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City of Aurora, MO
Lawrence County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
[R.O. 1993 § 540.010; CC 1988 § 24-131; Ord. No. 90-2002 § 2, 5-14-1990; Ord. No. 2011-2905 § 1, 5-24-2011; Ord. No. 2023-3292, 7-11-2023]
A. 
No person or business shall make or suffer to be made within the City any excavation in any public street, place, walkway, right-of-way or easement unless and until a permit for such excavation has been obtained from the Community Development Department in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter. No exception to this requirement shall be permitted except:
1. 
Public work done by authority of the State Highway Commission or of the Aurora City Council; and
2. 
Emergency work done by authority of the Police or Fire Department of the City of Aurora.
[R.O. 1993 § 540.020; CC 1988 § 24-132; Ord. No. 90-2002 § 2, 5-14-1990; Ord. No. 94-2152 § 1, 6-27-1994; Ord. No. 95-2204 § 1, 11-28-1995; Ord. No. 96-2225 § 1(A), 3-12-1996; Ord. No. 2011-2905 § 1, 5-24-2011; Ord. No. 2013-2952 § 1, 5-28-2013; Ord. No. 2018-3143, 3-27-2018; Ord. No. 2023-3292, 7-11-2023]
A. 
Application for an excavation permit shall be made with the Community Development Department. An application shall be made in writing, or under specified circumstances, by telephone. The application shall contain such information as the Community Development Director, or his/her designated representative may require regarding the purpose, location and size of the proposed excavation and the approximate time when the work thereon will be commenced and completed. When it is not practical to obtain a written permit prior to excavation, the person or business may request a permit by telephone, facsimile, or e-mail communication. In order to obtain a permit without a written application, the person or business must have on file with the Community Development Department the name, address and telephone number of the person's or business's primary business location and a copy of a current business license. If a telephone application is made, then the person or business requesting the permit shall file, within two (2) working days, a written application with the Community Development Department.
A separate permit shall be required for each excavation, and a fee of two hundred dollars ($200.00) will be charged for cuts up to and including forty-eight (48) square feet. For cuts over forty-eight (48) square feet, additional charges of five dollars ($5.00) per square foot will be added.
B. 
If there are three (3) or more excavations within one (1) City block, requested by the same person or company and the street has been overlaid within the past two (2) years, the applicant shall be required to pay the standard fee as outlined in Section 540.020(A) plus an additional one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per occurrence.
C. 
The penalty for failure to obtain a permit on any utility cut to be performed or for failing to properly follow any Section within this Chapter, except when an emergency situation shall exist, shall be a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) per occurrence.
[R.O. 1993 § 540.030; CC 1988 § 24-133; Ord. No. 90-2002 § 2, 5-14-1990; Ord. No. 2011-2905 § 1, 5-24-2011; Ord. No. 2023-3292, 7-11-2023]
The Community Development Department shall prepare and keep at least one (1) copy of the City's specifications for excavation work on file in the City Clerk's office and the City Community Development Department, to be available to the public for inspection and use during all regular business hours. Such specifications shall state the minimum requirements for cutting of any street or public way, backfill, required compaction, resurfacing material and time for completing a project.
[R.O. 1993 § 540.050; CC 1988 § 24-135; Ord. No. 90-2002 § 2, 5-14-1990; Ord. No. 2011-2905 § 1, 5-24-2011; Ord. No. 2023-3292, 7-11-2023; Ord. No. 2024-3318, 2-27-2024]
A. 
Every person or business who makes or causes to be made any excavation in or adjoining any public street, sidewalk or public place shall provide, erect, and maintain at all times along the line of work all such barricades, signs, lights and warning signals as may be necessary to protect the public from the hazards arising from the operation.
B. 
The street may not be closed to traffic without the permission of the City Traffic Engineer or Community Development Director.
C. 
Every person or business who makes or causes to be made any excavations shall indemnify the City against all liability arising by reason of such excavations.
[R.O. 1993 § 540.060; CC 1988 § 24-136; Ord. No. 90-2002 § 2, 5-14-1990; Ord. No. 2011-2905 § 1, 5-24-2011; Ord. No. 2023-3292, 7-11-2023]
The permit holder shall be liable for any damages occurring by reason of an excavation and shall save the City harmless from any claims, damages or causes of actions as a result thereof.
[R.O. 1993 § 540.070; Code 1972 § 32-23; Ord. No. 80-1785 § 1, 12-8-1980; CC 1988 § 24-137; Ord. No. 2011-2905 § 1, 5-24-2011; Ord. No. 2023-3292, 7-11-2023]
A. 
All utility companies shall, at the option of the City, be billed at the end of each month for all permits, inspections, fees and charges, and costs herein provided and incurred by them during the month.
B. 
Firms, corporations and other persons who perform excavating shall be billed at the time of obtaining their permit for all costs herein incurred.
