Hemet Municipal Code Art. VI Hazardous Fault Zone Regulations

The state legislature has enacted the Alquist-Priolo Special Studies Zones Act, being Public Resources Code § 2621 et seq. Policies and criteria have been adopted for the public safety in hazardous fault zones. Hazardous fault zones exist within the city, which are more particularly delineated on maps provided by the state geologist and state mining and geology board, which are made a part of this article by reference. Therefore, the city hereby establishes the following rules and regulations for the public safety relating to such hazardous fault zones:

(1) No structure for human occupancy, identified as a project under Public Resources Code § 2621.6, shall be permitted to be placed across the trace of an active fault. Furthermore, the area within 50 feet of an active fault shall be assumed to be underlaid by active branches of that fault unless and until proven otherwise by appropriate geologic investigation and submission of a report by a geologist registered in the state.

(2) Application for a development permit for any project within a special studies zone shall be accompanied by a sufficient cash deposit to enable the city to retain a geologist registered in the state for the purpose of preparing a geologic report directed to the problem of potential surface fault displacement through the project site.

(Ord. No. 928; Ord. No. 967; Code 1984, § 16800)

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

New real estate development means any new development of real property which contemplates the eventual construction of structures for human occupancy.

Project includes any structure for human occupancy or new real estate development as defined under Public Resources Code § 2621.6.

Story shall have the meaning given in the Uniform Building Code. For the purposes of the Special Studies Zones Act, the number of stories in a building is equal to the number of distinct floor levels, provided that any levels which differ from each other by less than two feet shall be considered as one distinct level.

Structure for human occupancy means a building, as defined by the Uniform Building Code, which is expected to have a human occupancy rate of more than 2,000 manhours per year.

(Code 1984, § 16801(A)—(D))

Cross reference— Definitions and rules of construction generally, § 1-2.

No change in use or character of occupancy which results in the conversion of a building or structure from one not intended for human occupancy to one which is so intended shall be permitted unless the building or structure complies with the provisions of the Special Studies Zones Act.

(Code 1984, § 16801(E))

This article shall not apply to the following:

(1) Single-family wood frame dwellings to be built on parcels of land for which geologic reports have been approved pursuant to the provisions of the Subdivision Map Act, Government Code § 66410 et seq., which contemplate the eventual construction of structures for human occupancy.

(2) A single-family wood frame dwelling not exceeding two stories, when such dwelling is not part of the development of four or more dwellings. For purposes of this article, a mobile home whose body width exceeds eight feet shall be considered to be a single-family wood frame dwelling not exceeding two stories.

(3) The conversion of an existing apartment complex into a condominium.

(4) Alterations or additions to any structure within a special study zone, the value of which does not exceed 50 percent of the value of the structure, provided such alterations or additions do not place any portion of the structure for human occupancy closer to the fault.

(Code 1984, § 16802)