TO: Amy Nilsen, City Manager
FROM: Brendan Byrd, Public Works Director/City Engineer SUBJECT: Responsibilities of the City Engineer – 2025 Staff Transition Plan DATE: March 28, 2025
The following bulleted list is a summary of position-specific responsibilities that must be completed by the City Engineer, pursuant to multiple sections of the Fortuna Municipal Code. This list can be used as guidance for the types of assistance that will be required from the City’s on-call designated City Engineers during the time which the City does not have a designated staff member with the City Engineer title.
For Subdivisions, the City Engineer:
• Approves and signs parcel maps (can be completed by the Public Works Director) • Approves and signs major subdivision maps
• Approve improvements for major subdivisions (can also be Public Works Director) • Approves cost estimates and security amounts for subdivisions. Modify security amounts when necessary
• Approves the release of subdivision securities/bonds
• Completes final inspections for public improvements, or designates an appropriate staff member to complete final inspections
• Makes determination on what type of Survey Monuments are required for land subdivisions For Sewer Related Issues or Work, the City Engineer:
• Determines if a waste discharged to the City sewer system if a prohibited discharge • Determines when a grease, oil, or grit interceptor is required for a sewer connection (can also be deferred to the Public Works Director)
• Approves building permits that include preliminary wastewater treatment systems • Determines if special sampling of industrial wastewater is required. Can determine what a satisfactory method to complete a sampling plan is
• Perform final inspections for sewer lines to be dedicated to the City, or assigns this tasks to a designated individual
For Encroachment Permits, the City Engineer:
• Reviews and approve encroachments permits (can be completed by designee of the City Engineer or Public Works Director)
• Approve site specific traffic control plans (can be completed by designee of the City Engineer or Public Works Director)
City of Fortuna Interoffice
Memorandum
In General, the City Engineer:
• Develops engineering standards for City improvements
• Enforces minimum requirements for public right of way access related issues, including maintaining public right of ways for fire, vehicle, or non-motorized access • Provides standards for various minor approvals for mobile home and RV parks, including refuse disposal, utilities and fire protection
• Authorizes special approvals for grading and erosion control that is outside of the established standards in the City’s standard plans and specifications • Makes determination if extra elevation data is required for a tentative map, beyond the minimum standards specified in the City’s improvements standards • Acts as the City’s Floodplain Manager for participation in the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program
• Makes determinations on time zones for parking areas within the City Right of Way • Authorized to determine if loading zone, or passenger loading zones need to be marked in any business district, or any private property frequented by the public • Function as the traffic engineer (currently mostly designated to GHD). Duties of traffic engineer include
o Setting/approving signal control timing and maintenance o Conduct engineering analysis of traffic accidents and devise remedial measures o Work collectively with other city officials to develop ways to improve traffic conditions • Approves design plans for projects involving pumps, boilers, or other similar apparatus