Chapter 15.36
HOUSE AND STRUCTURE RELOCATION

Sections:

15.36.010    Relocation permit – Required.

15.36.020    Moving permit and development authorization – Application – Contents required.

15.36.030    Moving and relocation defined.

15.36.040    Moving permit required.

15.36.050    Relocation – Permits and authorization required.

15.36.060    Closure of removal site inside city.

15.36.080    Moving permit – Bond requirements.

15.36.100    Moving bond – Conditions required.

15.36.110    Moving bond – Default in performance of conditions – Notice required.

15.36.120    Moving bond – Surety to correct default.

15.36.130    Moving bond – Default – Building department to perform work when – Liability.

15.36.140    Moving bond – Default – Option to demolish structure authorized.

15.36.150    Moving bond – Termination and completion – Statement required.

15.36.210    Building official or surety authorized to enter premises and complete work when – Interference prohibited.

15.36.220    Temporary rearrangement of city or public utility facilities authorized when – Procedure – Costs.

15.36.230    Police department – Notification required – Duty to direct moving.

15.36.240    Violation – Penalty.

15.36.010 Relocation permit – Required.

No person, firm or corporation shall move any building or structure in the city or relocate any building or structure within the city without first having obtained all required permits and development authorization. (Ord. 2000-17 § 16, 2000: prior code § 2.24.010).

15.36.020 Moving permit and development authorization – Application – Contents required.

Each application for a moving permit or development authorization shall be made to the city development services division upon forms furnished by it and shall set forth such information as it may reasonably require in order to carry out the purpose of this chapter. (Ord. 2000-17 § 17, 2000: prior code § 2.24.020).

15.36.030 Moving and relocation defined.

A. “Moving” means transit of a structure through some portion of the city.

B. “Relocation” means moving a structure from a site inside the city to another site inside the city, or from another jurisdiction for placement inside the city. (Ord. 2000-17 § 18, 2000: prior code § 2.24.050).

15.36.040 Moving permit required.

A. Structures moving through the city require a moving permit. A moving permit application shall be applied for prior to the structure entering city public right-of-way. Moving permits will only be issued to contractors licensed and bonded in the state. The contractor must provide to the city a certificate of insurance acceptable to the city in the amount of one million dollars naming the city as additional insured.

B. The contractor shall complete utility company and public safety agency notification required by the city as a condition of the moving permit application process. (Ord. 2000-17 § 19, 2000: prior code § 2.24.160).

15.36.050 Relocation – Permits and authorization required.

No structure shall be relocated within the city without a development authorization, a moving permit, and a building permit.

A. The owner or authorized agent shall submit an application for development authorization as provided in Chapter 20.14 of the Walla Walla Municipal Code. A fee shall accompany the application as provided in Chapter 2.94 of the Walla Walla Municipal Code.

B. A development authorization for relocation of a structure shall only be issued after inspection of the structure by the building official or designee. The inspection shall address structural soundness of the structure, and its suitability for the intended use. The building official must determine that the structure’s condition will withstand the move and that it is capable of being rehabilitated to meet applicable code standards for the intended use. The building official may, at his or her discretion, order an inspection by a licensed structural engineer at the cost of the owner of the structure who must certify that the structure meets the above stated standards.

C. A moving permit is required to relocate structures as provided in Section 15.36.040 of the Walla Walla Municipal Code.

D. A building permit is required for all relocated structures. This shall be issued only after the development authorization and the moving permit have been issued. The building permit shall only be issued after approval of plans indicating how the relocated structure will be brought into conformance with all applicable structural, mechanical, plumbing and related code standards. (Ord. 2000-17 § 20, 2000: prior code § 2.24.060).

15.36.060 Closure of removal site inside city.

If the moved or relocated structure has been removed from a site inside the city, the contractor must close the site in accordance with the following standards. These standards are an automatic condition of the moving permit.

A. All utilities must be properly shut off or abandoned and capped in accordance with requirements of the regulating company or agency.

B. The foundation of the removed structure must be addressed in one of the following ways:

1. If the foundation is no deeper than four feet below original grade level, the entire foundation shall be removed and the hole filled to the original grade level.

2. If the foundation extends deeper than four feet below original grade, the wall may be cut at the four-foot level, with removal of the top four feet of foundation material and the hole filled to the original grade level.

3. If the foundation includes a basement floor, the floor must be broken so that no section is larger than eighteen inches in diameter to allow easy drainage of water through the floor.

C. The contractor shall call for an inspection of the site closure. If a foundation is involved, the inspection shall be called for prior to filling the foundation hole so that proper foundation work specified herein can be verified. (Ord. 2000-17 § 21, 2000: prior code § 2.24.030).

15.36.080 Moving permit – Bond requirements.

No moving permit shall be issued unless the applicant therefor shall first post with the city a bond executed by the owner of the premises where the building or structure is to be relocated or the mover as principal and by a surety company authorized to do business in this state as surety. Such bond shall name the city as obligee and shall be in an amount equal to the cost plus twenty-five percent of the work required to be done in order to comply with all of the conditions of such moving permit as estimated by the building official. (Ord. 2000-17 § 22, 2000: prior code § 2.24.070).

