[Adopted 7-7-1998 by Ord. No. 810 (Title 7, Ch. 2, of the 2009 Code of Ordinances)]
No person shall make or cause to be made any excavation in or under any street, alley, sidewalk, or tree lawn in the City of Lake Mills ("City") without first obtaining a permit from the City which authorizes such excavation. City employees, under the direction of their immediate supervisor, are exempt from the requirements of this section.
A. 
Application for permit and bond requirement. The excavation permit may be issued only upon a written application signed by the applicant, and shall describe the place where the excavation is proposed to be made with such certainty that the excavation site may at all times be readily located and shall specify the purpose for which the excavation is to be made, and when the excavation is proposed to begin. The permit application shall state that, in consideration of being permitted to make the excavation, the permittee will leave the street, sidewalk, alley or tree lawn, in as good condition as it was when the work was commenced, and that at all times the place where the excavation is made shall be properly marked with adequate safety warning devices, including barricades with operational warning lights, and the permittee shall save the City harmless from any damages, costs and charges that may arise from the permittee's use of the street, sidewalk, alley, or tree lawn. The permit may be conditioned on a requirement to post a surety bond with the City. All such applications shall be numbered and filed with the City Clerk. The City Council may establish a fee by resolution for such permits from time to time.
B. 
Two-year maintenance. The person to whom the permit is issued shall be responsible for correcting all defects in excavations and restorations occurring within two years from the completion of the work and shall be liable for all expenses or damages resulting from any defects or repairs of defects. The cost of maintenance and repair during the two-year period shall be at the expense of the permittee.
C. 
All applicants for a permit and all work authorized by the permit shall meet the requirements of §§ 573-31 through 573-35.
D. 
Record of excavation permits. A record of all permits issued under the provisions of this chapter by the Director of Public Works shall be kept in the office of the City Clerk, which record shall state the name of each applicant, and shall also contain the facts as to location, purpose of excavation and time when the work is to begin, which are required to be stated in the application, and this record shall be open to public inspection.
E. 
Contract excavations. Private contractors under contract to the City for the purpose of constructing public works are considered agents of the City and are exempt from the above permit application requirements, but such agents shall be required to post a bond and certificate of insurance with the City which shall save the City harmless from any damages, injuries, costs, and charges which may arise from the agents' use of the street, alley, sidewalk, or tree lawn, and all such agents shall meet the requirements of §§ 573-32 through 573-35.
Employees or agents of the natural gas utility providing service to properties within the City may request an all encompassing written authority from the Director of Public Works to conduct excavations in order to provide and maintain essential services. This written authority shall expire one year from date of issuance. All gas utility excavations and restorations shall comply with the provisions of §§ 573-32 through 573-35.
Any person receiving a permit under this chapter shall have the permit at the place where the work is being done during working hours and shall exhibit said permit to any police or other officer of the City on demand.
When excavations are made in macadam streets or unpaved streets and alleys surfaced with gravel, they shall be made and filled in the following manner: The backfilling below the surface shall be done with gravel, sand or crushed stone, firmly tamped, and all earth, stone or other material excavated shall be hauled away by the person authorized to make the excavation. All backfilling shall be inspected by a representative of the Department of Public Works prior to patching. All such excavations shall be given a temporary asphalt surface two inches thick immediately following the completion of the inspection.
Excavations in paved streets shall be made and filled in the following manner: The opening in the pavement shall be sawed, unless otherwise permitted by the Director of Public Works, and the foundation must be at least 16 inches larger in all directions than the size of the trench to be excavated so that there may be a shoulder of solid earth eight inches wide on all sides of the opening to support the new pavement. If the sides of the trench cave during the progress of the work, additional pavement shall be broken to retain eight inches of the shoulder on all sides. The backfill below the pavement shall be done with gravel, sand or crushed stone, firmly tamped, and all stone, earth and other material excavated shall be hauled away by the person authorized to make the excavation. All material used shall comply with City regulations and specifications. The backfilling shall be inspected by a representative of the Department of Public Works prior to patching. Restoration of the surface of a paved street or alley shall be the responsibility of the permittee. Such restoration shall consist of either concrete or a permanent hot patch of asphalt as specified in the permit as soon as weather permits and shall consist of a temporary cold patch of asphalt only until such permanent patch can be laid. The surface of the patched area shall be level with the existing street. Such restoration shall be inspected by the City under the supervision of the Director of Public Works.
Excavation of sidewalks shall be made and restored in accordance with Article IV of this chapter of the Municipal Code. Excavations in tree lawns shall be made in such a manner as to minimize the area excavated. Backfill shall consist of sand firmly tamped with a minimum of six inches of topsoil to restore the tree lawn to its previous level. Sod shall be placed in all areas that have been excavated, unless seeding has been allowed in the permit.
Whenever the Director of Public Works determines that any restoration is or has become defective during the two-year guarantee period, he shall give written notice to the permittee or its surety stating the defect, the work to be done, and the period of time deemed reasonable for completion of the correction of the defect. After receipt of the notice by certified mail, the permittee or surety shall repair the defect or indemnify the City for the cost of the work. Such repair or payment shall occur within the time set forth in the notice. If no such repair or indemnification occurs during said period of time, the City shall proceed with enforcement as provided in this article, and the City shall cause the defect to be corrected at the expense of the permittee.
Property owners or their agents may request that portions of streets, alleys, or sidewalks be temporarily obstructed or blocked in order to facilitate construction activities on private property. Requests shall be submitted to the Department of Public Works five working days prior to the requested period. Approval authority is the Director of Public Works. Requests shall include the period of time the obstruction will be in place and a detailed description of the area containing the obstruction, including the specific street address. Property owners or their agents shall be responsible for insuring that adequate safety warning devices, including barricades with operational flashing lights, are placed around all permitted obstructions.
Any person violating any provision of this chapter or any rules and regulations adopted hereunder shall be subject to a penalty as provided in § 1-19of this Code. Each violation and each day on which a violation occurs and continues shall constitute a separate offense. This section shall not preclude the City from maintaining any appropriate action to prevent or remove a violation of this chapter.