Westminster Municipal Code Ch. 14.16 Refineries

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no person shall erect, operate or maintain any oil refinery or commercial dehydration plant at any place within the city.

(Prior code § 3340)

No person shall erect, operate or maintain at any place within the city any refinery, natural gasoline plant, commercial dehydration plant, loading rack, bulk distributing station, marine oil terminal or marine oil service station, or to add to, enlarge, move, improve, alter, reconstruct, restore, convert, extend, remove, dismantle or demolish any of same without first obtaining from the building inspector a building permit to do so as provided by and subject to the building regulations of the city. No such building permit shall be issued or valid or effective for any purpose unless and until the permit required herein to be obtained from the bureau of fire prevention has been obtained and issued as provided in this chapter.

(Prior code § 3340.1)

No person shall erect, operate or maintain at any place within the city any refinery, natural gasoline plant, compressor plant, commercial dehydration plant, loading rack or bulk distributing station, or add to, enlarge, move, improve, alter, reconstruct, restore, convert, extend, remove, dismantle or demolish same without first obtaining a permit to do so from the bureau of fire prevention. Any person desiring to obtain such a permit shall make written application to and shall file same with the bureau upon forms prescribed and furnished by the bureau. The bureau shall not issue any permit pursuant to such application unless and until the bureau has made an investigation of the proposed location of the refinery, natural gasoline plant, commercial dehydration plant, compressor plant, loading rack or bulk distributing station, or the addition or improvement thereto, or other work or operations intended to be, or which may be, performed or conducted under said permit, and has determined to its satisfaction that same will not be in violation of law or of this chapter, or of any ordinance of the city, or of any rule or regulation of the governmental officer, board, agency or commission applicable thereto; and, if the permit desired is for a refinery or commercial dehydration plant, compressor plant or addition or improvement thereto, or other work or operations in connection therewith, that same will not, in the judgment of the bureau, cause a dangerous or hazardous condition, or create a menace to adjacent property from fire or explosion.

(Prior code § 3340.2)

There shall be erected upon the property or premises on which any refinery is located a substantial fence at least five feet high, which fence shall surround the refinery and all portions thereof, and which fence and all portions thereof shall be at least fifty feet from the nearest portion of the refinery. Such fence shall be constructed of noncombustible materials and shall be provided with a sufficient number of gates, as approved or designated by the bureau of fire prevention, to insure adequate accessibility to the fire department for fire extinguishing purposes in the event of fire.

(Prior code § 3340.3)

All lands within the fence surrounding any refinery, as herein provided, and all lands within twenty-five feet of any portion of any natural gasoline plant, commercial dehydration plant, loading rack or bulk distributing station, shall at all times be kept free and clear from dry weeds, vegetation, rubbish or other inflammable waste material, and from any rubbish, waste or other substances or materials which may afford food or a harboring or breeding place for rats or vermin. All such lands and the lands in the immediate vicinity thereof, as designated by the bureau of fire prevention, shall be kept free and clear from all loose lumber, pipes, materials or substances which, in the opinion of the bureau, constitute a fire hazard, or an obstruction to or interference with fighting or controlling fires.

(Prior code § 3340.4)

No person shall smoke, throw, place or deposit any lighted cigar, cigarette, ash, match, or other smoldering substance at any place inside of the fence surrounding any refinery, as herein provided, or within twenty-five feet of any natural gasoline plant, commercial dehydration plant, loading rack or bulk distributing station. "NO SMOKING" signs shall be posted and maintained upon the property on which any such refinery, natural gasoline plant, commercial dehydration plant, loading rack or bulk distributing station is located. All such signs shall have letters at least four inches in height, and shall be posted and maintained at locations approved or designated by the bureau of fire prevention.

(Prior code § 3340.5)

There shall be installed and maintained in every refinery, natural gasoline plant, commercial dehydration plant, compressor plant, loading rack or bulk distributing station a sufficient number of fire extinguishers, the number, type and locations thereof to be as approved or designated by the bureau of fire prevention; provided, however, that in locations such as compressor buildings or other locations where oil is not normally present, small waterhose streams, such as garden hoses or equivalent, may, with the written approval of the bureau of fire prevention obtained in advance, be used in lieu of fire extinguishers. All fire extinguishers shall be kept filled with the proper fluid or gas at all times. When of foam type, such extinguishers shall be recharged not less than once every twelve months.

(Prior code § 3340.6)

There shall be provided and at all times maintained at each loading rack, bulk distributing station, marine oil terminal or marine oil service station, adequate portable foam-type fire extinguishing equipment approved by the bureau of fire prevention.

(Prior code § 3340.7)

All oil and other flammable liquids (including industrial waste and water mixed with or contaminated by oil or any flammable liquid or by oily fluids or substances) which are obtained, derived or produced by or from, or kept, stored, held, handled or used in connection with the operation or maintenance of any refinery, natural gasoline plant, loading rack or bulk distributing station, shall be kept, stored, held and handled as provided in Chapter 14.12.

(Prior code § 3340.8)

All boilers or engines used, or installed or maintained for use, in connection with any refinery, natural gasoline plant or commercial dehydration plant shall be installed and maintained as provided in Sections 14.08.230 and 14.08.240.

(Prior code § 3340.9)

All electrical equipment used, or installed or maintained for use, in connection with any refinery, natural gasoline plant, commercial dehydration plant, compressor plant, loading rack, bulk distributing station, marine oil terminal or marine oil service station shall be installed and maintained as provided in Section 14.08.250.

(Prior code § 3340.10)

Upon the final and permanent cessation of abandonment of operations on or by any refinery, natural gasoline plant or dehydration plant, all sumps and ditches shall be cleaned out and all oil and industrial waste from said refinery or plant removed from said sumps and ditches and from any other property or premises in or upon which same may have been deposited or allowed to come to rest or accumulate; and the sumps and ditches leveled or filled with dirt; and where same are lined with concrete, the walls and bottom shall be broken up to permit the passage of groundwater; and the premises on which said refinery or plant is located, and any other property or premises in or upon which any oil or industrial waste from said refinery or plant may have been deposited or allow to come to rest or accumulate, shall be cleaned and graded and left entirely free of oil, oil-soaked earth, asphalt, tar, concrete, litter, debris, industrial waste and other substances and left in a clean and neat condition.

(Prior code § 3340.11)