Torrance Municipal Code Art. 3 Construction of Improvements

(Amended by O-1393)

As used in this Article, the following words and terms shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them:

a) Building shall mean any structure built for the support, shelter or enclosure of persons, animals, chattels or property of any kind.

b) Industrial building shall mean any building used or to be used primarily for manufacturing or other industrial purposes.

c) Industrial use shall mean any manufacturing or other industrial use permitted in M-1 or M-2 zones, but shall not include any such use permitted by variance or other exception in any other zone.

d) Such lot shall mean any lot on which a building has been or is being erected, constructed, established, improved or altered, and in addition thereto, any lot or lots which are used or which are being constructed for the purpose of providing parking for employees, tenants or customers of any building as defined in this Section.

e) Major streets is a street with an ultimate right-of-way one hundred (100) or more feet wide as designated in Resolution No. 3090 of the City Council of the City passed on January 22, 1957, and all amendments thereto adopted prior to the date of the application of a building permit on such lot.

f) Secondary street is a street with an ultimate right-of-way between eighty (80) and ninety-nine (99) feet wide as designated in Resolution No. 3090 mentioned herein, and all amendments thereto adopted prior to the date of application for a building permit on such lot.

g) Local Street is any street within the City not so designated as a major or secondary street or highway.

h) Parkway shall mean that portion of any street between the curb or edge of the traveled roadway and the property line of abutting property.

i) Select system street shall mean a street included in the City of Torrance select street system as approved by the California Highway Commission on February 23, 1965, and subsequent amendments thereto.

(O-1715)

(Amended by O-1290; O-1393; O-2078; O-3359)

Except as hereinafter provided, no building shall be erected, constructed, established, improved or altered and no property shall be used for any purpose unless pavement, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, trees, street lights and other improvements as set forth below are constructed free of expense to the City, parallel and adjacent to that portion of the entire perimeter of such lot which adjoins any street or highway, in accordance with the following requirements, and to the satisfaction of the City Engineer.

a) Combination curbs and gutters shall be constructed of portland cement concrete in accordance with the following specifications.

b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection a), where in the judgment of the City Engineer a six (6) inch curb face height will not provide adequate drainage capacity for a major street, minimum height of such curb face shall be eight (8) inches.

c) Gutter and driveway aprons shall be constructed of portland cement concrete six (6) inches thick on a base approved by the City Engineer.

d) Sidewalks shall be paved in one (1) monolithic course of portland cement concrete with a minimum width of our (4) feet and a minimum thickness of three and one-half (3 1/2) inches; provided, however, that a sidewalk shall have a minimum thickness of six (6) inches across commercial vehicular driveways.

e) Sidewalks need not be constructed for industrial buildings or buildings housing primarily industrial uses.

f) Alleys shall be paved for their full width with two (2) inches of asphaltic concrete over a suitable base as approved by the City Engineer and a portland cement concrete center gutter four (4) feet wide shall be constructed in the center of the alley.

g) Streets shall be paved between the edge of any existing pavement and the gutter adjacent thereto with a suitable pavement and base as approved by the City Engineer.

(O-2196)

h) Parkways shall be improved by planting of trees on that portion of the entire perimeter of such lot which abuts or adjoins any street or highway in accordance with the provisions of Section 75.1.4. For each street frontage, trees shall be planted at the rate of one (1) tree for each fifty (50) feet or portion thereof; provided, however, that more than one (1) tree shall not be required on any lot if it will causes such additional tree to be planted closer than forty (40) feet to another tree on the same lot or on an adjacent lot.

i) Street lights shall be installed except where the Traffic Engineer determines that such installation is not feasible.

(Amended by O-2592)

a) Except as hereinafter provided, no structure shall be erected, constructed, established, improved, or altered in an amount exceeding Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) in value; no zone change requested by the affected property owner or his designee shall be approved; no variance, conditional use permit, precise plan, building permit, or other entitlement for use or development will be issued unless and until there has been dedication to the City free of expense to the City that portion of such lot which is shown as a street, alley or access easement on any element of the General Plan or on any specific plan of the City.

b) This Section shall not apply so as to cause to be divided or dissected any building, structure or improvement already erected on such lot on April 10, 1959.

c) Nothing contained herein shall be construed to require dedication of street rights-of-way as a result of routine maintenance or repair.

a) Except as hereinafter provided, no driveway which provides ingress or egress from such lot shall be constructed, altered or improved so as to provide openings in excess of twenty (20) feet in width, unless express permission therefor shall have been obtained from the City Engineer of the City prior to the time such construction, alteration or improvement is commenced.

b) No driveway which provides ingress and egress from such lot shall be constructed, altered or improved unless the design and location thereof shall have been approved by the City Engineer.