15.36.100 Moving bond – Conditions required.

Every bond filed shall be conditioned as follows:

A. That each and all of the terms and conditions of the moving permit shall be complied with to the satisfaction of the building official;

B. That all of the work required to be done pursuant to the conditions of the moving permit shall be fully performed and completed within the time limit specified in the moving permit. The time limit may be extended for good and sufficient cause by the building official, but no such extension shall be valid unless in writing, and such extension shall not release the surety on the moving bond. (Ord. 2000-17 § 23, 2000: prior code § 2.24.090).

15.36.110 Moving bond – Default in performance of conditions – Notice required.

Whenever the building official shall find that a default has occurred in the performance of any term or condition of a moving permit, written notice thereof shall be given to the principal and to the surety on the bond. Such notice shall state the nature of the default and in case of work to be done shall specify the work to be done and the period of time within which such work must be completed. Failure to comply with the notice of the building official shall constitute a default against the surety bond. (Ord. 2000-17 § 24, 2000: prior code § 2.24.100).

15.36.120 Moving bond – Surety to correct default.

Upon receipt of such notice of default from the building official, the surety must, within the time specified therein, correct such default, and in the case of work required to be performed, cause the work to be done within the time specified in the notice and upon its failure so to do must forthwith pay to the city the face amount of its bond. (Ord. 2000-17 § 25, 2000: prior code § 2.24.110).

15.36.130 Moving bond – Default – Building department to perform work when – Liability.

The building official shall, upon receipt of the face amount of the bond from the surety, proceed by such mode as he or she deems expedient to cause the required work to be performed and completed by contract or otherwise. Upon the completion of such work the balance, if any, of the money so paid to the building department by the surety shall be returned to the surety after deducting the cost of work plus twenty-five percent thereof, the twenty-five percent being retained by the building official to cover cost of supervision. The building official shall incur no liability other than for the expenditure of funds delivered for completion of the work. (Ord. 2000-17 § 26, 2000: prior code § 2.24.120).

15.36.140 Moving bond – Default – Option to demolish structure authorized.

When any notice has been given and a default has occurred either on the part of the principal or the surety, the building official shall have the option, in lieu of completing the work required, to demolish the building or structure and to clear, clean and restore the site. All demolition orders are to be submitted to the city commission for final approval. (Ord. 2000-17 § 27, 2000: prior code § 2.24.130).

15.36.150 Moving bond – Termination and completion – Statement required.

The term of each moving bond filed pursuant to this chapter shall begin upon the date of execution thereof and shall terminate upon the completion to the satisfaction of the building official of the performance of all of the terms and conditions of the moving permit. Such completion shall be evidenced by a statement thereof signed by the building official. (Ord. 2000-17 § 28, 2000: prior code § 2.24.140).

15.36.210 Building official or surety authorized to enter premises and complete work when – Interference prohibited.

A. In the event of any default in the performance of any term or condition of the relocation permit, the surety or any person employed or engaged in its behalf and the building official or any person employed or engaged in his behalf shall have the right to go upon the premises to complete the required work or to remove or demolish the building or structure as the case might be.

B. It is unlawful for the owner, his or her agents or any other person, after a default has occurred in the performance of the terms or conditions of a moving permit, to interfere with or obstruct the ingress or egress of any authorized representative or agent of the surety or the city engaged in the work of completing, demolishing or removing any building or structure for which a moving permit has been issued. (Ord. 2000-17 § 29, 2000: prior code § 2.24.150).

15.36.220 Temporary rearrangement of city or public utility facilities authorized when – Procedure – Costs.

A. Upon granting a permit to move a building or structure, the building official shall notify all of the city departments which may be affected by the proposed moving. It is unlawful for any mover to interfere in any manner with the property of any public utility or the property of the police and fire alarm system or city utilities. The mover shall give to the city at least twenty-four hours’ notice before the time of commencing the moving of any building or structure. The mover shall notify public utilities at least twenty-four hours before commencing the moving of any building or structure.

B. The mover shall compensate the public utilities and the city for making such temporary rearrangements of their property and the mover’s bond shall be liable to the city for the cost thereof. (Ord. 2000-17 § 30, 2000: prior code § 2.24.210).

15.36.230 Police department – Notification required – Duty to direct moving.

Before any building or structure is moved over or on any public street or highway, the chief of the city police department shall be notified by the mover, and the police chief may direct the moving at a time designated over a route approved by the city engineer. (Ord. 2000-17 § 31: prior code § 2.24.220).

15.36.240 Violation – Penalty.

Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this chapter or any of the rules and regulations issued hereunder by the building official shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine in any sum not to exceed one hundred dollars or by imprisonment in the city jail for a term not to exceed thirty days or by both such fine and imprisonment. (Prior code § 2.24.240).