Chapter 13.12
STREET CUTS AND EXCAVATIONS
Sections:
13.12.020 Permit – Filing of plans and specifications.
13.12.030 Barricades and warning signs.
13.12.040 Notification of police and fire department.
13.12.050 Procedure – Generally.
13.12.070 Backfilling specifications.
13.12.080 Failure to notify building department.
13.12.090 Major utility placement.
13.12.010 Permit – Required.
No person shall dig up, break, excavate, use, tunnel, undermine, or disturb any street, alley, sidewalk, public thoroughfare or other public property, place any obstruction thereon or fill in, place, leave or deposit upon the same any earth, rubbish, garbage, gravel, rock or other material that may obstruct, disturb or interfere with the free use thereof without first obtaining a permit therefor from the building inspector. [Ord. 791 § 1, 1977.]
13.12.020 Permit – Filing of plans and specifications.
The building inspector may, if he deems it advisable before granting a permit required by the preceding section, require the filing of plans and specifications covering the proposed work to be authorized by the permit. [Ord. 791 § 2, 1977.]
13.12.030 Barricades and warning signs.
Any person digging, excavating or undermining any street, alley, or sidewalk pursuant to a permit granted under the provisions of this chapter shall place proper barricades and warning signs to prevent injury to persons and property. [Ord. 791 § 3, 1977.]
13.12.040 Notification of police and fire department.
Any person excavating, obstructing or otherwise disturbing any street, alley, or sidewalk shall promptly notify the police department and the fire department. [Ord. 791 § 4, 1977.]
13.12.050 Procedure – Generally.
(1) Permission by the city for street/alley excavation or cutting of pavement, sidewalk, or other improved street/alley for the purpose of making any utility connections or repairs shall be granted to licensed and bonded contractors or franchised utilities or their agents.
(2) No person will be permitted to make any street excavation or cuts whatsoever without prior written approval of the director of public works, the exception being emergency situations occurring outside regular business hours. The contractor or franchised utility shall then secure the proper permits on the next regular business day to avoid the double fee for a nonpermit cut.
(3) The permittee shall be wholly responsible for any damages incurred as a result of any excavation or street cut made, and it shall be the contractor’s responsibility to check with the office of the director of public works for location of sewer lines lying within such streets or alleys.
(4) All permits are subject to the following requirements which must be met prior to the issuance of the permit:
(a) A permit fee of $40.00 shall be paid for each street or alley cut. A permit fee of $250.00 shall be paid for work involving total replacement of utilities in city right-of-way;
(b) The contractor shall obtain a bond in the minimum amount of $5,000 naming the city as sole beneficiary.
All permits shall require the public works director or another individual designated by the public works director to inspect the compaction of backfill in the street cut and/or excavation.
(5) Any contractor obtaining a permit from the director of public works under the provisions of this section shall, in addition to complying with all of the other provisions of this section, be responsible for notifying the office of the director of public works at least 24 hours in advance of the proposed time at which any excavation is to be backfilled to allow the city to schedule inspection and paving.
(6) Such contractor shall also complete all work as shown on the permit granted by the date scheduled thereon, with any exceptions due to weather or other reasons being granted by the office of the director of public works in writing.
(7) Upon the completion of all work by the permittee, such permittee shall advise the office of the director of public works that the work has been completed; upon receipt of this notification the director of public works shall cause the job and work to be inspected.
(8) If such inspection reveals the work to have been performed in a satisfactory fashion, the director of public works shall so advise the permittee.
(9) In the event the excavation and backfill have not been completed in a satisfactory fashion, then in that event the director of public works shall advise the permittee of the nature and extent of the failure of the job to pass inspection and shall notify the permittee of what work must be done again in order that the work can pass inspection.
(10) Any cost incidental thereto shall be borne solely by the permittee for correcting any deficiency in the work to bring it up to standards satisfactory to the director of public works.
(11) When the corrective work has been completed, the permittee shall so advise the director of public works, and the director of public works shall then cause the work to be inspected and if found to be in a satisfactory condition, shall so advise the permittee. In the event the work is not satisfactory, it shall be done in such fashion as to meet the standards and pass the inspection of the director of public works.
(12) In the event the contractor fails to complete the work as programmed and shown on the fact of the permit, the city may complete the work and charge the contractor for doing such work.
(13) The issuance of any permit under the provisions of this section is contingent upon satisfactory inspection reports regarding the contractor’s compliance with the requirements and specifications as set forth in any and all sections of any applicable section of this code. [Ord. 1362 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1247 § 1, 1996; Ord. 963 § 1, 1984; Ord. 791 § 5, 1977.]
13.12.060 Cutting methods.
(1) All cuts into street asphalt, concrete cement, or street/alley bituminous surface treatments shall be trued so that the marginal line of the cut will form a rectangle with straight edges and vertical faces. All street cuts shall extend 12 inches beyond excavation points to provide a nondisturbed shoulder for patching (see illustration). The use of a concrete saw will be required for cutting con-crete cement sidewalks, curbs and gutters, and for other special provisions.
(2) Excavation or tunneling under sidewalks is not allowed. Sidewalks shall be sawcut removed and replaced at a location approved by the public works department. The sidewalk replacement shall conform to city standards. Boring underground is acceptable.
[Ord. 1362 § 1, 2003; Ord. 963 § 2, 1984; Ord. 791 § 6, 1977.]
13.12.070 Backfilling specifications.
Excavations made in all streets, alleys, or sidewalks of the city for whatever purpose shall be backfilled in accordance with the following specifications:
(1) Excavations shall be made in such manner and with the necessary precautions to protect the workmen and general public at all times.
(2) All excavated trench material shall be replaced with approved backfill material.
(3) Approved backfill material for street and alley excavations shall consist of:
(a) Three-eighths-inch pea gravel compacted in two-foot horizontal layers, up to eight inches from grade surface. The remaining eight inches shall consist of compacted five-eighths-inch minus crushed rock;
(b) Five-eighths-inch or three-quarter-inch minus crushed rock for excavations four feet or less in depth. Compaction shall be in one-foot horizontal lifts up to grade surface;
(c) Native fill material compacted to 95 percent of standard proctor density. The top eight inches of fill material shall consist of five-eighths-inch minus crushed rock. All street or alley cuts backfilled with native material shall be tested by an independent testing lab certifying the approved native backfill density;
(d) All trench backfill shall be compacted to 95 percent density;
(e) All trenches or other excavations four feet or more in depth shall be shored. The contractor shall be solely responsible for worker safety and damages related to shoring or failure to shore. [Ord. 1362 § 1, 2003; Ord. 963 § 3, 1984; Ord. 791 § 7, 1977.]
13.12.080 Failure to notify building department.
Failure to notify building department will result in a double fee. [Ord. 1362 § 1, 2003; Ord. 791 § 8, 1977.]
13.12.090 Major utility placement.
(1) The public works department shall be notified of all preconstruction conferences with contractors.
(2) The contractor will furnish the city with construction and traffic control plan.
(3) Trenches, excavations and windows in paved areas must be patched at the close of each workday. Cold mix asphalt may be placed temporarily. Cold patches shall be maintained constantly until permanent patching is complete. Permanent patching with hot mix asphalt must be completed within two weeks (or upon availability of hot mix) unless traffic conditions warrant paving sooner as determined by the public works department. [Ord. 1362 § 1, 2003; Ord. 791 § 8, 1977.]