It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to move any building or structure over or along any street or alley in the City of Tacoma without first having obtained a permit to do so from the Director of Public Works.
(Ord. 24238 § 1, 1988-11-29)
Said permit to move any building or structure shall only be issued to authorized building movers. An authorized building mover is defined as any individual or organization which has:
A. 
Obtained a valid contractor’s license in the State of Washington;
B. 
Furnished to the City of Tacoma, Department of Public Works, Buildings Division, a surety bond, approved by the City’s Risk Manager, in the amount of $10,000.00. Action against the bond will be taken if the permit holder fails to complete the move as specified in the permit;
C. 
Furnished to the City of Tacoma, Department of Public Works, Buildings Division, proof of possession of, and agreement to maintain, a comprehensive general liability insurance policy in the amount of no less than $500,000.00 combined single limit for personal injury and property damage coverage, per occurrence. Such insurance shall provide: Premises/operations liability, owner’s and contractor’s liability, products/completed operations liability, broad form property damage, personal injury, automobile liability for all vehicles owned and operated, and shall include the City of Tacoma as an additional insured. Such insurance shall be primary to and non-contributing with any insurance maintained by the City of Tacoma, shall contain a severability of interest provision in favor of the City of Tacoma, and shall include an express waiver of subrogation in favor of the City of Tacoma. A certificate of insurance evidencing compliance with the foregoing shall be provided to the City of Tacoma before a permit is issued, and coverage shall be effective during the dates of the permit;
D. 
Signed a hold harmless agreement, which the City of Tacoma will furnish, stating that the permit holder shall be fully liable and responsible for accident, damage, or injury to any property or person resulting from activity done under the authority of an over-legal-size building moving permit. In addition, the permit holder shall indemnify the City of Tacoma, its officers, agents, and employees against any and all claims, demands, loss, injury, damage actions, and costs of actions which they, both individually and severally, may sustain by reason of unlawful acts, conduct, or operations covered by the permit.
(Ord. 24238 § 1, 1988-11-29)
No less than three working days in advance of the proposed move of a house or building, the mover shall submit an application for permit to the Traffic Engineering Division of the City of Tacoma Public Works Department. Such application shall include:
A. 
Present location of the building to be moved.
B. 
Proposed location building is being moved to.
C. 
The building permit number, if the building is to be located within the City of Tacoma.
D. 
Proposed route over which the load is to be moved.
E. 
Dimensions of the load or equipment when loaded or road ready.
F. 
Vehicle description and license plate numbers for each vehicle, dolly, and/or trailer used.
G. 
Evidence of notification to all public and private utility companies, including railroad companies, having facilities over, along or across the proposed route of travel, which may be in conflict with or endangered by the load. Such notification shall be given to a responsible member of each company at least 24 hours before the proposed move. The responsible person’s name, position, company name, and phone number, and the date and time called must be recorded on the permittee’s copy of the permit prior to moving.
H. 
Evidence of notification to the Tacoma Police Department, Fire Department and Traffic Signal Division of the Department of Public Works of the time, date, dimensions, and route of the move. Contact’s name, department, and phone number, and time and date of contact, must be recorded on the permittee’s copy of the permit prior to moving.
(Ord. 24238 § 1, 1988-11-29)
The following restrictions will be observed on movements of all over-legal-size loads within the City of Tacoma, except with written permission from the Chief, Traffic Engineering Division of the Department of Public Works.
A. 
Building moves will be allowed only in daylight hours (one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset).
B. 
Building moves will not be allowed on legal holidays observed by the City of Tacoma.
C. 
Building moves will not be allowed on arterial streets in the City of Tacoma during peak hour traffic (7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.).
D. 
Building moves will not be allowed if, at the discretion of the Chief of Engineering Division, inclement weather, including but not limited to snow, ice, or fog, could create unsafe operating conditions.
E. 
In case of any conditions adverse to the City, the Traffic Engineering Division reserves the right to restrict movement of any over-legal-size load in the City of Tacoma at any time.
F. 
Any changes in moving dates or times from those set forth in the permit application must be cleared by the Traffic Engineering Division of the Department of Public Works.
(Ord. 24238 § 1, 1988-11-29)
Equipment used in transporting over-legal-size loads will be inspected and certified annually by the City of Tacoma’s Road Use Compliance Officer, and shall meet the following requirements:
A. 
