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Earlier editions: 2026-07

Title 14 — Streets and Sidewalks

Cathedral City Municipal Code Ch. 14.20 Moving Buildings

Cathedral City Municipal Code · 2026-10 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · Cathedral City

Cite as: Cathedral City Municipal Code Chapter 14.20 · Text as of 2026-10-04

§ 14.20.010. Title.

This chapter shall be known and may be referred to as the "housemoving ordinance."

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

Exceptions & meaning →

§ 14.20.020. Permit—Required.

No person, firm or corporation shall move any building or structure constructed before or after the adoption of the provisions codified in this chapter or any section thereof over, upon, along or across any public street within this city without first obtaining a permit for that purpose from the city manager.

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

Exceptions & meaning →

§ 14.20.030. Permit—Issuance.

No permit shall be issued by the city manager except upon compliance with the terms and conditions set forth in this chapter.

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

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§ 14.20.040. Application for permit—Forms.

Application to the city manager shall be made prior to the issuance of any permit, and the application shall be made in writing upon blanks and forms to be provided by the city manager and filed with the city manager.

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

Exceptions & meaning →

§ 14.20.050. Separate applications, permits required.

A separate application shall be made to, and a separate permit obtained from, the city manager for the moving of each separate structure or building or section or portion thereof.

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

Exceptions & meaning →

§ 14.20.060. Filing fee.

There shall be paid to the city manager at the time of the filing of the application or applications, a processing fee or fees in an amount or amounts as established by resolution of the city council to defray the expense of investigation and processing.

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

Exceptions & meaning →

§ 14.20.070. Indemnity deposit.

There shall be deposited in the office of the city manager at the time of filing the application for a permit a sum of money in such amount as has been established by resolution of the city council, to indemnify the city for the expense of any repair to city streets, rights-of-way or other public property occasioned by the applicant and chargeable to the applicant under Section 14.20.090, for each such application. No application shall be accepted for filing unless accompanied by the deposit.

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

Exceptions & meaning →

§ 14.20.080. Prerequisites to issuance—Absence of public detriment.

No such permit shall be issued by the city manager unless the city manager first finds that the granting of such permit will not be materially detrimental or injurious to the public safety or public welfare, or to the property and improvements in the district to which such building or structure is proposed to be moved.

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

Exceptions & meaning →

§ 14.20.090. Permit upon terms—Conditions.

Upon determining that the granting of any such permit is justified and meets the requirements of this chapter, the city manager may grant such permit upon such terms and conditions as he may deem necessary and proper, to the end that the relocation of such building or structure will not be materially detrimental or injurious to public safety or public welfare, or the property and improvements in the district to which such building or structure is proposed to be moved, or to any person or property necessarily involved in such removal, whether public or private.

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

Exceptions & meaning →

§ 14.20.100. Contents of application.

Each application shall show:

A. Kind of building: the kind of building or structure to be moved;

B. Proposed location: the street location or other identifying description to which the building or structure is to be moved;

C. Route: the route over, along, across or upon which such building or structure is to be moved;

D. Plans: detailed plans and specifications showing the building or structure in its completed form at its new location;

E. Number of sections: the number of sections in which the building or structure will be moved;

F. Time schedule: the time proposed for the moving of the building or structure, together with the time required to complete the removal;

G. Owner of building: the name of the owner of such building or structure;

H. Age of building: the approximate date when such building or structure was erected;

I. Present value, prospective value of building: the estimated cost or value of the building or structure proposed to be moved, and the estimated cost or value of same when the removal or reconstruction has been completed;

J. Other information: such other pertinent information as the city manager may require.

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

Exceptions & meaning →

§ 14.20.110. Submission of plans to planning commission— Public hearing.

The detailed plans and specifications provided for by Section 14.20.100(4) shall be first submitted to the city planning commission. The planning commission shall thereupon provide for a public hearing to be held in the manner provided for conditional use permits in the zoning ordinance of the city.

