Article 1. General Provisions of California Streets And Highways Code >> Division 7. >> Part 3. >> Chapter 27. >> Article 1.

As used in this chapter:
  (a) "Block" means property facing one side of any street between the next intersecting streets or between the terminus of a dedicated right-of-way of a street and an intersecting street. "Street" does not include an alley or other right-of-way unless it is of the same width as a regular residential minimum-width street approved as part of a master plan of circulation or streets by the governmental agency involved. In the case of an alley, "block" means property facing both sides of any alley between the next intersecting streets or alleys, or between the terminus of an alley and an intersecting street. In the case of street lighting, "block" means property facing the side of any street on which the improvement is to be constructed between the next intersecting streets on the side to be improved or between the terminus of a dedicated right-of-way of a street and a street intersecting the side to be improved; or property facing the side of any street on which the improvement is to be constructed between the next intersecting streets on the side to be improved or between the terminus of a dedicated right-of-way of a street and a street intersecting the side to be improved and the property facing the opposite side of the street. Where a "block" exceeds 1,000 feet in length, a length of frontage of 1,000 feet constitutes a "block" as used in this chapter, if so designated by the superintendent of streets. A determination by the superintendent of streets of such a 1,000-foot block establishes a "block" and cannot later be changed to include a portion of said 1,000-foot "block" in another "block."
  (b) "Driveway" means a paved portion of a public street providing an unobstructed passage from the roadway to an offstreet area used for driving, servicing, parking, or otherwise accommodating motor vehicles.

(a) This chapter applies to the construction of sidewalks, gutters, pavements, driveways, and curbs, and the installation of storm and sanitary drainage facilities, water mains, pipes, conduits, tunnels, hydrants, and other necessary works and appliances for providing water service, parkway trees, and street lighting facilities in front of properties in any block where a sidewalk, gutter, pavement, driveway, the installation of storm and sanitary sewer drainage facilities, water mains, pipes, conduits, tunnels, hydrants, and other necessary works and appliances for providing water service, parkway trees, and street lighting facilities, or curb, or all of them, have been previously constructed in front of properties in the block constituting more than 50 percent of the front footage of the block, or where the owners of more than 60 percent of the front footage of the block, as shown by the last equalized assessment roll of the city, file a petition with the city clerk requesting the installation of any of those improvements, or where a petition signed by the owners of more than 60 percent of the front footage of any part of an unimproved portion or portions of a block has been filed with the city clerk requesting the installation of those improvements in front of that part.
  (b) This chapter does not apply to the construction of improvements of the type specified in subdivision (a) fronting on, or otherwise adjacent to, or in conjunction with, an arterial or collector street section. For purposes of this section, an "arterial or collector street section" is a street section with more than one traffic lane in each direction either before or after the proposed improvement, or a street section on which more than 70 percent of the average daily vehicle trips do not originate or end within the proposed assessment district.
  (c) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), this chapter applies to the construction of sidewalks, curbs, and gutters appurtenant thereto, sufficient paving to provide a parking lane, and to parkway trees and street lighting facilities, but only to the extent that those improvements are in front of the property on arterial or collector street sections, which is otherwise subject to assessment, if the property has not been subject to any other special assessment to pay for construction of sidewalks, curbs, gutters, parking lane paving, parkway trees, or street lighting facilities within the preceding 10 years. As used in this subdivision, "gutters" shall include only above-ground structures appurtenant to sidewalks and curbs. As used in this subdivision, "parking lane" means a paved area adjacent to the curb which is used exclusively for on-street parking. It does not include any portion of the street used for through traffic or as a bicycle lane. An assessment for parking lane purposes shall not include the cost of any signs necessitated by the parking lane. If property is assessed for a parking lane pursuant to this chapter and the parking lane is subsequently converted to another use, the amount of the assessment paid, together with interest at the prime rate plus 3 percent, shall be paid by the city to the then owner of the property.
  (d) This chapter does not apply to driveway construction in front of a vacant lot, or in front of an unimproved property, unless requested by the owner.
  (e) This chapter does not apply to the repair, resurfacing, or maintenance of streets.
  (f) As used in this chapter, "sidewalks or curbs" includes "gutters," "driveways," "pavement" to the centerline of the street, "full pavement" in alleys, "storm and sanitary drainage facilities," "water mains," "pipes," " conduits," "tunnels," "hydrants," and "other necessary works and appliances for providing water service," "paving to provide a parking lane on arterial or collector street sections," "parkway trees," and "street lighting facilities;" and "superintendent of streets" includes any other person or persons who may be designated by the legislative body to perform any of the duties of the superintendent of streets set forth in this chapter.
  (g) "Fronting" and "facing," as used in this chapter, means "abutting" in the case of property adjoining an alley improvement.
  (h) In the case of street lighting, in determining how much of the front footage of a block has been improved, the front footage of property benefiting from existing installations may be included regardless of the side of the street on which the installation has been constructed.

This chapter constitutes a separate and alternative procedure for performing the work specified herein, and except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no other provision of this division, excepting definitions, shall apply to proceedings instituted hereunder. Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 5220) applies to any proceedings taken under this chapter. The "Special Assessment Investigation, Limitation and Majority Protection Act of 1931" does not apply to proceedings taken under this chapter.

As used in this chapter, "cost," "construction cost," or variants thereof, means and includes both the actual cost of construction of the work and any incidental expenses, as defined in Section 5024.