It shall be unlawful for any person to make any excavation or fill any excavation in any public place without first obtaining a permit so to do from the Public Works Director except as otherwise provided in this Article.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
No excavation permit shall be issued unless a written application (on a form provided by the Public Works Director) for the issuance of an excavation permit is submitted to the Public Works Director. The written application shall state the name and address and principal place of business of the applicant, the location and dimensions of the installation or removal for which excavation is to be made, the purpose of the facility and the length of time which will be required to complete such work, including backfilling said excavation and removing all obstructions, material and debris. The Public Works Director may in his or her discretion grant extensions of time should the permittee, for any reason, be unable to complete the work within the time as stated. The application, when approved and signed by the Public Works Director, shall constitute a permit.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
(1) 
A fee as specified in the Master Fee Schedule shall be paid before the issuance of an excavation permit.
(2) 
Public utilities operating under the supervision of the Public Utilities Commission, public utilities holding a franchise with the City, City Departments and other governmental agencies, may request that permit fees be accumulated and paid on a periodic basis, not to exceed one year between payments.
(Ord. 2432 1-4-83; Ord. 89-23 12-29-89; Ord. 13-04 11-5-13)
(1) 
The permittee will properly backfill, repave, and maintain any excavation made by him and will guarantee same for a period of one year. In case of any failure or settlement which might occur to any repaired or new excavations made by the permittee, the permittee will cause repairs to be made within twenty-four hours after notification by the City to make such repairs. The permittee shall comply with the specifications approved by the Public Works Director pursuant to Section 10-55.
(2) 
The City reserves the right to make such repairs as it deems necessary to maintain excavations as stated in Paragraph (1) above, and to recover from the permittee the full cost of such repairs, and administrative and legal expenses associated therewith.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 89-23 12-29-89; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
(1) 
The permittee shall take appropriate measures to assure that during the performance of the excavation work, traffic conditions shall be maintained at all times so as to cause as little inconvenience as possible to the general public, provided that the Public Works Director may permit the closing of streets and alleys to all traffic for a period of time prescribed by him or her if in his or her opinion it is necessary.
(2) 
The written approval of the Public Works Director may require that the permittee give notification to various public agencies and to the general public. In such case, no work shall begin until such notice is given.
(3) 
Warning signs shall be placed far enough back of the construction operation to alert traffic within a public street and cones or other approved devices shall be placed to channel traffic, all in accordance with the "Manual on Surface Traffic Interference Problem as Caused by Substructure Construction and Operation," prepared by a subcommittee under the direction of the Substructure Committee of Los Angeles (including latest revisions).
(4) 
Warning signs, lights, etc., unless otherwise specified by the Public Works Director shall conform to the requirements of the "Manual of Warning Signs, Lights and Devices for Use in Performance of Work Upon Highways," published by the State of California, Department of Public Works.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
The excavation work shall be performed and conducted so as not to interfere with access to fire hydrants, fire stations, fire escapes, water gates, underground vaults, valve housing structures, and all other vital equipment as designated by the Public Works Director.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
The permittee shall maintain safe crossings for two lanes of vehicle traffic at all street intersections where possible and safe crossings for pedestrians at intervals of not more than three hundred feet. If any excavation is made across any public street, alley or sidewalk, at least one safe crossing shall be maintained when possible for vehicles and pedestrians. If the street is not wide enough to hold the excavated material without using part of the adjacent sidewalk, a passageway at least one-half of the sidewalk width shall be maintained along such sidewalk line.
The permittee shall not move, alter, temporarily relocate or interfere with any existing utility structure without the written consent of the owner of the utility. If it becomes necessary to relocate an existing utility structure, it shall be done by its owner. The cost of moving utilities shall be borne by the permittee unless other arrangements are made with the owner of the utility; however, in the event the utility occupies the same space as that to be occupied by a proposed storm drain or sanitary sewer, the utility company shall be responsible for the relocation of the utility at its own expense. For purposes of clarification, the space necessary for a storm drain or sanitary sewer is the design width of the trench necessary for the installation. The permittee shall support and protect by timbers or otherwise all pipes, conduits, poles, wires or other facilities which may be in any way affected by the excavation work; and do everything necessary to support, sustain and protect them under, over, along or across said work. In case any of said pipes, conduits, poles, wires or facilities should be damaged, and for this purpose pipe coating or other encasement or devices are to be considered as part of a substructure, they shall be repaired by the owner thereof and the expenses of such repairs shall be paid by the permittee.
