Lancaster Municipal Code Art. 3 Design Standards

New main-line sewers shall conform to the requirements of this article unless otherwise specifically excepted.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

Sewage pumping plants are expensive to maintain and are not the preferred method of sewage disposal. Sewage pumping plants are to be avoided whenever feasibly possible. If determined by the director that a sewage pumping plant is the only feasible method of sewage disposal the plant shall conform to the requirements of the LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS WATERWORKS AND SEWER MAINTENANCE DIVISION GUIDELINES FOR WASTEWATER PUMP STATION DESIGN AND PLAN SUBMITTAL PROCEDURES dated June 2005 unless otherwise specifically approved by the director. The private engineer designing the sewage plant shall demonstrate to the director that a deviation from the Los Angeles County guidelines is warranted.

(Ord. No. 932, § 1, 8-25-09; Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

New house laterals shall conform to the requirements of this article unless otherwise covered by the Plumbing Code, Chapter 15.20 et seq, of the Municipal code, as amended.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

New condominium developments shall be served with main-line sewers and house lateral sewers such that each building will have a separate and independent connection to a main-line sewer.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

Where a lot is of sufficient size that the Zoning Ordinance, as set out at Title 17 of this code does not prohibit its division into smaller parcels, each of such possible parcels into which such lot legally may be divided, upon which one or more buildings containing plumbing facilities are or may be located, shall be considered as a separate lot. Separate house laterals shall be constructed to the main-line sewer for each of such possible parcels except where the owner has filed an affidavit as provided in the Plumbing Code (see Chapter 15.20). If the main-line sewer does not extend to a point from which such possible parcels can be served in accordance with the requirements of this chapter the main-line sewer must be extended in compliance with this chapter.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

A. A "letter of participation," prepared on a form provided by the director, shall be submitted before approval of public sewer plans describing all properties which have participated in the cost of the project.

B. All such properties listed will be exempt from the connection charge only, specified in Section 13.08.070.

C. The "letter of participation" shall not be revised after the sewers have been accepted for public use by the council.

D. Exception: The "letter of participation" shall not be revised after a reimbursement agreement authorized under Section 13.07.280 has been approved by the council. Listed participants will be exempt from the reimbursement district connection charges specified in Section 13.08.72 established for that project in which they have participated.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

A. An offer of dedication of sewers to the city shall be included in the agreement to construct sewers for a new subdivision which accompanies the faithful performance security guaranteeing the construction required as a condition for the recordation of the tract map or parcel map.

B. Before plans for the construction of any other public main-line sewer are approved by the director, the person causing such plans to be prepared shall present an "offer of dedication," signed and acknowledged, on forms provided by the director.

C. When the construction of the sewer, has been completed and accepted by the council, the sewer becomes a public sewer.

D. No sewer shall be accepted for dedication by the city unless such sewer has been constructed in conformity with the requirements of Chapter 13.08.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

If a literal compliance with any engineering requirement of this chapter is impossible or impractical because of peculiar conditions in no way the fault of the person requesting an exception, and the purposes of this chapter may be accomplished and public safety secured by an alternate construction or procedure, and the director so finds that such alternate complies with sound engineering practice, he may grant an exception permitting such alternate construction or procedure.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

Any plans submitted for approval under the provisions of this chapter shall be prepared by or under the direction of and shall be signed by a registered civil engineer of the state of California.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

A. Before a sewer construction permit required by Section 13.08.020 may be issued, plans for the proposed construction shall be submitted to and approved by the director, unless the director determines that plans are not necessary.

B. After the fees required by Section 13.08.105 has been paid, the director shall check the submitted plans for compliance with the requirements of this ordinance and other applicable laws and ordinances of the county, state, or other governmental jurisdiction.

C. If plan corrections and other requirements necessary for plan approval have not been completed within one year after the checked plans are returned by the of public works department, it shall constitute abandonment of the work and the director shall so notify the person who has submitted the plans.

D. Approval of a sewer plan shall expire two years from the date of the approval, unless construction of the facilities has commenced.

E. Resubmission of abandoned and expired plans shall be subject to new plan check fees as specified in Section 13.08.020.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

A. A person desiring to construct a sewer in an easement under the provisions of this chapter shall present to the director a request for processing, sufficient information to enable the preparation of a written description, and the fee specified in Section 13.08.110.

B. The location and dimensions of sanitary sewer easements shall be sufficient to provide present and future sewer service to abutting areas and adequate access for maintenance as determined by the director.

C. Until the required easements have been properly executed and recorded:

1. No plans shall be approved by the director for sewer facilities to be constructed by any person across the property of others;

2. No sewer facilities shall be accepted for public use, nor placed in use by any person.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

A. The size of main-line sewer pipe shall be determined by standards of design and the coefficients determined by the director, but in no case shall it be less than eight inches inside diameter. Individual building, commercial or industrial plant capacities shall be the determining factor when they exceed the coefficients shown.

B. The coefficient to be used for any zoned area not listed will be determined by the director based upon the intended development and use.

