Mountain View Municipal Code Div. 6 Moving Buildings

For the purpose of this Division, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them:

"Administrative authority" is the chief building official or their designee.

"Building" is a structure designed, built or occupied as a shelter or roofed enclosure for persons, animals or property and used for residential, business, mercantile, storage, commercial, industrial, institutional, assembly, educational or recreational purposes. A structure containing one hundred (100) square feet or less of floor space shall not fall within this definition.

"Community development director" is the community development director for the city or their designee.

"Public works director" is the public works director for the city or their designee.

"Zoning administrator" is the zoning administrator for the city or their designee.

(Ord. No. 9.2025, § 6(Exh. B), 9/9/25.)

In addition to the permits provided for in this Division, any building or structure moved to any location within the city shall comply with the provisions of Chapter 36 and the building code, including provisions of the California Historical Building Code, Part 8 of Title 24, and the 1997 Uniform Code for Building Conservation, as published by the International Conference of Building Officials, for appropriate structures. These provisions shall not apply to buildings or structures moved to a location within the city for the purpose of temporary storage so long as the provisions of Section 8.20.75 are complied with.

No permits shall be issued to move a building to any location inside the city unless: (1) a zoning permit has been obtained from the zoning administrator; (2) the building has been inspected by the chief building official and approved; (3) the route to be followed has been approved by the public works director; (4) building and moving permits have been obtained; and (5) zoning permit fees, building inspection fees and moving fees have been paid by the applicant as set forth in the city's adopted master fee schedule.

(Ord. No. 9.2025, § 6(Exh. B), 9/9/25.)

A zoning permit shall be obtained in accordance with Article 111, Division 7 of Chapter 36 prior to receiving approval from the administrative authority and the public works director that the structure and route are approved for moving.

(Ord. No. 9.2025, § 6(Exh. B), 9/9/25.)

A person seeking to move a building or structure onto a parcel within the city shall, concurrently with applying for a zoning permit, file an application for a pre-move inspection with the administrative authority.

The administrative authority shall perform a pre-move inspection of the building or structure and the proposed location of the same, and the administrative authority shall submit to the zoning administrator a report describing the improvements which must be made to the building or structure to conform to the current building codes.

(Ord. No. 9.2025, § 6(Exh. B), 9/9/25.)

The application for pre-move inspection shall be made in writing and shall be filed in the office of the administrative authority. Said application shall include:

a. The present location of the structure, a minimum of two (2) sets of photographs, and two (2) sets of building plans, and a set of keys for access to the structure. The building plans shall include a description of the proposed buildings to be moved, including the construction materials, dimensions, number of rooms, condition of the exterior and interior, the proposed improvements to be made, and any other information which the chief building official may require to make an accurate evaluation;

b. A dimensioned plot plan showing the portion of the lot to be occupied by the building when moved and the location and disposition of all existing structures, if the lot is within the city.

(Ord. No. 9.2025, § 6(Exh. B), 9/9/25.)

If the inspection of the structure reveals any unlawful, dangerous or defective condition of the building or structure proposed to be moved, such that remedy or correction cannot effectively be made, the administrative authority shall deny the moving permit in writing.

(Ord. No. 9.2025, § 6(Exh. B), 9/9/25.)

Subsequent to obtaining a zoning permit and prior to moving any building or structure over, along or across any highway, street, or alley in the city and under its jurisdiction, the owner or their agent shall obtain a building permit and a moving permit, and satisfy all conditions under which such permits are granted. The application shall include:

a. A description of the highways, streets, and alleys of the city over, along, or across which the building is proposed to be moved;

b. Proposed moving date and hours;

c. A statement that the applicant shall indemnify and save the city harmless from any and all claims, actions, demands, damages or expenses which may result from the operations of the applicant under the moving permit, if granted, or from the exercise of privileges conferred upon them by the permit;

d. Any additional information which the administrative authority shall find necessary to make a fair determination of whether or not a permit should be issued.

(Ord. No. 9.2025, § 6(Exh. B), 9/9/25.)

Any building and moving permit issued under this Division shall be subject to the following conditions:

a. Any applicant for such permits shall be responsible for the payment to the city of any unusual costs incurred by the city which may result from the granting of such permits.

b. No permit shall be issued to move a building within or through the city from a location either inside or outside the city to another location outside the city unless the proposed route to be followed within the city has been approved by the public works director and the police chief.

c. No permit shall be issued to move a structure along city streets unless said application specifies the type of moving equipment to be used, and the public works director determines that such moving equipment is not of a type which will be detrimental to the streets or other property of the city.

(Ord. No. 9.2025, § 6(Exh. B), 9/9/25.)

No moving or building permits shall be issued until all applicable fees have been paid as follows:

a. A fee for a zoning permit(s) shall be paid to the planning division of the community development department at the time of application for said permit, based on the city's adopted master fee schedule.

b. A fee for the pre-move inspection shall be paid to the administrative authority at the time of application for a moving permit and plan submittal, based on the hourly rate for a building inspector, with a minimum of two (2) hours, in the adopted city master fee schedule.

c. Building permit fees shall be paid to the administrative authority, after approval of the structure for moving, calculated at the structural value of the existing structure based on the current square footage construction valuation as adopted in the city's master fee schedule. Plan check fees shall also be calculated based on the valuation for the structure, as adopted in the city master fee schedule.

d. All new additions or structural changes shall pay permit fees based on the current square footage construction valuation contained in the adopted city master fee schedule.

e. All electrical, plumbing and mechanical fees shall be full value and paid based on the city's master fee schedule.

f. For moving a building or buildings from a location inside or outside the city to another location either inside or outside the city, there shall be a fee as specified in the city's master fee schedule, except an accessory building not over four hundred (400) square feet in area may be moved in conjunction with the moving of a residence from the same location to the same location, without paying an additional fee therefor.

