Corona Municipal Code Ch. 14.08 Permits

(A) A permit from the Agency shall be obtained:

(1) To drill or re-drill in connection with the exploration for or the production of oil or for the purpose of secondary recovery;

(2) To erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert or demolish any structure, as defined in the Building Code, insofar as the structure concerns or is involved in oil drilling, redrilling and production.

(B) No permit shall be required for well servicing or maintenance of any structure for which a building permit is not required.

(C) A permit shall be required annually for each oil well until its abandonment.

(`78 Code, § 14.08.010.)

(A) The applicant shall file an application in writing for a drilling or redrilling permit on a form furnished by the Agency.

(B) The application shall be accompanied by:

(1) Documentary proof that the applicant has proprietary or contractual authority to drill for oil under the surface of at least 51% of the property in the district to be exploited;

(2) A complete legal description of the property;

(3) A fully informative plot plan showing the location of the well which previously has been staked on the ground and the location of structures appurtenant to such well and their relation to any existing hospital, sanitarium, church, rest home, airport, school and dwelling or any other structure within the distances required by these regulations;

(4) Engineering specifications of structures, drilling derricks, drilling masts, tanks and high pressure systems controlled by these regulations. Applicant need not file plans and engineering specifications of standard derricks, masts and tanks when such plans and specifications are already on file in the office of the Agency;

(5) A corporate surety bond in conformity with the provisions of Chapter 14.12;

(6) A verified statement signed by the applicant certifying that he or she is duly authorized by the operator to make and file the application and that he or she has read the application and the same is true and correct;

(7) An acknowledged statement in writing subscribed by the owner of the surface rights of the drill site and by the owner of any private land over which access is had to the drill site granting to the city the right to enter upon the drill site and such private land at any time for the purpose of inspection and/or restoring the premises in the event the applicant should fail to do so. Any operator may, in lieu of filing the statement required by subsection (6), file a penal bond in the sum of $50,000 for the drilling or redrilling of each well, such bond to conform in all other particulars to the bond requirements of this title. Upon compliance by the operator with the provisions of this title or upon the abandonment of the well in compliance with the provisions of law relating thereto, the bond may be exonerated;

(8) A statement as to the means by which liquid spills will be removed from diked areas or catchment basins;

(9) Such other pertinent information as may be required by the Agency.

(`78 Code, § 14.08.020.)

The Agency shall require, in addition to other conditions established by this chapter, the following conditions be met by the applicant prior to a permit being issued:

(A) The payment of the drilling and/or redrilling fee;

(B) Submission of evidence of a city business license or a statement from the city’s Director of Finance that no business license is required;

(C) Submission of evidence of a city building permit or a statement from the Building Department that no such permit is necessary;

(D) Submission of evidence of a permit for the disposal of industrial waste and/or wastewater or a statement from the city’s Department of Public Works that no such permit is necessary;

(E) A statement from the city’s Planning Department that the proposed use and the location of any structures to be constructed or placed on the proposed site will not violate the city’s zoning regulations;

(F) Submission of evidence of a permit from the city’s Fire Department or a statement from city’s Fire Chief that the applicant’s proposed use will not violate the city’s fire regulations;

(G) Submission of a permit to encroach upon public property where it is necessary to do so in the drilling, redrilling, servicing or maintaining of any well;

(H) Filing all bonds as required by the city’s code and this title;

(1) Filing a certificate of insurance in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 14.12.

(`78 Code, § 14.08.030.)

No permit issued pursuant to the provisions of this title shall be valid unless utilization of the privileges granted thereby are commenced within 90 days from and after the date of issuance of the permit and is diligently prosecuted thereafter.

(`78 Code, § 14.08.040.)

A drilling permit may be amended by the Agency insofar as it relates to the drill site area only after:

(A) The permittee files with the Agency’s Secretary a plot plan which shows the modified drill site area conforming to the applicable provisions of these regulations; and

(B) The Planning Commission approves the modified control drill site area.

