CHAPTER 25A - UNDERGROUND UTILITIES

Sec. 25A-1.Definitions.

Sec. 25A-2.Public hearing by Board of Supervisors.

Sec. 25A-3.Board of Supervisors may designate underground utility districts by resolution.

Sec. 25A-4.Unlawful acts.

Sec. 25A-5.Exceptions — Unusual or emergency circumstances.

Sec. 25A-6.Same—Other exceptions.

Sec. 25A-7.Notice to property owners and utility companies.

Sec. 25A-8.Responsibility of utility companies.

Sec. 25A-9.Responsibility of property owners.

Sec. 25A-10.Responsibility of county.

Sec. 25A-11.Extension of time.

Sec. 25A-12.Penalty for violation of chapter.


Sec. 25A-1. - Definitions.

For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:

Commission. The Public Utilities Commission of the state.

Person. Individuals, firms, corporations, partnerships and their agents and employees.

Poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures. Poles, towers, supports, wires, conductors, guys, stubs, platforms, crossarms, braces, transformers, insulators, cutouts, switches, communication circuits, appliances, attachments and appurtenances located aboveground within a district and used or useful in supplying electric, communication or similar or associated service.

Underground utility district or district. That area in the county within which poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures are prohibited as such area is described in a resolution adopted pursuant to the provisions of section 25A-3.

Utility. All persons or entities supplying electric, communication or similar service by means of electrical materials or devices.

(Ord. No. 1197 § 1.)

Sec. 25A-2. - Public hearing by Board of Supervisors.

The Board of Supervisors may from time to time call public hearings to ascertain whether the public necessity, health, safety or welfare requires the removal of poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures within designated unincorporated areas of the county and the underground installation of wires and facilities for supplying electric, communication, or similar or associated service. The clerk shall notify all affected property owners as shown on the last equalized assessment roll and utilities concerned by mail of the time and place of such hearings at least ten days prior to the date thereof. Each such hearing shall be open to the public and may be continued from time to time. At each such hearing all persons interested shall be given an opportunity to be heard. The decision of the Board shall be final and conclusive.

(Ord. No. 1197 § 2.)

Sec. 25A-3. - Board of Supervisors may designate underground utility districts by resolution.

If, after any such public hearing the Board of Supervisors finds that the public necessity, health, safety or general welfare requires such removal and such underground installation within a designated area, the Board of Supervisors, by resolution, shall declare such designated area an underground utility district and order such removal and underground installation. Such resolution shall include a description of the area comprising such district and shall fix the time within which such removal and underground installation shall be accomplished and within which affected property owners must be ready to receive underground service. A reasonable time shall be allowed for such removal and underground installation, having due regard for the availability of labor, materials and equipment necessary for such removal and for the installation of such underground facilities as may be occasioned thereby.

(Ord. No. 1197 § 3.)

Sec. 25A-4. - Unlawful acts.

Whenever the Board creates an underground utility district and orders the removal of poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures therein as provided in section 25A-3, it shall be unlawful for any person or utility to erect, construct, place, keep, maintain, continue, employ or operate poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures in the district after the date when such overhead facilities are required to be removed by such resolution, except as such overhead facilities may be required to furnish service to an owner or occupant of property prior to the performance by such owner or occupant of the underground work necessary for such owner or occupant to continue to receive utility service as provided in section 25A-9, and for such reasonable time required to remove such facilities after the work has been performed, and except as otherwise provided in this chapter.

(Ord. No. 1197 § 4.)

Sec. 25A-5. - Exceptions — Unusual or emergency circumstances.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, overhead facilities may be installed and maintained for a period, not to exceed ten days, without authority of the Board of Supervisors in order to provide emergency service. The Board of Supervisors may grant special permission, on such terms as the Board of Supervisors may deem appropriate, in cases of unusual circumstances, without discrimination as to any person or utility, to erect, construct, install, maintain, use or operate poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures.

(Ord. No. 1197 § 5.)

