Lake Forest Municipal Code Ch. 14.20 Appurtenant Construction

The terms defined in Section 14.08.010 shall have the same meanings for purposes of this chapter as in Chapter 14.08.

(Ord. 165 § 1, 2007)

A. It shall be unlawful for any person to lay, construct or repair any curb, sidewalk, gutter, driveway, roadway surface, retaining wall, or storm drain or culvert in, over, along, across, or through any highway, without first obtaining a permit therefor from the Director of Public Works/City Engineer as herein provided.

B. This section shall not apply to any public utility for work that does not include excavation.

(Ord. 165 § 1, 2007)

A. An applicant for a permit shall state in his or her application:

1. The location, nature and extent of the work to be performed;

2. The materials to be used;

3. Such other information, including plans and specifications as the Director may require.

B. On each application the applicant shall sign a statement that he or she agrees to preserve and hold harmless the City and each officer and employee thereof from any liability or responsibility for any accident.

C. The Director may require such changes in the application respecting the location, dimensions, method or manner of construction, installation or repair as may reasonably be necessary for the protection of the highway, the prevention of undue interference with traffic or to assure the safety of persons using the highway.

D. If in the opinion of the Director of Public Works/City Engineer, the work proposed to be done requires the making of plans or the setting of stakes, or both the Director of Public Works/City Engineer may require the application to be accompanied by the necessary plans, which plans shall be prepared by a licensed engineer.

(Ord. 165 § 1, 2007)

A. Except as provided in subsections B and C below, an applicant for a permit to construct any work shall pay fees for processing, engineering and inspection as established by resolution of the City Council. The City may require a deposit for costs in the amount of the estimated cost to the City of providing these services.

B. If the United States, this State, any County, any municipal corporation, school district, public utility, or other public agency files with the City a written guarantee of payment of all costs for which it may become liable to the City hereunder then no deposit for costs shall be required from such person. No permit issuance fees shall be required of any public agency entitled to exemption therefrom pursuant to Section 6103 of the Government Code of the State of California.

C. No permit issuance fees shall be required of public utilities for activities that do not include excavation on public streets within the City.

(Ord. 165 § 1, 2007)

A. Permit Effective. The engineering and inspection costs provided for in subsections A and B of Section 14.20.040 shall be presumed to be the actual cost. A refund thereof shall not be made to any applicant unless:

1. The inspection and/or engineering fee was erroneously collected, in which case the entire amount may be returned, or

2. Unless the driveway or culvert is not constructed or installed, in which event the applicant may apply for a refund of the unused fees. The Director shall deduct from the deposit the actual cost to the City of the required engineering and inspection plus the cost of overhead, not to exceed 15% of the total cost. If such cost, including overhead is less than the deposit, the difference shall be refunded to the person making the deposit in the same manner as provided by law for the repayment of trust moneys. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as authorizing the repayment of any issuance fee.

B. Permit Cancellation. When a permit has been canceled by the Director, the permittee may obtain a refund of any unused fee paid or deposited. No part of any issuance fee may be refunded.

(Ord. 165 § 1, 2007)

If the cost exceeds the deposit, the permittee shall, upon demand by the Director, pay the excess to the City. If payment is not made within 15 days after such demand the City may recover the amount in any court of competent jurisdiction. Until such amount is paid, further permits under this article shall not be issued to such permittee.

(Ord. 165 § 1, 2007)

A. Inspection by a Non-City Governmental Agency—No Inspection Fee. The Director shall issue without any inspection fee or deposit therefor, a permit to construct a residential driveway if the applicant for such permit pays the issuance fee and submits satisfactory evidence to the Director that the driveway will be inspected by a competent governmental agency other than the City, and such governmental agency will furnish a certificate to the effect that portion of the driveway installed in the public right-of-way was inspected and complies with minimum standards required by the City.

B. Inspection Fee for City Inspection. If an applicant receives a permit pursuant to the provisions of subsection A, and the governmental agency referred to in that section fails to make the inspection or fails to file the certificate there provided for within four months of the issuance of the permit, the Director may cause City personnel to inspect the driveway in which case the applicant shall pay to the Director the actual cost of such inspection.