The permittee shall be responsible for any damage done to any public or private property by reason of the breaking of any water pipes, sewer, gas pipe, electric conduit or other utility. The permittee shall be responsible to determine the existence and location of all underground utilities and protect the same against damage.
Whenever the use of a substructure is abandoned, except the abandonment of a service line designed to serve a single property owner, the person owning, using, controlling, or having an interest therein shall within thirty days after such abandonment file with the Public Works Director a statement in writing or a drawing giving in detail the location of the substructure so abandoned.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
The permittee shall at all times and at his or her or its own expense preserve and protect from injury any adjoining property by providing proper foundations and taking other measures suitable for the purpose. Where in the protection of such property it is necessary to enter upon private property for the purpose of taking appropriate protecting measures, the permittee shall obtain a license from the owner of such private property for such purpose. Whenever it may be necessary for the permittee to trench through any lawn area, the sod shall be carefully cut and replaced after ditches have been backfilled as required in this Chapter. Should the cutting and replacement of sod be impractical, the lawn area disturbed shall be reseeded with the same kind of grass existing before the work and such reseeding shall be done to the satisfaction of the owner of the affected property. All construction and maintenance work shall be done in a manner calculated to leave the lawn area clean of earth and debris and in a condition as near as possible to that which existed before such work began. The permittee shall not remove, even temporarily, trim or damage any trees or shrubs which exist in parking strip areas without first obtaining the consent of the appropriate City department or City official having control of such property.
(1) 
It shall be the duty of every person, cutting or making an excavation in or upon any public place, to place and maintain such barriers and warning devices necessary for safety as specified by the State Division of Highways' publication "Manual of Warning Signs, Lights, and Devices for Use in Performance of Work upon Highways."
(2) 
Barriers shall meet the requirements of the Public Works Director. Warning lights shall be flares, torches, lanterns, electrical markers or flashers used to indicate a hazard to traffic from sunset of each day to sunrise of the next day. Torches shall be open wick or flame flares or bombs generally used in connection with roadway repairs or construction and operating on kerosene or similar fluid. Lanterns shall be kerosene or a similar fluid; burning lanterns shall have clear red or ruby globes. Electrical markers or flashers shall emit light at sufficient intensity and frequency to be visible at a reasonable distance for safety. Reflectors or reflecting material may be used to supplement, but not replace, light sources.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
Prior to making any street excavation, the Contractor or Utility Company shall mark the curb with paint adjacent to the street excavation, indicating street excavation. For example, Water Cuts shall be marked with a W, Electric Cuts with an E, Sewer Cuts with an S, Gas Cuts with a G, and Telephone Cuts with a T.
All material excavated from trenches and piled adjacent to the trench or in any street shall be piled, and maintained in such manner as not to endanger those working in the trench, pedestrians or users of the streets, and so that as little inconvenience as possible is caused to those using streets and adjoining property. Where the confines of the area being excavated are too narrow to permit the piling of excavated material beside the trench, such as might be the case in a narrow alley, the Public Works Director shall have the authority to require that the permittee haul the excavated material to a storage site and then rehaul it to the trench site at the time of backfilling. It shall be the permittee's responsibility to secure the necessary permission and make all necessary arrangements for all required storage and disposal sites.
All materials excavated shall be laid completely along the side of the trench and kept trimmed so as to cause as little inconvenience as reasonably possible to vehicular and pedestrian traffic, or as specified by the Public Works Director. Whenever necessary, in order to expedite the flow of traffic or abate the dirt or dust nuisance, toe boards or bins may be required by the Public Works Director to prevent the spreading of dirt into traffic lanes.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
(1) 
As the excavation work progresses, all streets shall be thoroughly cleaned of all rubbish, excess earth, rock and other debris resulting from such work. All clean up operations at the location of such excavation shall be accomplished at the expense of the permittee and shall be completed to the satisfaction of the Public Works Director. From time to time, as may be ordered by the Public Works Director and in any event immediately after completion of said work, the permittee shall, at his or her or its own expense, clean up and remove all refuse and unused materials of any kind resulting from said work.
(2) 
Upon the failure of the permittee to comply with the provisions of Section 10-66(1) alter having been given twenty-four hours' notice to do so by the Public Works Director, said work may be done by the City: the cost thereof to be paid by the permittee, and the permittee shall also be liable for the cost thereof under the restoration bond provided in Section 10-56.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
(1) 
The permittee shall maintain all gutters free and unobstructed for the full depth of the adjacent curb and for at least one foot in width from the face of such curb at the gutterline. Whenever a gutter crosses an intersecting street, an adequate waterway shall be provided and at all times maintained.