C. The director shall determine which of the coefficients or combination of coefficients shall be used for design, as determined by the established or proposed zoning in the study area. Any modifications to these coefficients due to topography, development or hazard areas shall be approved by the director.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

A mainline sewer shall be designed to provide a minimum velocity of two feet per second for pipes flowing one-half full, except that the director may approve a gradient that will develop a lower velocity if he finds that a gradient that will develop a velocity of two feet per second is unobtainable.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

A bench mark shall be shown on the profile sheets. The elevations shall be based on NAVD 88 datum or a datum acceptable to the utility services manager. The bench mark shall be a published benchmark near the project area used in the design of the project and adequate to construct the work. The bench mark description shall state the bench mark datum, county quad name, adjustment year and description. The elevation of the sewer at the point where the system is to be discharged shall be shown as determined in the field from the above shown datum.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

Soil conditions, particularly in areas known to have high groundwater tables, rock, or filled ground, shall be prospected, and the results shown on the profile, if required by the director.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

The slope of the sewer shall be shown on the plans in feet of fall per one hundred (100) feet of horizontal distance, expressed as a percentage. Slopes used expressed in percentages shall be divisible, without remainder, by four in the hundredth column. For example, 0.36 percent complies with this chapter.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

Where design considerations permit, main-line sewers shall have a straight alignment, and shall be located five feet from and on the northerly and easterly sides of the centerlines of streets or alleys, except on major or secondary highways where separate sewers shall be located in the roadway six feet from each curb line.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

A. The minimum depth for mainline sewers shall be seven and one-half feet.

B. Where groundwater is present, the depth for residential main-line sewers may be sufficient to provide for a house lateral with a minimum depth of at least five feet below the curb grade or centerline of street or alley grade at the property line.

C. Exceptions to the above minimum may be made only as set forth in Section 13.08.205.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

A. For each lot, a six-inch internal diameter house lateral sewer shall be provided in the street, straight in alignment and grade between the main-line sewer and the property line, with minimum depths as required by Section 13.08.265, and at right angles to the mainline sewer whenever possible.

B. Exception: House laterals constructed in the street under the provisions of the Plumbing Code, (as set out at Chapter 15.20) or house laterals provided in the street for lots restricted to single-family residential use under the provisions of the Zoning Ordinance, Title 17, may have an internal diameter of four inches.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

A. The depth of house laterals at the property line shall be sufficient to provide service to the lowest or farthest point to be served on the lot at a minimum grade of two percent, with the top of the pipe not less than one foot below the ground surface at any point.

B. The minimum depth for house laterals at the property line shall be six feet below the curb grade or the centerline of street or alley grade, except as set forth in Section 13.08.255 for locations where groundwater is present.

C. Where street-widening lines have been established by the Zoning Ordinance, as set out at Title 17 of this code, the minimum depth shall be measured at such established line. If house laterals are constructed before the existing street is widened, the depth at the property line shall be such that extension at the same straight grade and alignment to the new property line will produce the required depth.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

End structures shall be placed at whichever of the following locations is farthest up grade:

A. Not less than ten (10) feet upgrade from the downgrade lot line of the last lot being served;

B. Not more than forty (40) feet downgrade from the upgrade lot line of the last lot being served, if there may be a future extension of the main-line sewer;

C. At a location where the house lateral and building sewer can be constructed in a straight alignment at right angles to the main-line sewer.

D. End structures shall be manholes.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

Manhole structures shall be placed in the main-line sewer at all changes of alignment and gradient; the maximum distance between structures shall be not more than three hundred fifty (350) feet. All structures shall be designed according to the standard drawings for structures on file in the office of the director. Exceptions to the above requirements may be made only on approval of the director.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

All substructures which will be encountered in the construction or which will be installed as part of the improvement shall be shown and designated on the plan. Large substructures which require special treatment in the design of the sewer shall also be shown in the profile. The engineer who has prepared the plans shall submit to the director a statement that he has determined from each utility or other company having substructures in the affected area that the location and size of such structures, as shown on the submitted plans, are the same as shown upon such company's records.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

A. All pipe other than vitrified clay or cast iron shall first have been approved for use by the director and shall be equivalent to vitrified clay or cast iron pipe in strength, effectiveness, durability and safety in accordance with the use intended.

B. Before approving any pipe, the director may require satisfactory proof that such pipe is suitable for use, including actual tests performed by an independent and approved testing laboratory at no expense to the city.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

A. Vitrified clay pipe, main-line and house lateral sewers, shall be constructed of the class designated as extra-strength pipe.

B. Sewer pipe installed under a railway shall be encased in concrete, or encased in a steel pipe backfilled with sand, or encased by other approved means which will protect the pipe to the same extent to the satisfaction of the railway company.

C. Sewer pipe installed under a conduit or other structure, or at depths greater than twenty (20) feet or in other locations where the director determines that additional protection is required, shall be reinforced with a concrete cradle, or encased in concrete, or reinforced by other approved means which will protect the pipe to the same extent.

D. Sewer pipe installed in streets or public easements with the top of the pipe less than four feet below the surface, as determined during construction or indicated on the plans, shall be encased in concrete, or other approved means to protect the pipe.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)