No person shall cut, break, construct or remove any curbing, sidewalk or driveway, or cause to have cut, broken, constructed or removed, any curbing, sidewalk or driveway on any public street in the city without first obtaining a permit to do so from the city engineer.
(Prior code § 25-42)
For the purpose of providing adequate supervision of construction or removal of curbing, driveways or sidewalks, permit fees have been established. Payment of these fees to the city shall be required as a condition precedent to the granting of permits required by Section 12.16.010. The current fee schedule shall be on file with the city clerk, and shall be in such amounts as the city council may set from time to time by resolution.
The permit fees covered in this section shall not be added to fees charged for an encroachment permit which covers sidewalks, curb cuts and driveways as a part of a larger project. The fees as established by this section shall not be charged to any school establishment or school district.
(Ord. 4395, 03/02/93; Prior code § 25-43)
No permit shall be issued under the provisions of Section 12.16.010 in conflict with the following regulations:
A. 
Conformance to San Diego Area Regional Standard Drawings. No permit shall be issued to construct a driveway depression in an existing curb or a new curb being constructed, unless a concrete driveway approach is installed according to the San Diego Area Regional Standard Drawings which are in effect at the time of such work. Said drawings are maintained and published by the San Diego County department of transportation, and a copy thereof is on file with the city clerk and the city engineer.
B. 
Interference With Sidewalks. No driveway shall be located so as to interfere with intersecting sidewalks, traffic signals, lampposts, fire hydrants, air raid sirens, utility poles, drainage structures or curb returns, except as provided in the San Diego Area Regional Standard Drawings.
C. 
Distance Between Driveways. The distance between driveways serving the same lot or parcel of land shall be a minimum of twenty feet between curb openings for residential zones, and a minimum of four feet in commercial zones. In commercial zones no driveway shall be located such that the distance between curb openings is more than ten feet but less than twenty-six feet.
D. 
Distance Between Driveway and Property Line. Curb openings, except for joint-use driveways and driveways on lots having twenty-one feet of frontage or less, shall be located at least three feet from the side property line extended. No portion of any driveway shall be allowed to cross over a line extending perpendicular to the roadway from the front corner of the property, except that joint-use driveways may be permitted in special instances where written approval of both property owners is filed with the city engineer, or under conditions provided for in Section 12.16.040.
E. 
Abandoned Driveways. Any abandoned driveway shall be removed and the curb and sidewalk shall be properly restored in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
F. 
Single-Family Residential Zone.
1. 
The maximum driveway width shall be thirty feet (thirty-six foot curb opening).
2. 
The minimum driveway width shall be twelve feet (eighteen foot curb opening).
3. 
Not more than forty percent of the property frontage may be allocated for driveway curb openings, except that all lots are entitled to one twelve-foot driveway (eighteen foot curb opening).
G. 
Multiple-Family, Commercial and M Zones.
1. 
The maximum driveway width shall be thirty feet (thirty-six foot curb opening).
2. 
The minimum driveway width shall be twelve feet (eighteen foot curb opening).
3. 
Not more than sixty percent of the property frontage may be allocated for driveway curb openings, except that all lots are entitled to one twelve-foot driveway (eighteen foot curb opening).
H. 
Requirements for Conditional Uses. The requirements for curb cuts and driveway locations for uses which require a conditional use permit shall be determined by the city engineer according to the provisions of this chapter which bear the most reasonable relation to the use for which the conditional use permit has been granted.
(Ord. 3190 § 1, 1978)
Where practical difficulties, unnecessary hardships or results inconsistent with the general purposes of this chapter, result through the strict and literal interpretation and enforcement of the provisions of this chapter, the city engineer shall have the authority, as an administrative act, to grant, upon such conditions as he may determine, such variances from the provisions of this chapter, as may be in harmony with its general purpose and intent.
(Prior code § 25-45)