15.20 – Moving Buildings

No person, firm or corporation shall move any building on, through, or over any street, alley, sidewalk or other public place in the city without having first obtained a permit from the Building Commissioner.  Applications for such permits shall be made in writing at the office of the Building Commissioner and shall state thereon the proposed route and the number of days it is intended that the building should occupy any portion of any street, alley, sidewalk or other public place.

Upon the approval of the intended route by the Building Commissioner, a fee of ten dollars for each day or fraction thereof that it is intended that the building shall occupy any portion of any such public place shall be paid to the city clerk and the permit issued.  An additional payment of ten dollars for each day or fraction thereof over and above the time stated on the permit, during which any building shall occupy any such public place, shall be paid.

Every person, firm or corporation applying for a permit under this chapter shall submit with his application a bond in the sum of fifty thousand dollars conditioned on his compliance with all the provisions of this chapter, and agreeing to pay, and holding the city harmless from any claim which may be made against it by reason of the occupation of any street, sidewalk, alley or other public place by the building or structure moved.

Whenever a street or alley is blocked by a house or structure which is being moved, warnings to that effect shall be placed by the public engineer so as to warn vehicles and persons from entering that portion of the street which is so blocked.  The person, firm or corporation moving any building through the streets shall keep warning signs and lanterns or lights at night on the building so as to guard against any person or vehicles from colliding with it.

Whenever it is necessary to interfere with wires or cables of a public utility in moving a building, the terms of any special or franchise ordinance governing shall apply and the bond therein specified shall be given.  If no such terms apply then the city council shall estimate the expense of fixing the wires and the bond to be given to cover this.

When any such moving building approaches any fire alarm wire or pole which would be endangered by the removal of such building, it shall be the duty of the mover to notify the chief of the fire department at least six hours before reaching such wire or pole so that they may be removed or cared for by the city.

Any person, firm or corporation violating any provision of this chapter shall be fined not less than one dollar nor more than five hundred dollars for each offense, and a separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.