1. Setbacks. No petroleum well shall be drilled nor shall any storage tank and other production related structures be located within:

2. Fire Safety. All drilling and production activities shall be subject to all fire and safety regulations as required by the director of prevention services, or designee, pursuant to the U.F.C. Blowouts, fires, explosions and other life threatening or environmental emergencies shall be reported immediately to the director of prevention services, or designee, and CalGEM.

3. Geologic Energy Management Division. All drilling and production operations shall be subject to all regulations of the CalGEM.

4. Production Operations. For producing sites, only storage of hydrocarbon production, vapor recovery on storage vessels, dehydration and separation of produced hydrocarbon products and other processes associated with production are permitted unless otherwise required by the CalGEM. All derricks, boilers, and other drilling equipment employed, pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, to drill any well hole or to repair, clean out, deepen, or redrill any completed well shall be removed within ninety days after completion of production tests following completion of such drilling or after abandonment of any well, unless such derricks, boilers, and drilling equipment are to be used within a reasonable time, as determined by the director of prevention services, or designee, for the drilling of another approved well(s) on the premises.

5. Signs. Signs relating to drilling and/or production operations shall be limited to directional and warning signs, and signs for identification of wells and facilities as required by the U.F.C. and CalGEM to ensure employee and public safety. Signs not related to said operations shall be subject to the provisions of Chapter 17.60.

6. Sanitary Facilities. Sanitary toilet and washing facilities shall be installed and maintained at any well site and/or production operation where personnel are stationed pursuant to the Kern County health department.

7. Equipment Storage. There shall be no storage at the well site of material, equipment, machinery or vehicles which is not intended for prompt use in connection with petroleum operations. Any equipment or machinery not used for a consecutive period of more than sixty days shall be removed from the site unless a longer period is approved by the director of prevention services, or designee, or the zone district in which it is located permits such storage.

8. Derricks. Drilling derricks, if idle for a consecutive period of more than sixty days, shall be lowered and removed from the site unless a longer period is approved by the director of prevention services, or designee. Any derrick used for servicing operations shall be of the portable type, unless proof is provided that the well is of such depth or has some other characteristics such that a portable type derrick will not properly service such well. In that instance, the director of prevention services, or designee, may approve the use of a standard type of derrick.

9. Grading and Drainage. Unless otherwise required by the State Department of Fish and Game or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for those areas that they deem environmentally sensitive, well sites, including vehicle parking and maneuvering areas, shall be graded in a manner so that ponding will not occur. Within ninety days after any well has been placed in production, or after its abandonment, earthen sumps used in drilling and/or production (unless such sumps are to be used within a reasonable time as determined by the director of prevention services, or designee, for the drilling of another well) shall be filled and the drilling site restored as nearly as practicable to a uniform grade. Normal wetting or other dust control procedures shall be employed throughout the grading period to control dust. Upon completion of grading, the site shall be compacted and all graded surfaces either paved, covered with gravel or aggregate base, treated with a dust binder, or other method approved by the director of prevention services, or designee. The Regional Water Quality Control Board may have some jurisdiction relative to drainage and water quality.

10. Waste. Drainage containing drilling muds, cuttings, wastewater, waste oil, grease and other oilfield wastes found to be hazardous associated with drilling and/or production including servicing, shall not be discharged into or upon any streets, canals, storm drains or flood control channels. These wastes shall be contained in leak-proof containers, lined earthen sumps or other method as approved by the State Regional Water Quality Control Board, to prevent contamination of potable groundwater supplies. Waste areas shall be cleaned at intervals as required by the director of prevention services, or designee, with all wastes disposed of at an appropriate authorized disposal site as regulated by the state of California.

Facilities for disposal of nonhazardous oilfield liquid waste, production water and USEPA Class II wastes are considered an accessory facility only if the facility complies with the following:

11. Light and Glare. Lighting shall be limited to that necessary for safety and security purposes and shall be directed away from adjacent properties and road rights-of-way. All flares shall be shielded from adjacent properties and road rights-of-way.

12. Blowouts. Protection against blowouts shall be provided in accordance with the CalGEM and U.F.C.

13. Storage Tanks. Storage tanks shall be in accordance with the CalGEM and U.F.C. Whenever oil or gas is produced into and shipped from tanks located on the premises, such tanks, whenever located within five hundred feet of any dwelling or commercial building, shall be surrounded by shrubs or trees, planted and maintained to provide attractive landscaping or be fenced in such a manner as to, insofar as practicable, screen such tanks from public view. Such fencing shall comply with the requirements of CalGEM.

14. Height. The height of all pumping units, excluding derricks, shall not exceed a height of thirty-five feet. All other structures shall be regulated by the zone district in which they are located. All heights of structures shall comply with Part 77 of the Federal Aviation Regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation, or any corresponding rules or regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration, as amended.

15. Site Condition. The well site and all associated structures shall be maintained in a neat and clean condition at all times. Proven technological improvements generally accepted and used in drilling and production methods shall be employed as they become available if they are cost effective in reducing nuisances or annoyances. Pumping units and storage tanks shall be painted. Pumping wells shall be operated by electric motors or muffled internal combustion engines.

16. Air Quality. Flaring, venting and odor control shall be subject to the regulations of the San Joaquin Unified Air Pollution Control District, CalGEM and U.F.C.

17. Building Permits. Building permits, as required by the city building official, shall be secured for all permanent structures to be used in connection with the production and processing of hydrocarbon or related substances in conformance with the building code. Electrical permits shall be required for all electrical connections for drilling and/or pumping units if electrical motors are utilized.