(`78 Code, § 14.08.050.)

The permits required by this title are in addition to and are not in lieu of any permit which may be required by the other departments of the city, and the Agency shall not issue any permit pursuant to this title until all other related permits, if any, required by other departments have been issued and the fees therefor have been paid.

(`78 Code, § 14.08.060.)

(A) The following fees shall be paid by the operator:

(1) A fee of $100 for each permit to drill or re-drill;

(2) An annual oil well renewal and inspection fee of $25 for each producing and nonproducing well until its abandonment;

(3) A permit fee of $100, plus a $10 permit fee for each reset for the initial erection and/or installation of each oil field recovery heater, temporary or otherwise.

(B) The permit fees payable under this title shall not be refundable in whole or in part.

(`78 Code, § 14.08.070.)

If any fee required to be paid to the Agency pursuant to this title is not paid at the time and in the manner provided in § 14.08.070, the same shall automatically become delinquent 30 days after the due date of the required payment, and a penalty in an amount equal to 10% of such fee shall be added thereto each month of the period of delinquency, which penalty shall become a part of such fee and shall be enforced and collected as a part of such fee. In no event shall such delinquency penalty exceed 100% of the amount of the fee due.

(`78 Code, § 14.08.080.)

Prior to granting a permit under this chapter, the Agency shall have on file a written agreement by applicant:

(A) That he or she will carry on and conduct the operations authorized by his or her permit so as to cause the least possible annoyance or inconvenience to the general public and particularly to occupants of adjacent properties and industries in the area of the permitted operations;

(B) (1) That upon notice by the Agency that there has been a complaint that such oil operations are adversely affecting a complainant’s activity, the permittee shall temporarily suspend drilling or other work which may be detrimentally affecting the complainant and will attempt to correct the adverse condition;

(2) Suspension of such operations shall commence not more than 18 hours after the permittee’s receipt of the Agency’s notice and shall continue no greater period than the Agency deems necessary for complainant to complete the particular work or activities with which the oil operations are interfering. The suspension shall not be for such a length of time as to seriously interfere with or impair the permittee’s operations;

(3) The Agency shall give notice to the permittee permitting his or her resumption of operations immediately upon complainant completing the work which required suspension of the drilling operations;

(C) That within 90 days after any permitted well has been placed on production, he or she will cause the derrick to be removed from the site;

(D) That all electrically operated equipment shall be properly shielded to prevent disturbances to electronic equipment used by others in the general area of the drilling or pumping operations;

(E) That he or she consents to the Secretary or his or her duly authorized representative entering any building, structure or premises related to his or her oil operations at any time for the purpose of determining whether or not the provisions of this chapter and all other applicable laws or ordinances pertaining to the protection of persons or property are being observed therein.

(`78 Code, § 14.08.090.)

The Secretary may impose any of the following conditions on any permit required by this title, if he or she deems such to be necessary for the public convenience, necessity, security, health, safety, welfare and protection; provided, however, that if an applicant objects to any such special conditions, he or she shall have the right to appeal to the Council for its review of the special conditions imposed. The appeal shall be filed and heard in the manner provided in § 14.32.070. The decision of the Council on the appeal shall be final.

(A) Upon completion of the drilling of a well from which the oil production is obtained, the premises shall be placed in a clean and orderly condition.

(B) Materials, equipment, tools or pipe used for drilling operations shall be delivered to or removed from the drilling site only during the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. of any day except in case of emergency.

(C) Oil shall be removed by truck from the well site only during the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. of any day except in cases of emergency.

(D) Permanent structures and equipment shall be painted a neutral color so as to blend with natural surroundings.

(E) All private roads used for ingress and egress to and from the well site shall be surfaced and properly maintained during production operations.