(Ord. 165 § 1, 2007)

If the applicant complies with every provision of this article and with all applicable provisions of all other ordinances and statutes, the Director of Public Works/City Engineer shall issue to the applicant a written permit to perform the work set forth in the application.

(Ord. 165 § 1, 2007)

A. Every permittee shall commence the proposed work within 60 days after the granting of the permit and thereafter prosecute the work to completion in a diligent and workmanlike manner.

B. The Director may cancel the permit unless the work authorized therein is commenced within 60 days of the issuance of the permit and thereafter, in the opinion of the Director, is diligently prosecuted to completion. Cancellation may be affected by giving written notice thereof by sending the same to the applicant by ordinary mail to the address shown on the application.

(Ord. 165 § 1, 2007)

If so required by the Director the permittee shall make proper arrangements for, and bear the cost of, relocating any structure, public utility, tree or shrub, where such relocation is made necessary by the proposed work for which a permit is issued. The Director may elect to do the necessary relocation, in which event the permittee shall deposit with the Director a sum of money estimated by the Director to be sufficient to pay the cost thereof. After such relocation, a refund shall be paid to, or a deficiency shall be paid by, the permittee as provided in Sections 14.20.050 and 14.20.060 of this chapter.

(Ord. 165 § 1, 2007)

Before a permittee performs any work covered by this article, he or she shall obtain from the Director the lines and grades thereof. Where the work proposed to be done consists of or includes the laying or constructing of a culvert in or upon a highway, the Director may specify in any permit issued therefor the size, the type of material and the grade of the culvert.

(Ord. 165 § 1, 2007)

The permittee shall perform all work in accordance with the plans, if plans are made, and specifications referred to in the permit, and to the satisfaction of and under the supervision of the Director. In addition, all work to be performed in, upon or across highways shall be in accordance with and conform to the City standards established by this Code.

The Director may waive inspection if he or she believes such inspection is not necessary for the best interests of the City.

(Ord. 165 § 1, 2007)

If any stakes set for any work covered by this article are disturbed or destroyed and it becomes necessary to set additional stakes, the permittee shall deposit a sum estimated by the Director to be sufficient to pay the cost of setting such additional stakes. The Director shall set the additional stakes. After such setting, a refund shall be paid to, or a deficiency shall be paid by, the permittee as provided in Sections 14.20.050 and 14.20.060.

(Ord. 165 § 1, 2007)

Not less than 18 hours before the commencement of any work covered by this article the permittee shall apply in writing to the Director for an inspector therefor. In such application he or she shall specify the day and hour when, and the location at which, the work will be commenced.

(Ord. 165 § 1, 2007)

A permittee shall place and maintain adequate warning signs, lights and devices conforming to the State of California Division of Highways Uniform Sign Chart and the Orange County Road Department Manual of Warning Signs, Lights and Devices, throughout the length of the work and at each end of the project until the work is completed to the satisfaction of the Director. The permittee shall take such other precautions as may be necessary for the protection of the traveling public. The Director may, as a condition of the issuance of a permit, specify such additional signs or warning devices or measures to be used by the permittee, but the failure of the Director to so specify the signs, devices or measures shall not relieve the permittee of his or her obligation hereunder.

(Ord. 165 § 1, 2007)

Whenever any permittee has completed any work for which a permit has been granted, he or she shall so notify the Director in writing.

(Ord. 165 § 1, 2007)

If the Director by survey or by inspection or by both, ascertains that the work has been completed according to the requirements of the permit issued therefor, and of all of the provisions of this article, he or she shall issue, if requested so to do by the permittee, a certificate of acceptance which shall contain a statement of the location, nature and extent of the work performed under the permit.

(Ord. 165 § 1, 2007)

A permittee shall remove all material and debris:

A. Where new work is covered with earth, in accordance with the terms of the specifications attached to the permit;

B. In all other cases within three days.

(Ord. 165 § 1, 2007)