(2) 
The permittee shall make provisions to take care of all surplus water, muck, silt and slickings pumped from excavations or resulting from sluicing or other operations and shall be responsible for any damage resulting from its failure to so provide.
(1) 
The breaking of existing pavement structures shall be done in such a manner as to do the least amount of damage to the remaining pavement structure and shall be done with approved equipment designed for that purpose, e.g., concrete saws, pneumatic pavement breakers, or hydraulic pavement cutters.
(2) 
Heavy duty pavement breakers may be prohibited by the Public Works Director when the use endangers existing substructures or other property.
(3) 
Saw cutting of Portland cement concrete may be required by the Public Works Director when in his or her opinion the nature of the job or the condition of the street warrants. When required, the depth of the cut shall not be less than one inch in depth; however, depths greater than one inch may be required by the Public Works Director when circumstances warrant. Saw cutting may be required by the Public Works Director outside of the limits of the excavation over cave-outs, overbreaks and small floating sections.
(4) 
Approved cutting of bituminous pavement surface ahead of excavations may be required by the Public Works Director to confine pavement damage to the limits of the trench.
(5) 
Sections of sidewalks shall be removed to the nearest score line or saw cut edge.
(6) 
Pavement shall be removed over cave-outs and overbreaks and the subgrade shall be treated as the main trench.
(7) 
Pavement edges shall be trimmed to a vertical face and neatly aligned with the centerline of the trench.
(8) 
Cutouts outside of the trench lines must be normal or parallel to the trench line.
(9) 
Boring or other methods to prevent cutting of pavement may be required by the Public Works Director.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
Tunneling in a street or alley between curbs is prohibited. Tunneling under concrete gutters except where the length of such tunnel does not exceed two feet is also prohibited. Tunneling is permitted under curbs and sidewalks. When tunnels are permitted under concrete gutters, the tunnel shall be filled with concrete from the top of the tunnel to two feet from the top of the tunnel measured vertically; provided, however, that where interfering facilities make such filling with concrete impossible or impractical, the Public Works Director may modify or reduce the amount of concrete fill required in such tunnels and in such cases the Public Works Director shall prescribe sufficient concrete and compaction of the remaining fill to assure adequate support for the overlying concrete gutter. The remainder of the tunnel shall be backfilled to a relative compaction of ninety percent.
The prohibition against tunneling does not apply to acceptable methods of boring, jacking, or tunneling with liner plate where sand or cement is jetted into the voids thereby created or to tunneling under certain structures, such as storm drains, large pipe lines or conduits, etc. In the event tunneling is required, in any instance heretofore mentioned, a jetted sand backfill shall be employed.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
It shall be unlawful without written permission of the Public Works Director, for any person to install any substructure, except manholes, vaults, valve casings, culverts, and catch basins at a distance less than:
(1) 
Roadway. Twenty-four inches below the established flow line of the gutter; or if said flow is not established, then the depth shall be at a minimum of twenty-four inches below the surface of the outermost edge of the traveled portion of the street.
(2) 
Other Public Places. The minimum depth of any substructure in any other public place other than a roadway shall be twelve inches below the surface; provided, however, that Public Works Director may permit a lesser depth in special cases.
Nothing in this Section shall impose a duty upon the permittee to maintain said specifications as required herein upon subsequent changes of grade in the surface unless the grade in said substructure interferes with the maintenance of, or travel on, a public street.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
(1) 
The backfill must have at least ninety percent relative compaction. The Public Works Director may require soil tests to be furnished by a recognized soil testing laboratory or registered professional engineer specializing in soil mechanics when, in his or her opinion, backfill for any excavation is not being adequately compacted. All expense of such tests shall be borne by the permittee.
(2) 
The permittee shall be responsible for any settlement of the trench for a period of one year following completion of the work.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
(1) 
Temporary surfacing shall be placed as soon as the backfill has been thoroughly prepared according to backfill specification. The surfacing shall be at least two inches thick, wherever vehicular traffic is encountered, and at all times smooth, level and even with the existing surfaces when completed. In no case shall temporary surfacing be installed to a thickness of less than one inch.
(2) 
The permittee shall maintain surfacing in a condition safe for pedestrian or vehicular traffic until completion of permanent resurfacing of the damaged or excavated surface.