[R.O. 1993 § 540.080; Code 1972 § 32-24; CC 1988 § 24-138; Ord. No. 94-2152 § 2, 6-27-1994; Ord. No. 2011-2905 § 1, 5-24-2011; Ord. No. 2018-3143, 3-27-2018; Ord. No. 2023-3292, 7-11-2023; Ord. No. 2024-3317, 2-27-2024]
A. 
General Excavation Fill Requirements.
1. 
Utility companies may bed any utility lines as per utility company standards, including, but not limited to, the use of sand or pea gravel. Any utility company, contractor or subcontractor shall be required to meet the following specifications: A minimum of four (4) inches of densely compacted granular bedding and backfill shall be required. The remaining area consisting of a minimum six (6) inches of the excavation site or street cut shall be back filled with three-fourths (3/4) inch clean stone base and compacted. The street cut shall be over-cut an additional twelve (12) inches on both sides. The utility company, contractor or subcontractor shall be responsible for an overlay of ten (10) inches of fiber reinforced or minimum seven (7) sack concrete mix over two (2) inches of clean stone base. Alleys that have not been paved will require the same fill regulations for all City streets, except for replacing the top six (6) inches of excavated area with like materials as the existing alley.
B. 
Backfilling and resurfacing should be done in such a manner as to match existing grade of street prior to excavation. This, shall include, but not be limited to, leaving the surface of the street free from broken chunks or sections of street asphalt or concrete. Proper backfilling and resurfacing shall prevent the paved street or public place from becoming a sinkhole and not cause further damage to the surrounding street surface.
C. 
If damage is made to the curb and gutter, the utility company, contractor or subcontractor shall be required to reconstruct the curb and gutter to match the adjoining existing curb and gutter.
Figure A. Backfill And Pavement Repair
540-080c.tif
[R.O. 1993 § 540.090; CC 1988 § 24-139; Ord. No. 90-2002 § 2, 5-14-1990; Ord. No. 2011-2905 § 1, 5-24-2011; Ord. No. 2018-3143, 3-27-2018; Ord. No. 2023-3292, 7-11-2023]
The work of placing, compacting and backfilling excavated areas shall be performed at the sole cost of the person or business making the excavation. If such person or business is not sufficiently qualified to perform the excavation work, the person or business making the excavation may hire an independent contractor to perform such work to make the necessary changes so as to conform with the City's specifications for excavation work. Charges and expenses to perform such work shall be paid by the person or business performing such excavation.
[Ord. No. 2023-3292, 7-11-2023]
Any person or business in making any excavation or tunnel in or under any public street, alley or other public place in the City shall restore the surface in accordance with the specifications established from time to time by the City and on file in the City Clerk's office. All such restoration shall be performed at the sole expense of the person or business performing such excavation. Additionally, the person or business shall have the sole responsibility for all costs of maintenance and shall unconditionally guarantee the restoration project for a period of thirty-six (36) months after final completion thereof against any defective materials, workmanship, or failure to conform with the specifications including but not limited to any damage or defective work caused by natural elements, wear and tear, or results of accidents.
[R.O. 1993 § 540.120; Code 1972 § 32-26; CC 1988 § 24-142; Ord. No. 2011-2905 § 1, 5-24-2011; Ord. No. 2023-3292, 7-11-2023]
The Community Development Director, Public Works Superintendent or designated inspector shall inspect any excavation made under the provisions of this Chapter as often as they may deem necessary.
[R.O. 1993 § 540.140; Code 1972 § 32-27; CC 1988 § 24-144; Ord. No. 2011-2905 § 1, 5-24-2011; Ord. No. 2023-3292, 7-11-2023]
A. 
In making excavations in streets, alleys or sidewalks for laying service pipes or making repairs, or for any other purpose, the earth, plank, brick, paving stones or other material removed shall be deposited in a manner that occasions the least inconvenience to the public and provides for the passage of water along the gutters.
B. 
If any spoils and fill material transported to and from the excavation site are spilled onto any public street, paved alley or other public place in the City, such spills shall be immediately cleaned up by the person or business performing the excavation with the expense of the cleanup to be the sole responsibility of said individual or company.
[R.O. 1993 § 540.150; CC 1988 § 24-145; Ord. No. 90-2002 § 2, 5-14-1990; Ord. No. 2002-2514 § 1, 7-9-2002; Ord. No. 2011-2905 § 1, 5-24-2011; Ord. No. 2018-3143, 3-27-2018; Ord. No. 2023-3292, 7-11-2023]
Any person or business who violates any provisions of this Chapter, or when repair work has not been completed within two (2) weeks, shall be subject to a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) but not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) a day until work is completed, unless special written permission from the Community Development Director or Public Works Superintendent or designated agent thereof is granted.
[Ord. No. 2016-3056 § 1, 1-26-2016; Ord. No. 2023-3292, 7-11-2023]
Sections 319.010 through 319.050, "Underground Facility Safety and Damage Prevention," also known as "The Missouri One Call Law," are hereby incorporated by reference into the Aurora Municipal Code of Ordinances. One (1) copy of the Underground Facility Safety and Damage Prevention Statute is on file in the office of the City Clerk and marked "Official Copy."