§ 15-47. Permits.

(a)

No vehicle or combination of vehicles which does not meet the requirements of section 15-32 to section 15-37 and section 15-46 shall use the public roadways for travel to or from a high volume heavy load location within Webster Parish without first obtaining a special permit from the Webster Parish Police Jury. The special permit herein provided shall be issued at the discretion of the Webster Parish Police Jury. The police jury delegates that discretion to the secretary-treasurer and authorizes the secretary-treasurer to delegate that authority. Any special permit shall be carried with the vehicle using the same and shall be available for inspection by the proper authorities. The penalty for failure to obtain or possess required special permits of not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) or more than five hundred dollars ($500.00).

(b)

The Webster Parish Police Jury may adopt rules and regulations necessary to carry out the purpose of this section relating to special permits.

(c)

The Webster Parish Police Jury may issue a special permit for the operation of vehicles or combination of vehicles whose origin or destination is a high volume heavy load location when such vehicles have dimensions or weight in excess of the limits imposed by section 15-32 to section 15-34 if the shipment is not readily divided, broken, or dismantled, or the operation of such vehicle is otherwise prohibited by law. If the parts which have been divided, broken, or dismantled from the shipment weigh in the aggregate weight of five hundred (500) pounds or less, then the shipment shall be considered as indivisible. If any parts remain with the shipment and weight more than five hundred (500) pounds, the load shall be considered as divisible and no special permit shall be granted and any existing special permit shall be deemed void. In the exercise of their discretion, the Webster Parish Police Jury shall consider the following factors, as well as any other circumstance existing in the particular case:

(1)

There is a vital and exceptional economic necessity therefore.

(2)

The existence of a real necessity of transportation by parish roadways.

(3)

The Webster Parish Police Jury considers the best interest of Webster Parish, the Webster Parish roadways system, and the citizens of Webster Parish and their property during the issuance of the permit.

(d)

When an application for a special permit is made, the Webster Parish Police Jury may require the special permit applicant to supply any information the Webster Parish Police Jury deems necessary for the protection of the interests of Webster Parish, the Webster Parish roadway system, and the public.

(e)

The Webster Parish Police Jury may impose conditions upon the issuance of special permits and may also impose requirements upon its use, including but not restricted to the use of additional axles so as to require that the axle weight conform as close as possible to the weight provided for in section 15-38; the routing over the roadways of the shipment under special permit; the date, time of day, the speed limit; the furnishing of a certificate of insurance showing that Webster Parish and the Webster Parish Police Jury have been added as insureds under the applicant's liability insurance to protect Webster Parish, the Webster Parish Police Jury, and all political corporations and subdivisions of Webster Parish from all liability and damage resulting from the use of such permit. The permittee accepts and uses the special permit at his or her own risk, regardless of whether all instructions, directions and requirements of the Webster Parish Police Jury have been followed. Neither the Parish of Webster nor the Webster Parish Police Jury or its employees shall incur any liability of any nature from the use of a special permit. The accompaniment of the vehicle and shipment by proper escort, at the expense of the permittee, and such other conditions or requirements as the Webster Parish Police Jury deems necessary and proper. When police vehicles are required as a proper escort, there shall be a charge for the use thereof. Such charges shall be based on the mileage of the escort with a minimum charge of twenty-five dollars ($25.00).

(f)

No overweight permit shall be issued until the permittee, permittee's owner, or permittee's principal (in the case of a contractor) furnishes a bond in favor of the Webster Parish Police Jury guaranteeing that any damage caused by the movement of the overweight load to the roads of Webster Parish shall be repaired or rehabilitated at the cost of the permittee, permittee's owner, or permittee's principal. If that damage is not repaired or rehabilitated at the cost of permittee, its owner, or principal, then the surety shall indemnify the Webster Parish Police Jury for all costs of repair or rehabilitation of the roadway caused by the movement of the overweight load.

(g)

The amount of the bond required for the issuance of a special or annual overweight permit shall be determined by the product of the total miles of movement over Webster Parish roads by the load or loads multiplied by one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) per mile. In the case of annual permits, the Webster Parish Police Jury shall have the option of setting the bond in the amount of one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) where the number of miles of movement will vary from time to time throughout the year. The miles of movement shall be determined to the tenth of a mile.

(h)

An overweight special permit shall be issued for the gross weight of the vehicle or combination of vehicles. Vehicles must be registered for the maximum allowable licensed weight in order to obtain an overweight special permit.

(i)

Special permits must be obtained before movement of an oversize or overweight vehicle or load begins or before the vehicle enters upon the roadways of Webster Parish. Movement of overweight permit loads onto a road or bridge with a posted weight limit shall be considered on an individual basis. Inquiries should be directed to the Webster Parish Police Jury well in advance of the movement as it may require analysis from the Webster Parish Police Jury Public Works Department and adequate time should be allowed for this analysis. The permitee shall pay any cost incurred for the analysis.

(j)

The Webster Parish Police Jury may establish and collect reasonable fees for each special permit issued. Permit fees shall be uniform for each classification of vehicle and/or purpose for which issued. All funds collected shall be deposited into an account designated by the Webster Parish Police Jury following their collection.

(Ord. No. 994, 8-3-2010; Ord. No. 994-Amend., 2-1-2011)