(3) 
Should the surface of the backfill result in an unsafe condition for the pedestrian or vehicular traffic, the permittee shall maintain barriers and lights around the back filled area until the excavation has been permanently resurfaced.
(4) 
Cold laid plant-mixed surfacing shall be of a "Dense Graded Aggregate Type," containing an SC-4 liquid asphalt binder and three-eighths inch maximum aggregate.
(5) 
Wheel rolling alone shall not be a sufficient compaction process for a cold laid plant-mixed surface.
(6) 
The contractor shall be responsible for any pavement settlement.
(1) 
Unless otherwise specifically authorized by the Public Works Director and indicated on the permit issued pursuant to this Article, the improved surface of a street excavated or damaged in connection with work being performed pursuant to said permit will be permanently resurfaced by the City. Upon completion of backfilling and temporary resurfacing of an excavation within a public place, when said excavation is ready for permanent resurfacing, the permittee shall notify the Public Works Director within twenty-four hours thereafter.
(2) 
Where permanent resurfacing by the permittee is approved, pursuant to the terms of the permit, the permanent resurfacing shall be accomplished immediately in lieu of installing and maintaining the temporary resurfacing. Not more than seven days shall elapse after the installation of the temporary pavement until completion of the permanent resurfacing. The Public Works Director may require permanent resurfacing of an area immediately upon completion of backfilling if the public safety demands; such requirement shall be set forth in the permit. Permittee shall notify the Public Works Director in writing prior to replacing base and surface materials.
(3) 
Subgrades. Subgrades shall be restored to that existing prior to the excavation or in accordance with standards for the construction of new streets used by the City.
(4) 
Paving replacement shall comply with the following:
(a) 
Portland cement concrete used in the repair of trenches shall not have a slump in excess of two inches.
(b) 
Portland cement concrete used in the repair of trenches in streets shall be replaced with a thickness equivalent to that removed, but in no case less than six inches. Bituminous pavement shall be replaced at the same thickness as the existing pavement.
(5) 
Pavement base shall be replaced in kind and thickness except that in all cases the base replaces shall meet the current standards for Aggregate Base of the Division of Highways Standard Specifications.
(6) 
Portland cement sidewalks shall be replaced with the thickness of that removed; but in no case less than three and one-half inches and shall be of a color and texture of the adjoining sidewalk.
(7) 
Expansion joints in Portland cement patches shall be matched with saw cut lines.
(8) 
Portland cement shall be finished to match the texture of that of the adjoining pavement.
(9) 
Concrete shall be compacted by tamping, rodding, or mechanical vibration.
(10) 
Repairs in rock and oil streets shall be made in accordance with the existing specifications for bituminous type pavement.
(11) 
Bituminous paving shall conform to Section 39 of the State of California Standard Specifications, January, 1960, and shall be the type and thickness shown on the plans. An 85-100 paving grade asphalt shall be used.
The edges of the existing bituminous pavement must be vertical, sharp, clean and free from foreign material. The edges of the existing pavement and at least twelve inches on each side of the trench shall be primed with from 0.10 to 0.20 gallon per square yard of SS-2 asphaltic emulsion. Where pavement is replaced in two or more lifts, the base course shall be three-fourths inch maximum size aggregate and 85-100 paving grade asphalt. This shall be placed in no more than a two-inch lift. The compaction of the base course shall be made with equipment which will give a smooth, even surface and will give the compaction required by the Public Works Director. Wheel rolling alone is unacceptable. Finish course shall be one-half inch maximum size aggregate and 85-100 paving grade asphalt. The finish course shall be smooth, level and even with the existing surfaces when compacted. Compaction will conform to Section 39 of the State of California Standard Specifications, January, 1960.
(12) 
All Portland cement concrete pavement paving shall be of a Class B mix and shall conform to the State of California Standard Specifications, January 1960, Section 40.
(13) 
The permittee shall be responsible for any settlement of the trench for a period of one year following completion of the work.
(14) 
Fees and/or rates to be charged by the City for reconstructing the permanent pavement of any damages or excavated portion of any public place will be established by resolution of the City Council.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
Within seven days after restoration of permanent surface, the permittee shall notify the Public Works Director giving the dimension of the surface restoration, the type of surface, the location permit number and date, and the date of the surface restoration.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
The maximum length of open trench permissible at any time shall be in accordance with existing ordinances or regulations or as may be specified by the Public Works Director and no greater length shall be open for pavement removal, excavation, construction, backfilling, patching and all other operations without the written permission of the Public Works Director.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
After an excavation is commenced, the permittee shall prosecute with diligence and expedition all excavation work covered by the excavation permit and shall promptly complete such work and restore the street to its original condition, or as near as may be, so as not to obstruct the public place or travel thereon more than is reasonably necessary.
