (2) ten (10) foot lanes must be kept open for traffic.

(Ord. No. 3907, § 1, 3-1-2005)

All obstructions placed on County highways shall comply with the following requirements:

a. No obstruction shall be placed upon or over any County highway which changes the route of, or otherwise interferes with, the normal flow of vehicular traffic on the road.

b. No obstruction shall be placed upon or over any County highway which would obstruct the view of traffic between any two points on the road within five hundred (500) feet of each other.

c. No obstruction shall be placed over any County highway which reduces the vertical clearance below sixteen (16) feet from the road surface.

(Ord. No. 3907, § 1, 3-1-2005)

Any new access to be constructed to connect to a County highway requires issuance of an encroachment permit prior to construction.

a. No person owning land abutting a County highway shall be refused an encroachment permit for one (1) access road from a County highway to his abutting property at a point on the boundary line between the County right-of-way and his abutting property designated in the permit unless either: (1) there is no point along the boundary line at which an access road can be constructed to provide access with safety to persons traveling the County road; or (2) there is existing access control, such as a one (1) foot no access strip or relinquishment of abutters rights, at the proposed encroachment location, prohibiting access without specific approval by the Board of Supervisors. Any access road which does not meet the requirements of this section shall be deemed unsafe to persons using the access road and to persons traveling the County road.

b. Every access road or driveway approach to a County highway authorized by an encroachment permit issued pursuant to this chapter shall comply with all applicable requirements of the "Improvement Standards" adopted by resolution or ordinance of the board of supervisors.

(Ord. No. 3907, § 1, 3-1-2005)

Any cut into or fill upon the natural ground surface upon land adjacent to a County highway, any point on which measures horizontally less than two (2) times the depth of the cut or fill from the closest right-of-way boundary line of the County highway, shall comply with the following requirements:

a. The slope of any part of the cut or fill shall not exceed forty-five (45) degrees from the horizontal, unless it is held by a retaining wall;

b. Any retaining wall constructed on the cut or fill shall be constructed in accordance with the specifications required in the encroachment permit;

c. No fill or retaining wall shall be placed in any location wherein it is foreseeable that the fill or wall may back natural drainage waters over any portion of the right-of-way of any County road, Street or highway.

(Ord. No. 3907, § 1, 3-1-2005)