All equipment must comply with the requirements as set forth in Chapter 11.16 of this Code, “Equipment and Inspection.”[1]
[1]
Code Reviser’s note: Chapter 11.16 was repealed by Ord. 25208.
B. 
All trucks and dollies shall be licensed and covered by insurance as required by the State of Washington.
C. 
In case of equipment failure, insufficient power, or insufficient braking capabilities involving vehicles which move buildings, the Traffic Engineer or his representative may call for outside assistance, at the mover’s expense, to continue the move.
D. 
Tire and axle loading shall comply with Washington State Motor Vehicle load limits.
E. 
Any equipment which breaks down and causes undue delay, or any equipment breakdown which occurs frequently, is just cause for the Traffic Engineering Division of the City of Tacoma Department of Public Works to rule against further use of such equipment. Such condemned equipment shall not be used until repaired by mover and inspected and approved by the Traffic Engineering Division.
F. 
Personnel who are riding on top of over-legal-size load to be moved, responsible for handling overhead wiring, shall at all times wear rubber gloves which are in good condition and are capable of withstanding high voltages of at least 10,000 volts.
G. 
A ladder of a length to reach the top of over-legal-size load will be available on every move.
H. 
Blocks capable of holding the unit being moved shall be carried and, in the case of winching operations, shall be kept close to the downhill side of the wheels of each dolly to prevent runaway should the cable slip.
I. 
Every tow vehicle shall carry at all times an approved first aid kit.
J. 
Every tow vehicle shall carry at all times a minimum of 10 emergency fuses.
(Ord. 24238 § 1, 1988-11-29)
Front and rear escort vehicles shall be furnished by the permit holder or subcontractor and shall meet the following requirements:
A. 
Escort vehicles may be a four-passenger car or two-axle truck, and shall be fully licensed in the State of Washington and be in safe operating condition as outlined in Chapter 11.16 of this Code, entitled “Equipment and Inspection.”
B. 
Escort vehicles shall be of such design as to provide the driver clear and unobstructed vision, both front and rear.
C. 
Escort vehicle operators shall be properly licensed and have sufficient experience to operate the vehicle.
D. 
Escort vehicle operators and ground escort personnel shall have in their possession a current and valid Washington State Flagging and Traffic Control card, and shall wear an orange protective vest as outlined in WAC 296-155-305.
E. 
Front and rear escort vehicles will travel at such reasonable distance from the building being moved as to insure the maximum security to the traveling public.
F. 
All escort vehicles and towing vehicles shall be equipped with working two-way radios, subject to the approval of the Traffic Engineering Division of the Department of Public Works.
(Ord. 24238 § 1, 1988-11-29)
Warning signs and devices shall meet the following requirements:
A. 
An “oversized load” sign at least six feet long, with black letters 10 inches high and one inch wide on yellow background, shall be mounted above the cab of the towing vehicle and on the rear of the trailer unit.
B. 
An “oversized load” sign, as described above, shall be mounted above the roof line of each escort vehicle, a minimum of five feet from the roadway surface, measured from the bottom of the sign.
C. 
“Oversized load” signs, when mounted for use, shall not interfere with required lighting.
D. 
Such signs will be displayed only when the unit is in transit and must be removed or retracted at all other times.
E. 
Oversized loads shall display the prescribed 144-square-inch red-colored flag on each corner.
F. 
Escort vehicles shall display either two six-inch diameter flashing amber lights or a single rotating flashing beacon mounted above the roof line and plainly visible. The amber lights shall meet SAE Standard Specifications (SAE J595b), “Flashing Warning Lamps for Authorized Emergency, Maintenance, and Service Vehicles.” These amber lights will operate at all times during movement of over-legal-size loads.
G. 
Police escort may be required for over-legal-size loads, at the discretion of the Traffic Engineering Division of the Department of Public Works.
H. 
When uniformed off-duty law enforcement officers act as escorts, using official police cars or motorcycles, the preceding escort car requirements shall still be applicable.
(Ord. 24238 § 1, 1988-11-29)
Any person, firm, or corporation violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $1,000.00 or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Each instance when there is a violation or a failure to comply shall constitute a separate violation.
(Ord. 24238 § 1, 1988-11-29)