Torrance Municipal Code Art. 5 Hazard Areas

The City Council pursuant to the provisions of this Article, may declare any area or parcels of land in the City a hazard area. It shall be unlawful for any person to construct, erect or locate any building or structure or to excavate or fill earth or any other substance on land in a hazard area except in accordance with the provisions of this Article.

As used in this Article, "excavation and fill" shall have the meaning ascribed to them in Chapter 4 of Division 7.

Land may be declared to be a hazard area if the City Council finds that:

a) The construction, erection or location of buildings or structures thereon or the excavation or filing thereof is likely to create a hazard which is materially detrimental to life or property and to the public welfare.

b) The provisions of the Building Code and grading laws of the City are insufficient to protect persons or property from such hazards.

Before declaring any land a hazard area, the Council shall hold a public hearing thereon. Notice of the date, time and place of said hearing shall be sent by registered mail to all the owners of land in such area as shown on the last equalized assessment roll. The Council may conduct a hearing in an informal manner. The rules of evidence shall not apply. The hearing may be adjourned to a future time at the discretion of the City Council without the giving of further notice, other than an announcement by the Council of the date, time and place of such adjourned hearing.

The City Council, after finding land to be a hazard area may impose such restrictions on the excavation, filling and building thereon as it deems reasonably necessary to protect life, and property in the vicinity thereof and the public welfare. The City Council may require that the owner or developer of said hazard area, before commencing any work thereon, post a bond to indemnify all and any persons whose person or property may be injured as a proximate result of the excavation or filling thereof or the construction, erection or location of buildings and other improvements thereon. The term of such bond shall not exceed twenty (20) years and the amount thereof shall not exceed the reproduction costs of such building and improvements, or Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000) per lot included in said hazard area, whichever is the larger of said amounts. Such bond shall be irrevocable and unamendable without the consent of the City Council.

Whenever the City Council declares that a hazard area exists, such declaration, together with the description of the area and the restrictions imposed thereon, shall be sent by registered mail to all the owners of land in such area, as shown on the last equalized assessment roll, and shall be published in the newspaper, if any, in which legal notices of the City are published.