If, in his or her judgment, traffic conditions, the safety or convenience of the traveling public or the public interest require that the excavation work be performed as emergency work, the Public Works Director shall have full power to order, at the time the permit is granted, that a crew of men and adequate facilities be employed by the permittee twenty-four hours a day to the end that such excavation work may be completed as soon as possible.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
Nothing in this Article shall be construed to prevent the making of such excavations as may be necessary for the preservation of life or property or for the location of trouble in conduit or pipe, or for making repairs, provided that the person making such excavation shall apply to the Public Works Director for such a permit on the first working day after such work is commenced.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
Each permittee shall conduct and carry out excavation work in such manner as to avoid unnecessary inconvenience and annoyance to the general public and occupants of neighboring property. The permittee shall take appropriate measures to reduce to the fullest extent practicable in the performance of the excavation work, noise, dust and unsightly debris and during the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. shall not use, except with the express written permission of the Public Works Director or in case of an emergency as herein otherwise provided, any tool, appliance or equipment producing noise of sufficient volume to disturb the sleep or repose of occupants of the neighboring property.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
Any monument set for the purpose of locating or preserving the lines of any street or property subdivision, or a precise survey reference point, or a permanent survey bench mark within the City, shall not be removed or disturbed or caused to be removed or disturbed without first obtaining permission in writing from the Public Works Director so to do. Permission to remove or disturb such monuments, reference points or bench marks shall only be granted upon condition that the person applying for such permission shall pay all expenses incident to the proper replacement of this monument by the Public Works Director.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
The Public Works Director shall have the authority to promulgate and cause to be enforced such rules and regulations as may be reasonably necessary to enforce and carry out the intent of this Article, including the right to make inspections.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
Every person owning, using, controlling or having an interest in substructures, under the surface of any public place used for the purpose of supplying or conveying gas, electricity, communication impulse, water, steam, ammonia or oil in the City, shall file with the Public Works Director within one hundred twenty days after the adoption of this Article a map or set of maps each drawn to a scale of not less than one inch to two hundred feet showing in detail the location, size, description and date of installation, if known, of all substructures, except a service line designed to serve a single property owner, beneath the surface of the public place belonging to, used by or under the control of such person having any interest, and shall file with the Public Works Director within fifteen days after the first day of March of each and every year a corrected map or set of maps each drawn to said scale including all installations made during the previous year to and including the last day of such year; provided, however, that a public utility owner may at its option provide corrected atlas sheets at more frequent intervals.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
In the case of failure or settlement of any repaired or new excavation made by the Contractor or Utility Company which in the opinion of the Public Works Director endangers the safety of the pedestrian or motoring public, the Contractor or Utility Company shall cause emergency repairs or barricading to be made immediately within five hours after notification. Should the failure or settlement be reported after 5:00 p.m. and before 8:00 a.m. or on Saturday or Sunday or any legal holiday, or should the Contractor or Utility Company fail to cause the necessary emergency repairs or barricading to be accomplished within the specified time limit, the City of Inglewood shall cause the emergency repairs or barricading to be accomplished and the Contractor or Utility Company shall pay the cost thereof, with a minimum charge per trip to be $25.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)
This Article is not intended to and shall not be construed as imposing upon the City or any official or employee any liability or responsibility for damages to any person injured by the performance of any excavation work for which an excavation permit is issued hereunder, nor shall the City or any official or employee thereof be deemed to have assumed any such liability or responsibility by reason of inspections authorized hereunder, the issuance of any permit, or the approval of any excavation work.
(1) 
Prior to the issuance of any street opening permit the permittee must furnish to the City of Inglewood a certificate of insurance for public liability and property damage in the amount of $25,000 and $50,000 for property damage and $100,000 and $300,000 for public liability. Said certificate of insurance must hold the City of Inglewood and its employees harmless from any damages whatsoever arising out of the permittee's work within the street or alley system of the City of Inglewood.
(2) 
Provided, however, that public utilities operating under the supervision of the Public Utilities Commission, public utilities holding a franchise from the City, City departments and other governmental agencies, may be relieved of the obligation of submitting such a certificate of insurance by the Public Works Director.
(Ord. 2348 7-31-79; Ord. 96-21 9-24-96)