Los Angeles County Municipal Code Ch. 15.50 Interstate Truck Terminal Access Routes

For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings set forth, and if any word or phrase used in this chapter is not defined in this section, it shall have the meanings set forth in the California Vehicle Code; provided, that if any such word or phrase is not defined in the California Vehicle Code, it shall have the meaning attributed to it in ordinary usage. When not consistent with the context, words used in the present tense include the future, words in the plural number include the singular number and words in the singular number include the plural number. The word "shall" is always mandatory and not merely discretionary.

A.

"Board of supervisors" means the board of supervisors of Los Angeles County.

B.

"Caltrans" means the State Department of Transportation or its successor agency.

C.

"County" means the unincorporated area of the county of Los Angeles.

D.

"Department of public works" or "department" means the department of public works of the county of Los Angeles.

E.

"Director of public works" or "director" means the director of public works of the county of Los Angeles or his authorized representative.

F.

"Interstate truck" means a truck tractor semitrailer, or truck tractor semitrailer-trailer with unlimited length as regulated by the vehicle code.

G.

"Retrofit" means a change in design and construction of existing roads and intersections to allow the safe operation of interstate trucks and other vehicles.

H.

"Terminal" means any facility at which freight is consolidated to be shipped or where full load consignments may be loaded and off-loaded or at which the vehicles are regularly maintained, stored or manufactured.

I.

"Terminal sign" means a sign which has a legend format in accordance with department of public works' specifications installed in public right-of-way in front of each approved terminal.

J.

"Trailblazer sign" means a sign which has a legend format in conformance with Caltrans' specifications installed along approved terminal access routes.

(Ord. 85-0036 § 2, 1985.)

The purpose of this chapter is to establish procedures for terminal designation and truck route designation to terminals for interstate trucks operating on a federally designated highway system and to promote the general health, safety and welfare of the public.

(Ord. 85-0036 § 3, 1985.)

A.

Any interested person requiring interstate truck terminal access from the federally designated highway system, whereby interstate trucks will utilize any unincorporated county streets in traveling to, or from, such terminal, shall submit an application, on a form as provided by the county, together with such information as may be required by the director of public works and appropriate fees to the department of public works.

B.

Upon receipt of the application, the director will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain whether or not the proposed terminal facility meets the requirements for an interstate truck terminal. Upon the approval of that designation, the director will then determine the capability of the route requested and alternate routes, whether requested or not. Determination of route capability will include, without limitation, a review of adequate turning radii and lane widths of ramps, intersections and highways; and general traffic conditions such as sight distance, speed and traffic volumes. No access off a federally designated highway system will be approved without the approval of Caltrans.

C.

Should the requested route pass through an unincorporated area of the county to a terminal located in another jurisdiction, the applicant, in addition to complying with subsection A of this section, shall comply with that jurisdiction's application process. Coordination of the approval of the route through the unincorporated county area will be the responsibility of the entity which controls the terminal's land use.

D.

No interstate truck may leave a designated terminal access route in the unincorporated area of the county except at an entrance to an authorized terminal.

(Ord. 85-0036 § 4, 1985.)

A.

The applicant shall pay to the department a nonrefundable application fee of $250.00 per proposed terminal and/or its proposed access route(s).

B.

Upon the approval of the terminal designation and route by the county and by Caltrans, the applicant shall deposit with the department sufficient funds as estimated by the director to pay for the purchase and installation of terminal trailblazer and

terminal designation signs. Trailblazer signs will be required at every decision point in the unincorporated county area on a route to the terminal, and terminal designation signs will be required at each approved terminal. Upon completion of the installation of the signs, the actual cost shall be computed and any difference between the actual and estimated cost shall be billed and refunded to the applicant, whichever the case may be. No terminal or route may be used until such signs as may be required are in place.

(Ord. 85-0036 § 5, 1985.)

A violation of this chapter shall constitute an infraction which shall be punishable by a fine of $100.00 for a first violation; $200.00 for a second violation within one year; and $500.00 for each additional violation within one year.

(Ord. 85-0036 § 6, 1985.)

A.

If all feasible routes to a requested terminal are found unsatisfactory by the director, the applicant may request retrofitting the deficiencies. All costs of engineering, construction and inspection will be the responsibility of the applicant. Except when the retrofitting of deficiencies is within the jurisdiction of Caltrans, the actual construction will be done by the department or by a contractor acceptable to it.

B.

When the work is to be done by the department, the applicant shall deposit with the department the estimated cost of retrofitting. Adjustments between the estimated and actual cost shall be made after completion of the work and any difference between the actual and the estimated cost shall be billed to or refunded to the applicant, as the case may be. When the work is done by the applicant, it shall be done pursuant to Division 1 of Title 16 of this code, known as the "Highway Permit Ordinance." Section 16.10.070 of this code shall not be applicable to work done under this section. The applicant, within 60 days after the completion of work, may file with the director a statement detailing the actual costs of the retrofitting.

C.

If at any time within three years from the date of completion of the retrofitting, should any subsequent applicant(s) seek terminal approval which would use the route upon which such retrofitting was accomplished, any such subsequent applicant(s) seek terminal approval which would use the route upon which such retrofitting was accomplished, any such subsequent applicant(s) in addition to the application fee may be required to pay a proportionate share of the retrofitting, as determined by the director, which shall be disbursed by the county to the applicant who paid for the retrofitting as well as to any applicant who contributed to the cost of retrofitting under this subsection. Nothing herein shall require the payment of a proportionate fee if the applicant doing the work failed to file the statement with the director as indicated in subsection B of this section.

(Ord. 85-0036 § 7, 1985.)

The director may revoke any approved terminal or route if the terminal or route becomes a safety hazard for vehicular traffic. A "safety hazard" includes the inability of interstate trucks to negotiate the route, or the vehicles causing unsafe driving conditions for other vehicular traffic or pedestrians.

(Ord. 85-0036 § 8, 1985.)

A.

If the director denies terminal designation, route feasibility or revokes a previously approved terminal or route, the applicant, within 15 working days following the date of receipt of the decision of the director, may appeal the decision to the board of supervisors in writing. An appeal shall be made on a form prescribed by, and shall be filed with, the director. The appeal shall state specifically wherein there was an error or abuse of discretion by the director or wherein its decision is not supported by the evidence in the record. Within 15 working days of the filing of an appeal, the director shall transmit to the board of supervisors the terminal application, the sketches of the revoked route and all other data filed therewith, the report including the findings of the director and the decision on the application.

B.

The director shall make copies of the data and report available to the appellant for inspection and may give notice to any other interested party who requested notice of the time when the appeal will be considered by the board of supervisors.

If Caltrans and not the director denies or revokes terminal access from federally designated highways, no appeal may be made to the board of supervisors, but must be made to Caltrans as may be permitted by Caltrans.

C.

Upon receipt of the appeal, the board of supervisors may take any of the following actions:

Approve the decision;

Refer the matter back to the director with or without instructions;

Set the matter for public hearings before itself. Such public hearings shall be held de novo as if no hearings previously had been held.

(Ord. 85-0036 § 9, 1985.)