Yorba Linda, CA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 12.12.020
- Application lead time
- 48 hours minimum
- Minimum resurfacing deposit
- $250
- Surety bond
- 2x estimated cost, $1,000 min
- Pipe depth minimum
- 30 inches below surface
- General penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine
Summary
In the City of Yorba Linda, anyone digging, excavating or placing an obstruction in a public right-of-way, from a private utility line to a temporary structure, must first get a permit from the Public Works Director under Municipal Code Section 12.12.020, pay engineering and inspection fees, and meet the chapter's construction and restoration standards.
§ 12.12.020. Permit required. ... No person shall dig up, plow up, remove or break the earth, soil, stone, pavement or other surface of, or otherwise injure, any highway, or make or cause to be made any excavation, or construct, place upon, maintain or leave any material or any obstruction or impediment to travel in or upon a public right-of-way, or install or maintain or cause to be installed or maintained any tank, pipe, conduit, duct, tunnel or any other installation of any nature across, upon, or under any public right-of-way unless he or she has first obtained a permit to do so. ... ... § 12.12.050. Permit—Engineering and inspection fees required. The applicant for a permit under this chapter shall, in addition to an issuance fee and special deposit, pay for engineering and inspection fees as established by resolution adopted by the City Council.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 12.12 of the Yorba Linda Municipal Code, Excavation, Filling and Obstruction of Public Rights-of-Way, requires a permit before any person digs up, breaks or excavates a highway surface, or installs, places or maintains any obstruction, material, tank, pipe, conduit, duct or tunnel across, upon or under a public right-of-way. Section 12.12.030 requires the application to be filed with the Public Works Director at least 48 hours before work begins, identifying the location, purpose and duration of the excavation, naming the applicant, including an indemnification agreement protecting the City, and committing to remove or relocate any installation that later interferes with City right-of-way use.
Section 12.12.050 requires the applicant to pay an issuance fee plus engineering and inspection fees set by City Council resolution, and Section 12.12.080 adds a special cash deposit, no less than $250, to cover resurfacing costs, plus a surety bond equal to twice the estimated cost of work when the applicant is permitted to do its own repairs. Trenching across an open roadway must be progressive under Section 12.12.210, disturbing no more than half the traveled way at a time unless the City Council authorizes more by minute order, and pipes running parallel to a roadway must sit at least five feet from the pavement edge and at least 30 inches below the surface under Section 12.12.220.
Public agencies filing a written guarantee of payment are exempt from the deposit and fee requirements under Section 12.12.090. Work must be completed and the site cleaned under Section 12.12.240, and any excavation performed to preserve life or property during an emergency is exempt from the advance-permit requirement if the excavator applies for a permit within one day after City offices reopen, per Section 12.12.250. Violating Chapter 12.12 without a valid permit falls under the City's general penalty provisions in Chapter 1.12, enforced by the Department of Public Works.
Violations & Fines
Excavating, trenching or placing any obstruction, tank, pipe or conduit in a Yorba Linda public right-of-way without a Department of Public Works permit violates Section 12.12.020 and is punishable under the City's general penalty, Section 1.12.010, by a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment up to six months, or both, with each day of the violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues right-of-way encroachment permits in Yorba Linda?
What deposit does an encroachment permit require?
Is emergency work exempt from the permit requirement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yorba Linda
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