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

Exceptions & meaning →

§ 14.20.120. Approval of plans by the planning commission.

The planning commission, after holding the public hearing provided for by Section 14.20.110, shall make a determination to approve or disapprove the housemoving permit applied for. The planning commission shall make a finding as to whether the move of the building to the proposed site in the application will be compatible with the best interests of the public health, safety, morals and general welfare. If the planning commission does grant a housemoving permit, the planning commission may impose such conditions as are necessary to protect the public health, safety, morals and general welfare.

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

Exceptions & meaning →

§ 14.20.130. Deposit or bond—Conditions—Forfeiture.

A cash deposit or surety bond in favor of the city shall be deposited with the city manager in an amount equal to the value of the work contemplated by the building permit, upon conditions that such work will be fully completed in accordance with the directions of the planning commission, the building permit and all applicable city regulations within a period of ninety days following issuance of the building permit; otherwise the full amount of the deposit or bond will be forfeited to the city.

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

Exceptions & meaning →

§ 14.20.140. Clean-up bond.

In addition to the bond required pursuant to Section 14.20.130, an applicant shall post with the city a cash bond in an amount to be determined by the city manager, not to exceed such maximum amount as may have been established by resolution of the city council, to insure clean-up of debris, concrete, foundations and other materials left at the site. This bond shall be required only of an applicant desiring to move a building or structure from a point within the city to a point outside the city limits.

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

Exceptions & meaning →

§ 14.20.150. Use of clean-up bond.

An applicant desiring to move a building out of town shall have a period of thirty days in which to clean up the site in accordance with the instructions of the city manager. If the site is cleaned in accordance with the instructions of the city manager within thirty days, the entire cash bond shall be returned to the applicant or person posting same. If the site is not cleaned in accordance with the instructions of the city manager, then the city manager shall be empowered to use all or a portion of the cash bond to accomplish the remaining cleanup requirements. If all the bond is not used by the city manager, then that portion remaining shall be returned to the applicant or the person posting the bond. Should the cleaning up of the site require an amount in excess of the bond posted, then such cost shall be a claim against the applicant, due and owing to the city.

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

Exceptions & meaning →

§ 14.20.160. Plot plan—Photographs of building.

Each such application shall be accompanied by a plot plan showing the location and size of the lot to which the building or structure is to be moved together with photographs of all sides of the building or structure, showing the general architectural design and appearance of the building or structure proposed to be moved.

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

Exceptions & meaning →

§ 14.20.170. Plans of proposed appearance of building.

In the event that any material alteration, repair or other work is proposed to be done upon the building or structure after removal has been completed, then plans shall be furnished showing the general architectural design and appearance of the building or structure on all sides after such work has been completed.

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

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§ 14.20.180. Supervision of moving.

Every building or structure or portion thereof moved over, upon, along or across any street shall be moved under the inspection and supervision of the city manager.

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

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§ 14.20.190. Inspection fee.

The applicant shall pay to the city an inspection fee in an amount as established by resolution of the city council, in addition to the fees and deposits otherwise mentioned and required in this chapter.

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

Exceptions & meaning →

§ 14.20.200. Damage to street or property—Restoration— Cost.

In case of damage to any street or other public property by reason of the moving of any building or structure or portion thereof, the city manager shall do such work as may be necessary to restore the street or other public property to as good condition as same was in prior to such damage and shall charge the cost thereof to the applicant for permit, and deduct the costs from the indemnity deposit required by Section 14.20.070.

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

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§ 14.20.210. Lights on building.

No person moving any building or structure or portion thereof over, upon, along or across any street shall fail, neglect or refuse to keep a red light burning at all times between sunset and sunrise at each corner of such building or structure or portion thereof and at the end of any projection thereon while the same or any part thereof is located in or upon any street or other public place.

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

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§ 14.20.220. Hours for use of streets.

The hours during which moves are to be made on public highways shall be determined by the city manager.

(Ord. 15 § 1, 1982)

Exceptions & meaning →

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