(F) Upon the temporary cessation of drilling or production operations at any oil well not under constant observation or watchman service, all drill holes, kelly holes, tanks, cellars, pits and approved basins and other dangerous openings shall be securely capped or covered. All stairs or ladders in or to the openings shall be removed to a level of ten feet above the grade or floor level; or, as an alternative, such dangerous openings and equipment may be protected with a housing, screen or fence as provided in § 14.20.090(A).

(`78 Code, § 14.08.100.)

The Agency may impose on oil production operations in urban areas any of the following conditions or modifications thereof as part of any permit required by this title. If it deems such to be necessary for the public convenience, necessity, security, health, safety, welfare and protection; provided, however, that if an applicant objects to any such special conditions, he or she shall have the right to appeal to the Council for review of the special conditions imposed. The appeal shall be filed and heard in the manner provided in § 14.32.070. The decision of the Council on the appeal shall be final.

(A) Underground installations. Well head equipment shall be installed in cellars, and no portion of such equipment shall be above the surface of the surrounding ground.

(B) Motive power sound-deadening. Motive power for oil production operations shall be completely enclosed in a building or buildings insulated with sound-deadening materials. The buildings shall have a residential appearance, and no portion thereof shall exceed 16 feet in height.

(C) Motive power location. Buildings housing motive power for production operations shall be located on a drill site.

(D) Height of installation. Except as otherwise specifically permitted in this title, permanent installations or any portions thereof at the drill site shall not be or project more than eight feet above the surface of the surrounding ground.

(E) Storage for equipment. There shall be no storage on the drill site of material, equipment, machinery or vehicles which are not for immediate use or servicing of an installation.

(F) Maintenance. Permanent structures and equipment on the drill site shall be painted a neutral color so as to blend with natural surroundings. All permanent installations on the premises shall be maintained in a neat, clean and orderly condition.

(G) Storage tank location. Storage tanks shall be located on a drill site.

(H) Storage tank capacity. Storage tank capacity at the drill site shall not exceed a total aggregate amount of 2,000 barrels, exclusive of equipment used for processing.

(I) Removal of oil. Oil produced at the drill site shall be removed therefrom by an underground pipeline or pipelines. The pipeline or pipelines shall be constructed within 180 days after the date the first well in the drill site is completed.

(J) Refineries. No refinery, dehydrating or absorption plant of any kind shall be constructed, established or maintained on the drill site or within the outer boundary line of the site.

(K) Pipelines. All off-site pipelines serving the drill site shall be buried underground.

(L) Off-street parking. An off-street parking area containing not less than two parking spaces, the dimensions of each of which shall be at least 10 feet by 20 feet, shall be provided for each well being drilled. The parking area shall be surfaced and maintained in accordance with the requirements established by the Agency.

(M) Sanitary facilities. Sanitary facilities shall be provided at the drill site during the drilling of any well and shall be in accordance with the standards of the County Health Department.

(N) Sound-deadening. All production equipment which produces noise that exceeds that established by Chapter 17.84 shall be enclosed with sound-deadening material. The equipment shall be maintained in a clean and serviceable condition.

(O) Lights. All lights at a well site shall be directed or shielded so as to contain direct rays to the well site.

(P) Delivery of equipment. The delivery of or removal of equipment or material from a drill site shall be limited to the hours between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., except in cases of emergency.

(Q) Drill pipe storage. Drill pipe shall be racked and made up only between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., except if racked within the derrick or in cases of emergency.

(R) Height of pumping equipment. No walking-beam type pumping equipment shall project more than ten feet at its highest point of rise above the surrounding ground level.

(S) Height of storage tanks. No oil storage tank shall exceed 18 feet in height above the ground level.

(T) Height of wash tanks. No wash tank shall exceed 18 feet in height above the ground level.

(U) Off-site pipelines. Within 30 days after completion of drilling operations on a drill site, the work of burying all off-site pipelines shall be commenced and shall be completed within the time established by the Secretary.

(V) Color of permanent installations. All permanent installations within the drill site shall be painted a neutral color so as to blend with natural surroundings.

(`78 Code, § 14.08.110.)