Turlock Municipal Code Art. 2 Improvement Requirements And Locations

All structures and facilities shall be constructed or repaired in accordance with current standard drawings and specifications approved by the Council from time to time by resolution and on file in the office of the City Engineer.

(a) All street work, including curbs, gutters, sidewalks, paveouts, street trees, fire hydrants, electroliers, drainage improvements, and drive-way approaches, shall be provided along all street frontages of property, and all necessary easements shall be dedicated for such purposes, and underground pipelines or fencing for canals adjacent to the property on which the work is being done shall be constructed or installed as determined by the City Engineer as follows:

(1) For all new buildings or structures, for property development, including parking lots, for any building or structure altered or expanded, except single-family residences, for which additions or alterations over the five (5) year period prior to the issuance of a building permit equal twenty-five (25%) percent or more of the replacement value;

(2) For all single-family residences structurally altered or expanded for which alterations or expansions over the five (5) year period prior to the issuance of the building permit equal twenty-five (25%) percent of the replacement value, except that an owner-occupied single-family residence with less than one thousand two hundred (1,200) square feet of living space may be expanded to one thousand eight hundred (1,800) square feet before the provisions of this section shall be operative. "Replacement value," as used in this subsection, shall mean the value of the structure as determined by the Building Official using the same valuation schedule used in determining the valuation of the proposed work; and

(3) For any building or property in or on which there is a change of use, as defined in TMC 9-1-202, except in special circumstances.

(b) On large-sized properties on which only a portion of the property is to be occupied by the construction of a building, structure, or property development, and sidewalks, curbs, and gutters are not installed on property adjacent to the property being developed, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, drainage improvements, and driveway approaches may be confined, upon the approval of the City, to that portion of the street frontage abutting the portion of the property being developed, including areas used for the parking of motor vehicles.

(c) Traffic control devices and fire hydrants shall be installed at street intersections and along street frontages when deemed necessary by the City Engineer. The requirements for such improvements shall be established at the time of the issuance of the building permit.

(d) The provisions of this section shall not apply to:

(1) Normal and usual maintenance required to keep a single-family-residence in a safe, sanitary, and livable condition, including reroofing, the replacement of appliances, plumbing and mechanical assemblies, termite and/or dry-rot repairs, and other similar work; and

(2) Repairs, construction, and other work required to bring a structure back to its original condition after a fire, earthquake, wind, flood, or other natural or man-made disaster.

(1223-CS, Amended, 10/13/2016)

The owner of property adjoining a street or an alley for which the alignment has been set, although such street or alley may not yet be fully dedicated and improved, shall dedicate any necessary right-of-way and shall install curbs, gutters, sidewalks, driveway approaches, drainage improvements, and paveouts according to the standards set forth in this chapter and applicable sections of this Code.

Permits issued for the construction of curbs and gutters shall include the installation of paveouts in accordance with standard specifications, as well as any additional pavement deemed necessary by the City, to make a smooth transition between the new and old pavements. All curbs shall be constructed at the location designated by the City Engineer so as to coincide with the present or prospective curb alignment for such street.

All sidewalks for public use shall be constructed immediately adjacent to, parallel to, and abutting the rear side of the curb, unless determined otherwise by the City. Curbs and gutters shall be constructed at the time the sidewalk is constructed.

In areas where there are planting strips between the existing curbs and sidewalks, the sidewalks may remain and be repaired from time to time as required. In the event fifty (50%) percent or more of a sidewalk on a given property is in need of repair, the sidewalk shall be removed in its entirety and be replaced at the location specified by the City.

If a portion of the sidewalk planting strip has been improved but does not satisfy present standards or is badly deteriorated, the removal and replacement of such substandard existing improvements, as the City may specify, shall be required.

All unused or abandoned driveways shall be removed, and curbs, gutters, and sidewalks, if sidewalks exist adjacent to such driveways, shall be installed to lines and grades established by the City.