(Amended by O-1537)

a) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Article, whenever the City does not have an established street grade for the construction of such improvements and in the judgment of the City Engineer such grade will not be established within a reasonable time after the issuance of the building permit therefor, and a cash deposit or surety bond as hereinafter provided and approved as to form by the City Attorney is posted with the City Engineer, then the operation of the provisions of Section 74.3.2. shall be suspended as to the improvements covered by such cash deposit or bond until such grade has been established.

b) Such bond shall be executed by an owner of the land on which such improvements are to be constructed (including but not limited to, the lessee thereof) and by a corporate surety licensed to do business as a surety in the State of California. Such bond or cash deposit shall be in an amount which, in the judgment of the City Engineer, is equal to the total cost of such improvements and which shall guarantee construction of such improvements.

c) The term of the bond shall commence upon the date of its filing and shall remain in effect until the completion of the improvements as required by this Code. The City Engineer shall have the authority to grant extensions of time therefor not to exceed one (1) year in the aggregate The sale or other transfer of such lot or any interest therein shall not release the bond or cash deposit.

d) Such bond shall contain the provisions that it is irrevocable and unamendable for the term thereof without the consent of the City, that such extension of time, or sale or transfer shall not release the surety and that the aforesaid improvements shall be constructed as required by this Code, within one hundred twenty (120) days after notice to begin the construction of such improvements is sent by the City to the surety.

a) The City Council of the City, upon its own motion, or upon the application of any owner of an interest in such lots (including, but not limited to, the lessee thereof) may except any such lots and the owner of any interest therein, from the application of this Article of any part thereof under the following circumstances.

1. Where there are special circumstances applicable to the lots sought to be excepted which do not apply generally to other lots;

2. Where the granting of such exception is necessary to do substantial justice, and to avoid practical difficulty, unnecessary hardship, or results inconsistent with the general purposes of this Article or good civic planning; and

3. Where the granting of such exception will not result in material damage or prejudice to the public safety or welfare.

b) The application shall be filed with the Planning Commission of the City. The Commission shall make a recommendation thereon to the City Council.

(Amended by O-1613)

a) The provisions of this Article shall not apply to the subdividing or resubdividing of land, insofar as such subdividing or resubdividing is regulated by Article 29, Chapter 1 of Division 9, as amended.

(Added by O-2025; Amended by O-3292)

a) The provisions of Sections 74.3.2. and 74.3.3. shall not apply in any of the following cases:

1. Where buildings or structures to be constructed, erected, moved, or placed (which require a building permit by one applicant) on real property owned or leased or otherwise occupied by the applicant do not have a value in excess of Five Thousand Dollars ($5000);

2. Where the value of buildings or structures to be added to, altered or remodeled, when combined with the value of buildings and structures already added to, altered or remodeled on the same lot or parcel of land in the preceding twelve (12) month period, does not exceed Two Thousand Dollars ($2000);

3. Where buildings or structures to be erected, moved or placed on any lot or parcel of land:

A) Are designed to be used as non-habitable accessory buildings or structures; and

B) The existence of which is not required by other provisions of this Code; and

C) Do not have a value in excess of Two Thousand Dollars ($2000).

4. Where buildings or structures are to be used for recreational purposes and are to be located on property being used for temporary recreational purposes by a non-profit corporation.

b) The provisions of Section 74.3.3 shall not apply unless it can be shown that the need for dedication is required because of the nature, intensity or character of the proposed development, or construction.

c) For the purpose of this Section, the value of buildings or structures shall be determined by the provisions of the Building Code of the City for building permit fee purposes.

(Added by O-2310)

a) No building permit shall be issued for any building, structure or improvement to be located within the planned street lines established by the City’s Master Plan of Streets and Highways and Select System Streets and Highways.

b) Any person aggrieved by a refusal of a building permit for a building, structure, or improvement within the Master Plan or Select System may file an application for a variance, as provided in Sec. 94.1.1. et. seq., of this Code.

(Added by O-2429)

a) The City Engineer may waive the requirement of curbs, gutters and sidewalks or any of such requirements on any residential lot when:

1. At least seventy-five (75) percent of the lots on the same side of the street in the block in which such lot is located have been improved with buildings, and

2. At least seventy-five (75) percent of the lots on the same side of the street in the block in which such lot is situated lack curbs, gutters and sidewalks, or whichever of such requirement is proposed to be waived.

b) Such decision may be appealed pursuant to Section 11.5.1. of this Code.