Porterville Municipal Code Art. IV Construction of Driveways Across Sidewalks

The following terms shall mean:

COMMERCIAL DRIVEWAY: Any driveway having a width of more than twelve feet (12') measured lengthwise with the street.

RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY: A driveway twelve feet (12'), or less in width measured lengthwise with the street. Residential driveways may be permitted up to twenty feet (20') in width, where it is necessary for service of two (2) car garages, and when and if approved by the board referred to in section 20-50 of this article. (Ord. Code § 3323.2)

All driveways, for the passage of traffic from a public street over and across sidewalks, hereafter laid down, built or constructed in the city shall be built, laid down and constructed in accordance with the provisions of this article, and not otherwise. (Ord. Code § 3323.2)

No driveways across sidewalk space shall be constructed until a permit for doing such work shall have first been obtained from the city, and in all cases the application for such permit shall be executed by the owner of the property to be served by the driveway, and in and by such signed application it shall be agreed that the person executing the same will, upon demand of the city engineer, remove such driveway and replace the same by a sidewalk of standard construction and dimension, if at any time such driveway shall cease to be used for the purpose for which it was constructed. (Ord. 1537 § B66, 8-6-1996)

Commercial driveways shall not exceed fifty feet (50') in width measured lengthwise with the street; no driveway shall be closer than four feet (4') to the prolongation of the property line at right angles to the driveway at any street intersection. Should it be necessary, in order to serve the business requirements of the owner of the property to which a commercial driveway gains entrance to increase the width thereof from the maximum of fifty feet (50') as hereinbefore provided, written application therefor shall be made to the city engineer for permission to lay and install such additional driveways, or for increasing the maximum width thereof hereinbefore provided. Such application shall be filed with the city engineer and shall be acted on and considered by the city council, which body shall have the power to grant or deny such application. (Ord. Code § 3323.2; Ord. 755 § 1, 3-5-1963)

All driveways must be built and constructed in conformity with the city standard plans and specifications, or as directed by the city engineer. Coloring may be added to the concrete, if it is desired. All details of the entire driveway shall be subject to the direction and supervision of the city engineer. None of such work shall be done until the contractor, or other person doing such work shall furnish, and file with the city, a bond in the penal sum to be fixed by the city engineer, conditioned for the faithful performance of such work in accordance with the specifications herein set forth, or such additional specifications as may be required by the city engineer. (Ord. 1537 § B67, 8-6-1996)

All commercial driveways when constructed and installed shall have a mat composed of reinforcing steel composed of one-fourth inch (1/4") round rods on six inch (6") centers longitudinally and transversely. Such mat shall be placed one and one-half inches (11/2") above the bottom of the concrete. The sloping portion of all such driveways rising from a point one inch (1") above the flow line of the gutter, shall not extend back from the curb face more than one-half (1/2) the distance to the property line. (Ord. Code § 3323.2)

In the event of excessive height of curbing where driveways are to be constructed, the sidewalks shall be rebuilt the necessary distance back on each side of such driveway, so that the slope will not exceed three-fourths inch (3/4") per foot, so that the driveway permits safe entrance and exit. (Ord. Code § 3323.2)

All driveways shall conform to the standard plans and specifications as prepared by the city engineer and filed in the offices of the city clerk and the city engineer; and such plans, profiles and cross sections and each thereof are hereby made a part of this section. (Ord. 1537 § B68, 8-6-1996)