Chapter 37

RELOCATION OF BUILDINGS

Section 3700

3701. Scope. No person shall move or relocate any building or structure onto any premises until he first posts a surety bond and secures a building permit as hereinafter provided.

Exception: The provisions of this Chapter shall not apply to moving a contractor's tool house, construction building or similar structure which is moved as construction requires, onto any premises.

3702. Waiver of bond or permit. Neither a bond nor a deposit need be posted nor made in any case where the Building Official finds that the only relocation involved is that of moving a building temporarily to the regularly occupied business premises of a house mover or that of moving a building to an adjacent property of the same owner or within the confines of a single parcel and that no such security is necessary in order to assure compliance with the requirements of this Chapter.

The Building Official may waive the requirement of bond or deposit when the owner of the property is a governmental agency.

3703. Application. Every application to the Building Official for a relocation building permit shall be in writing upon a form furnished by the Building Official and shall set forth such information as the Building Official may reasonably require in order to carry out the purpose of this Chapter.

3704. Investigation required. In order to determine any of the matters presented by the application, the Building Official may require plans, photographs or other substantiating data, and may cause to be made any investigation which he believes is necessary or helpful. After the investigation is completed, if the applicant fails to post the required bond and secure the relocation building permit within sixty (60) days, the application is null and void.

3705. Application fees. In addition to the building permit fee required, the applicant for a relocation building permit shall pay an application and investigation fee, in accordance with the fee schedule adopted by City Council resolution, to the Building Official for inspection of the building as its present location and investigation of the proposed site.

3706. Permit fees. Building permit fees for repairs or alterations to relocated buildings shall be assessed in accordance with the fee schedule adopted by City Council resolution. Valuation for relocated building shall be computed as being not less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the value for new work.

3707. Issuance of permit. If the condition of the building or structure in the judgment of the Building Official admits of practicable and effective repair, he may issue a relocation building permit to the owner of the property where the building or structure is to be relocated, upon conditions as hereinafter provided, otherwise the permit shall be denied.

3708. Condition of permit. The Building Official, in granting any relocation building permit, may impose thereon such terms and conditions as he may deem reasonable and proper. These terms may include, but are not limited to, the period of time required to complete all work; the requirements of changes, alterations, additions or repairs to be made to or upon the building or structure to the end that such building or structure will comply with all requirements of this Code and all other applicable laws and ordinances.

3709. Definitions. Approved surety is a surety company which (1) is authorized to do business in the State of California; (2) has fulfilled all legal obligations pertaining to dealings involving the City of Pico Rivera Building Laws upon demand of the Building Official; (3) has been approved by the Building Official as a qualified surety company.

3710. Bond required. The Building Official shall not issue a relocation building permit unless the owner first posts with the Building Official a bond executed by said owner, as principal, and by an approved surety company authorized to do business in this State, as surety, or deposits a cash bond as hereafter provided.

3711. Bond requirements. The surety bond required by this chapter shall:

• (a) Be in form joint and several.

• (b) Name the City of Pico Rivera as obligee.

• (c) Be in an amount equal to the estimated costs, plus 10% of the work required to be done in order to comply with all the conditions of the relocation building permit, such amount to be estimated by the Building Official, but in no case shall said bond be less than $10,000.00.

• (d) State therein the legal description or address of the property upon which the building or structure is to be relocated.

3712. Bond conditions. The surety bond shall provide that:

1. All work required to be done pursuant to the conditions of the relocation building permit shall be performed and completed within the time period as set by the Building Official.

2. The time limit specified may be extended for good and sufficient cause after written request of the Principal and Surety, either before or after said time limit has expired. The Building Official shall notify the Principal and Surety in writing of such time extension and may extend the time limit without consent of the surety.

3. The term of such bond posted pursuant to this section shall begin upon the date of the posting thereof and shall end upon the completion to the satisfaction of the Building Official of the performance of all the terms and conditions of the relocation building permit.

4. The Building Official, the Surety or duly authorized representative of either shall have access to the premises described in the relocation building permit for the purpose of inspecting the progress of the work.

5. Upon default by the Principal, the Surety shall be required to perform all conditions set forth in the relocation permit and have the right of entry to the premises to perform such conditions.

6. In the event of any default in the performance of any term or conditions of the relocation building permit, the Surety or any person employed or engaged on its behalf, may go upon the premises to complete the required work to remove or demolish the building or structure, and clear, clean and restore the site.

7. The relocation building permit shall be null and void if the building or structure is not relocated to the proposed site within sixty (60) days after issuance of the permit.

3713. Notice of default. Whenever the Principal on the bond defaults in the performance of the conditions required by the relocation building permit, the Building Official shall give notice in writing to the Principal and the Surety on the bond.

3714. Details of notice. The Building Official in the notice of default shall state the conditions of the bond which have not been complied with and the period of time deemed by him to be reasonably necessary for the completion of such work.

3715. Surety requirements. After a receipt of a notice of default, the Surety, within the time therein specified shall cause the required work to be performed.

3716. Option of demolition. When any default has occurred on the part of the Principal under the provisions of this Chapter, the Surety, as its option, in lieu of completing the work required may remove or demolish the building or structure and clear, clean and restore the site.

3717. Default of cash bond. If a cash bond has been posted the Building Official shall give notice of default, as provided above, to the Principal and if compliance is not met within the time specified, the Building Official shall proceed without delay and without further notice or proceeding whatever, to use the cash deposit or any portion of said deposit to cause the required work to be done by contract or otherwise at his discretion. The balance, if any, of such cash deposit, upon the completion of the work, shall be returned to the depositor or to his successors or assigns after deducting the cost of the work plus 10 percent (10%) thereof.

3718. Return of cash bond. When a cash bond has been posted, and all requirements of relocation building permit have been completed, the Building Official shall return the cash to the depositor or to his successors or assigns except any portion thereof that may have been used or deducted as provided elsewhere in this Chapter.

3719. Right of entry penalties. The owner, his representatives, successor or assigns or any other person who interferes with or obstructs the ingress or egress to or from any such premises, of any authorized representative or agent of any surety of the City of Pico Rivera engaged in the work of completing, demolishing or removing any building or structure for which a relocation building permit has been issued, after a default has occurred in the performance of the terms or conditions thereof, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

3720. Denial or relocation permit. No permit shall be granted hereunder when it has been determined that to move or relocate said building, house, garage or structure would be detrimental to the public peace, health, safety and welfare in that the building is so constructed as to be in a dangerous condition or is infested with pests or is unsanitary or is not fit for human habitation or is so dilapidated, defective or unsightly or in such a condition that its location at the proposed site would cause appreciable harm to or be materially detrimental to the property or improvement within the immediate neighborhood.

(Ord. 1200, 11/12/2025)