No fence, wall, structure, or other obstruction shall be constructed nearer than twenty-five (25') feet from the street center line nor nearer than the property line, whichever is the greater distance from the street center line, without first obtaining an encroachment permit as provided in this chapter, except in zones not requiring a setback.

(a) Drainage improvements shall include the construction of lines, pumps, and other facilities and the installation of catch basins and ponding lots.

(b) Drainage improvements shall be provided when necessary, as determined by the City Engineer. When storm drainage lines designed or intended to serve the property being developed are located within a reasonable distance of the property being developed, the owner or developer shall construct additional lines and facilities to connect the property being developed to the existing storm drainage lines and pay the applicable storm drainage fees established by resolution of the Council in accordance with Article 5 of Chapter 5 of Title 6 of this Code.

(c) If, in the opinion of the City Engineer, it is not feasible to connect the property being developed to existing lines or facilities, the City Engineer may approve other methods of drainage or may require the payment of storm drainage fees in amounts established by resolution of the Council.

(d) It shall be the responsibility of the property owner to maintain the drainage easement, including, but not limited to, landscaping.

No plant, bush, dirt, structure, or other obstruction to vision which has attained or will attain a height of over thirty-six (36") inches above the center line point elevation of intersecting streets shall be placed within a radius of fifty (50') feet from such intersecting point nor nearer than fifteen (15') feet from the point of intersection of the adjacent property lines, whichever is the greater distance from such street center line.

(a) No person shall erect or place, or cause to be erected or placed, a semipermanent or immovable object in a place or location where permanent construction or planting is prohibited by law without having first obtained the written permission of the City. Such semipermanent or immovable object(s) shall include, but not be limited to, construction dumpsters, tar pots or other such roofing devices, scaffolds, construction materials, portable commodes, or any other item used in the course of construction, including reconstruction, activities.

(b) No person shall erect or place, or cause to be erected or placed, a semipermanent or immovable object in or upon any public street or highway, or portion thereof, or in or upon any public right of way, or portion thereof, so as to obstruct such public street, highway or right of way without having first obtained the written permission of the City. Such semipermanent or immovable object(s) shall include, but not be limited to, construction dumpsters, tar pots or other such roofing devices, scaffolds, construction materials, portable commodes, or any other item used in the course of construction, including reconstruction, activities.

(c) Any person seeking the City's written permission to erect or place, or cause to be erected or placed, a semipermanent or immovable object in or upon any public street or highway, or portion thereof, or upon any public right of way, or portion thereof, shall also comply with the Encroachment Permit requirements established in Turlock Municipal Code Sections 7-2-301 et seq.

(d) The applicant shall obtain and maintain insurance acceptable to the City Attorney on forms provided by the City of Turlock. Such proof of insurance must be submitted to the City for approval by the City Attorney as to coverage and insurer, in the following minimum policy limit amounts:

(1) General Liability: One Million and no/100ths ($1,000,000.00) Dollars per occurrence for bodily injury, personal injury and property damage.

(2) Employer's liability: One Million and no/100ths ($1,000,000.00) Dollars per accident.

(773-CS, Amended, 05/14/1992)

Where the City has established lines and grades, the City, time permitting, may provide staking for projects less than 250 feet in length for R-1 and R-2 properties and less than 100 feet in length for all other properties within ten (10) working days after the date the permit is issued. The City will require the applicant to establish lines and grades and perform staking for projects where lines and grades are not established, or where project lengths exceed those set forth in this section, or where the City does not have sufficient time to provide staking. Additional restaking costs shall be paid by the applicant at the City's cost, plus fifteen (15%) percent.

The permittee or applicant for a permit may seek a variance or relief from the provisions of this chapter by filing an appeal as provided in Title 1, Chapter 4 of this Code; provided, however, no variance or exception to the improvements required by this chapter shall be granted, except for cases of extreme hardship not arising as a result of an act or omission of the appellant or his agent or employee.

(866-CS, Amended, 02/09/1995)