18. Vibration. Vibration from equipment shall not create a nuisance or hazard to nearby land uses.

19. Site Restoration. Site restoration shall commence within ninety days upon completion of all drilling and/or production activities or upon abandonment of the well site. Well abandonment will be conducted in accordance with the regulations of the CalGEM. Before final abandonment, all drilling/production equipment shall be removed from the site. Fences shall be dismantled, all signage removed, and the site regraded so as to break up impermeable surfaces and fill in all sumps to restore the site as nearly as practicable to a uniform grade. Temporary earthen sumps may be used for clean-out or remedial work on an existing well or other production facility. However, these sumps shall be filled and the site restored as nearly as practicable to a uniform grade within ninety days after the clean-out or other remedial work is completed. The Regional Water Quality Control Board also has additional jurisdiction over sumps. Prior to filling of sumps, all waste shall be cleaned and disposed of at an appropriate authorized disposal site as regulated by the state of California. Waste cleanup shall be to the satisfaction of the Kern County department of environmental health. The site shall be restored to the surrounding condition, or to the satisfaction of the State Department of Fish and Game or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for those areas that they deem environmentally sensitive. Site restoration activities shall be completed within ninety days of commencement. Failure of permittee to comply with the site restoration within a period of ninety days following the termination of any oil or gas exploration activity or the abandonment of an existing well shall be called to the attention of the permittee by a registered letter addressed to permittee at the permittee’s address as shown on the permit application. If, at the end of thirty days after mailing of such letter, no steps have been taken to comply with said provisions of this section, the city shall proceed to effect said restoration. Permittee shall be liable for all costs incurred by the city and no additional permit shall be issued a permittee until payment of all such costs has been made.

20. Floodplain Development. The director of prevention services, or designee, shall coordinate with the city building official to ensure wells drilled in the primary or secondary floodplain are consistent with the city’s involvement in the National Flood Insurance Program and with the requirements of the State Department of Water Resources and Regional Water Quality Control Board.

21. Vehicles. All vehicle parking and maneuvering areas shall be treated and maintained with oiled sand or a similar dust binding material consistent with regulations of the local air pollution control agency.

22. Fencing. Permanent chain-link fencing a minimum of six feet, but not to exceed eight feet in height with solid screening, shall be installed encompassing the entire well site as approved by the director of prevention services, or designee. At least three strands of barbed wire shall be mounted on top of the fence. This fence shall be constructed of chain link with wood or metal slats or other screening materials as may be approved by the director of prevention services, or designee. This fencing and screening requirement shall apply only to those pump sites located within five hundred feet of any dwelling or in an OS (open space) zone. Such fencing shall comply with the requirements of the CalGEM. The front yard and side yard setbacks of the zone district in which it is located shall regulate the location of fencing.

1. Class 3 Requirements. In addition to the following development standards, Class 3 permit development standards set forth in subsection A of this section shall apply to all Class 2 permits.

2. Off-Site Improvements. Where adjacent properties are similarly improved, within one hundred eighty days of commencement of commercial production or one year from the completion of drilling of any well on the well site, off-site improvements including street paving, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and related dedications for such improvements shall be completed in accordance with the requirements of the city public works director.

3. Noise. Noise levels from any drilling and/or production operation shall not exceed sixty-five dBA CNEL at the property line of a noise sensitive receptor, except in a case of emergency. Exterior noise levels generated by drilling, redrilling, or production operations shall be monitored as required by the city building official to ensure conformance to the noise level standards. The costs of such monitoring shall be borne by the operator conducting such operation. Records of the results of monitoring shall be maintained and provided to the city building official upon request.

4. Pipelines. Pipelines utilized for all petroleum related operations shall be buried a minimum of three feet below grade.

1. Class 3 Requirements. In addition to the following development standards, Class 3 permit development standards set forth in subsection A of this section shall apply to all Class 1 permits.

2. Fencing. A solid masonry wall a minimum of six feet, but not to exceed eight feet in height of a color approved by the decision-making authority consistent with adjacent or nearby development, shall be installed encompassing the entire well site. Any additional fencing required by the CalGEM shall be inside the area enclosed by the wall. The front yard and side yard setbacks of the zone district in which it is located shall regulate the location of the wall.

3. Landscaping. Landscaping shall be required along all street frontages of the well site and around well site pursuant to Chapter 17.61 as required by the decision-making authority under the approved conditional use permit. Landscape and irrigation plans shall be submitted for approval to the decision-making authority. Landscaping shall be designed to camouflage the full height of petroleum related structures, with the exception of derricks, and create an aesthetically pleasing environment managed in a healthy condition.

4. Off-Site Improvements. Where adjacent properties are similarly improved, within one hundred eighty days of commencement of commercial production or one year from the completion of drilling of any well on the well site, off-site improvements including street paving, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and related dedications for such improvements shall be completed in accordance with the requirements of the city public works director.

5. Vehicle Routes. Vehicles associated with drilling and/or production in excess of three tons shall be restricted to those public roads specified by the city public works director.

6. Work Hours. Truck deliveries of equipment and materials associated with drilling and/or production, well servicing, site preparation, and other related work conducted on the well site shall be limited to between the hours of seven a.m. and six p.m. Monday through Saturday, and prohibited on Sunday and all legal holidays, except in cases of fires, blowouts, explosions and other emergencies where the director of prevention services, or designee, and CalGEM were notified. Drilling activities shall be permitted twenty-four hours a day.

7. Noise. No drilling, producing, or other operations (including workover operations) shall produce noise at the property line of a noise sensitive receptor in excess of the following standards, with respect to these basic reference levels:

8. Pipelines. Pipelines utilized for all petroleum related operations shall be buried a minimum of three feet below grade. (Ord. 5086 § 3, 2022; Ord. 4715 § 1, 2012; Ord. 4558 § 2, 2009; Ord. 4058 § 2, 2002; Ord. 3477 § 1, 1992)