(Ord. No. 9.2025, § 6(Exh. B), 9/9/25.)

No building or moving permit shall be issued unless the permittee shall have first taken out and agreed to maintain at all times, workers' compensation insurance; and public liability insurance in an amount not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) for injuries, including wrongful death, to any one (1) person, and in an amount not less than two million dollars ($2,000,000.00) on account of any one (1) accident, and unless also he shall take out and agree to maintain at all times property damage insurance in an amount not less than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00). A certificate of insurance shall be presented to the satisfaction of the administrative authority, in consultation with the city's finance director and public works director, prior to the issuance of such permit.

(Ord. No. 9.2025, § 6(Exh. B), 9/9/25.)

Every building or moving permit issued shall require the applicant to post a surety bond or cash with the city and placed in a non-interest bearing account, in an amount sufficient to secure the faithful performance by the applicant of all repairs and improvements as required by the City Code and the faithful performance of such other conditions as are imposed on the granting of such permit(s). Any surety bonds accepted by the administrative authority shall be valid for a period of not less than one hundred eighty (180) calendar days.

(Ord. No. 9.2025, § 6(Exh. B), 9/9/25.)

Unless otherwise specified in a moving permit issued pursuant to this Division, such permit shall be valid for a period of thirty (30) calendar days from the date of issuance thereof. For good cause, the administrative authority, within their discretion, may issue a permit for a longer period, and may renew any permit issued by the building division, without additional fee therefor, when requested in writing by the applicant, except that no permit shall be valid or renewable for a period longer than one hundred twenty (120) calendar days from the date of issuance thereof.

(Ord. No. 9.2025, § 6(Exh. B), 9/9/25.)

Every moving permit issued pursuant to this Division shall state a time limit within which any improvements and repairs provided for in Sec. 8.20.60 shall be completed.

(Ord. No. 9.2025, § 6(Exh. B), 9/9/25.)

Every person in charge of the moving of any building or structure on or over the streets of the city shall:

a. A minimum twenty-four (24) hours prior to the move, receive written approval from the city's fire department and police department of the time and route over which the building/structure will be moved;

b. Give twenty-four (24) hours written notice to any person responsible for trimming trees, removing wires, or the doing of other things necessary to permit the moving of the building over the route designated;

c. Maintain red lights at each corner of the building from one-half (½) hour after sunset until one-half (½) hour before sunrise.

(Ord. No. 9.2025, § 6(Exh. B), 9/9/25.)

The provisions set forth in this Division shall apply to all buildings or structures moved in or into the incorporated limits of the city, except that the following provisions may apply where applicable, as determined by the administrative authority:

a. Temporary storage in transit. Buildings or structures may be moved to a location within the city for the purpose of temporary storage thereof, under the following terms and conditions, and subject to the following provisions:

1. Permittee must have obtained a business license from the city to engage in the business of moving buildings or structures.

2. No such buildings or structures shall be stored at any location, or in any manner, in violation of any other laws or ordinances of the state or the city.

3. Any permit issued for the purposes herein provided shall have endorsed thereon, in writing, in addition to the matters otherwise provided for in this Division, the location, and the duration of such storage, and any other conditions specified by the administrative authority, and under which such permit is granted.

4. A permit for such purpose shall be valid for a period of sixty (60) calendar days, and may be renewed for additional periods within the discretion of the administrative authority. The limitation of one hundred twenty (120) calendar days imposed under Sec. 8.20.60 shall not be applicable to a permit issued for the purposes herein specified.

5. The fee for such permit shall be the same as is provided for a permit to move buildings or structures to a location outside the city. Provided, however, that if the buildings or structures are removed from a temporary storage place to a location inside the city a new permit shall be obtained on the same terms and conditions as are applicable to the moving of a building from one location inside the city to another location inside the city, including the payment of a fee as specified in the city's adopted master fee schedule.

6. Except insofar as they are inconsistent with the provisions of this Section all of the other provisions of this Division shall be applicable to any permit issued under the provisions of this Section.

b. Temporary buildings. Whenever an application is filed for a permit to move a building or structure specified in such application to be for use as a temporary construction office or tool storage building, agricultural building, or other temporary use inside or outside the city, the administrative authority may, within their discretion, waive any or all of the provisions of this Division as they shall deem reasonable under the circumstances. All other laws and ordinances of the state and city, including the laws pertaining to zoning, health, safety or general welfare of the public, shall remain applicable thereto.

c. New buildings. If the building or structure to be moved has been built under a lawful permit of the city within ninety (90) calendar days preceding the filing of the application, the administrative authority may waive such provisions of this Division, except the requirement for a zoning permit, as they shall deem reasonable under the circumstances.

(Ord. No. 9.2025, § 6(Exh. B), 9/9/25.)

Any person who is aggrieved by the decision of the administrative authority made pursuant to this Division may appeal to the city council pursuant to Article I, Division 2 of this Chapter.

(Ord. No. 9.2025, § 6(Exh. B), 9/9/25.)