Humboldt County Municipal Code Ch. 6 The Department

PUBLIC WORKS OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY Sections: Establishment of Department of Public Works. Duties of Director of Public Works. Functions of Department of Public Works. Purchase of Real Property Less Than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00). Acquisition of Interest in Real Property as Condition of Development/Land Use Project(s) or Building Permit(s). Delegation to Subordinates. Five (5) Year Limitation on Authority.

246-1. Establishment of Department of Public Works. There is hereby established a Department of Public Works of the County of Humboldt. (Ord. 340, § 1, 5/6/1957) 246-2. Duties of Director of Public Works. There shall be a Director of Public Works of the Department of Public Works of the County of Humboldt. The Director of Public Works shall be a civil engineer, registered as such by the State of California. The offices of Road Commissioner of the County of Humboldt shall be filled by one person, who shall serve ex officio as Director of Public Works. (Ord. 340, § 2, 5/6/1957; Ord. 2413, § 1, 4/14/2009) 246-3. Functions of Department of Public Works. The following functions shall be carried out by the Department of Public Works: (a) All of the duties of the office of Road Commissioner. (Ord. 340, § 3, 5/6/1957; Ord. 2413, § 1, 4/14/2009) (b) All matters pertaining to parks, including maintenance thereof. (Ord. 458, § 1, 8/6/1963) (c) The construction, maintenance and operation of all County airports. (Ord. 340, § 3, 5/6/1957) (d) The construction, maintenance and operation of all County dumps. (Ord. 340, § 3, 5/6/1957) (e) All County operations in connection with drainage and flood control work, either by direct County action or through special districts of which the Board of Supervisors of the County of Humboldt is the governing body. (Ord. 340, § 3, 5/6/1957) (f) The negotiation for the acquisition of real property for roads and Public Works facilities, and the searching of titles to real property, either in connection with acquisition of real property by Public Works or in connection with any other purposes for which the County shall require a search of the title to real property. (Ord. 340, § 3, 5/6/ 1957; Ord. 2351, § 3, 12/6/2005) (g) Engineering and supervision of construction in connection with public works projects performed by or for the County, except when private consultants have been employed. (Ord. 340, § 3, 5/6/1957) (h) Such duties as are designated by statute to be performed by the County Surveyor, where the statute also provides that the duty may be performed by an engineer or other county officer. The Public Works Director shall perform engineering surveys as authorized under the laws of the State of California. (Ord. 2413, § 2, 4/14/2009) (i) All matters pertaining to the operation of the County Garage. (Ord. 405, § 2, 7/18/1961) (j) Such other duties as may be from time to time prescribed by the Board of Supervisors. (Ord. 405, § 2, 7/18/ 1961)

246-4. Purchase of Real Property Less Than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00). (a) Pursuant to the provisions of Government Code § 25350.60 and subject to the procedures specified in this section, the Public Works Director is hereby authorized to perform all acts necessary to approve and accept for the County the acquisition of any interest in real property where the purchase price for such interest does not exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00). (b) The Public Works Director may approve and accept the acquisition of any interest in real property only if funds have been appropriated by the Board of Supervisors for the acquisition and such acquisition (1) is in furtherance of a project which the Board of Supervisors has previously determined to undertake or (2) is in furtherance of a project undertaken by the Director of Public Works. (c) In acting pursuant to this section, the Public Works Director shall comply with all applicable laws pertaining to the acquisition of the property as otherwise apply to Board action, including but not limited to: notice to the property owner(s), determination of fair market value or appraisal of the subject real property, offer to purchase, recordation of deed(s), submittal to appropriate planning agency in accordance with Government Code § 65402 and environmental assessment and review pursuant to NEPA or CEQA, as may be appropriate. (d) Upon acceptance of any deed or grant the Public Works Director shall promptly execute a certificate of acceptance substantially in the form specified in Government Code § 27281 and shall transmit same to the County Recorder for recording. (e) Nothing in this grant of authority shall divest the Board of Supervisors of its authority to acquire interests in real property. (Ord. 2378, § 1, 1/2/2007; renewed by Ord. 2504, § 1, 7/9/2013; renewed by Ord. 2611, § 1, 9/11/ 2018; renewed by Ord. 2725, § 1, 9/12/2023) 246-5. Acquisition of Interest in Real Property as Condition of Development/Land Use Project(s) or Building Permit(s). (a) Where the interest in real property is conveyed to the County of Humboldt in conjunction with approval of a development or land use project or the issuance of a building permit the Public Works Director is authorized to accept the grant deed(s) or easement deed(s) on behalf of the County of Humboldt without compliance with the provisions of Section 246-4. Interests in real property include, but are not limited to, deeds for road right-of-way, public utility, drainage and/or aviation easements. (b) Upon acceptance of any deed or grant the Public Works Director shall promptly execute a certificate of acceptance substantially in the form specified in Government Code § 27281 and shall transmit same to the County Recorder for recording. (Ord. 2378, § 1, 1/2/2007; renewed by Ord. 2504, § 1, 7/9/2013; renewed by Ord. 2611, § 1, 9/11/2018; renewed by Ord. 2725, § 1, 9/12/2023)

246-6. Delegation to Subordinates. The Public Works Director may delegate the authority granted by Sections 246-4 and 246-5 to appropriate Department of Public Works staff under the Director’s direction and control. Thereafter, or until revoked, such subordinate may exercise any and all authority delegated by the Board of Supervisors to the Director in these sections. (Ord. 2378, § 1, 1/2/2007; renewed by Ord. 2504, § 1, 7/9/2013; renewed by Ord. 2611, § 1, 9/11/2018; renewed by Ord. 2725, § 1, 9/12/2023) 246-7. Five (5) Year Limitation on Authority. The authority granted to the Public Works Director in Sections 246-4 and 246-5 shall not be effective for more than five (5) years from the date of adoption of the ordinance codified in this section. Any renewal of authority shall expire five (5) years from the effective date of the ordinance granting such renewal. (Ord. 2378, § 1, 1/2/2007; renewed by Ord. 2504, § 1, 7/9/2013; renewed by Ord. 2611, § 1, 9/11/2018; renewed by Ord. 2725, § 1, 9/12/2023) § 246.5-1. § 246.5-2. § 246.5-3. § 246.5-4.