Sec. 25A-6. - Same—Other exceptions.

The chapter and any resolution adopted pursuant to section 25A-3 shall, unless otherwise provided in such resolution, not apply to the following types of facilities:

(a)   Any municipal facilities or equipment installed under the supervision and to the satisfaction of the Director of Public Works.
(b)   Poles or electroliers used exclusively for street lighting.
(c)   Overhead wires (exclusive of supporting structures) crossing any portion of a district within which overhead wires have been prohibited, or connecting to buildings on the perimeter of a district, when such wires originate in an area from which poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures are not prohibited.
(d)   Poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures used for the transmission of electric energy at nominal voltages in excess of 34,500 volts.
(e)   Overhead wires attached to the exterior surface of a building by means of a bracket or other fixture and extending from one location on the building to another location on the same building or to an adjacent building without crossing any public street.
(f)   Antennae, associated equipment and supporting structures, used by a utility for furnishing communication services.
(g)   Equipment appurtenant to underground facilities, such as surface mounted transformers, pedestal mounted terminal boxes and water cabinets, and concealed ducts.
(h)   Temporary poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures used or to be used in conjunction with construction projects.

(Ord. No. 1197 § 6.)

Sec. 25A-7. - Notice to property owners and utility companies.

Within ten days after the effective date of a resolution adopted pursuant to section 25A-3, the county clerk shall notify all affected utilities and all persons owning real property within the district created by such resolution of the adoption thereof. The county clerk shall further notify such affected property owners of the necessity that, if they or any person occupying such property desire to continue to receive electric, communications or similar or associated service, they or such occupant shall provide all necessary facility changes on their premises so as to receive such service from the lines of the supplying utility or utilities at a new location, subject to applicable rules, regulations and tariffs of the respective utility or utilities on file with the commission.

Notification by the county clerk shall be made by mailing a copy of the resolution adopted pursuant to section 25A-3, together with a copy of this chapter, to affected property owners as such are shown on the last equalized assessment roll and to the affected utilities.

(Ord. No. 1197 § 7.)

Sec. 25A-8. - Responsibility of utility companies.

If underground construction is necessary to provide utility service within a district created by any resolution adopted pursuant to section 25A-3, the supplying utility shall furnish that portion of the conduits, conductors and associated equipment required to be furnished by it under its applicable rules, regulations and tariffs on file with the Commission.

(Ord. No. 1197 § 8.)

Sec. 25A-9. - Responsibility of property owners.

(a)   Every person owning, operating, leasing, occupying or renting a building or structure within a district shall perform construction and provide that portion of the service connection on his property between the facilities referred to in section 25A8 and the termination facility on or within such building or structure being served, all in accordance with applicable rules, regulations and tariffs of the respective utility or utilities on file with the Commission. If the above is not accomplished by any person within the time provided for in the resolution enacted pursuant to section 25A-3, the county engineer shall give notice in writing to the owner thereof as shown on the last equalized assessment roll, to provide the required underground facilities within ten days after receipt of such notice.
(b)   The notice to provide the required underground facilities may be given either by personal service or by mail. In case of service by mail on either of such persons, the notice must be deposited in the United States mail in a sealed envelope with postage prepaid, addressed to the person in possession of such premises at such premises, and the notice must be addressed to the owner thereof as such owner's name appears, and must be addressed to such owner's last known address as the same appears on the last equalized assessment roll, and when no address appears, to General Delivery, City of ____________
. If notice is given by mail, such notice shall be deemed to have been received by the person to whom it has been sent within forty-eight hours after the mailing thereof. It notice is given by mall to either the owner or occupant of such premises, the county engineer shall, within forty-eight hours after the mailing thereof, cause a copy thereof, printed on a card not less than eight inches in size to be posted in a conspicuous place on the premises.
(c)   The notice given by the county engineer to provide the required underground facilities shall particularly specify what work is required to be done, and shall state that if such work is not completed within thirty days after receipt of such notice, the county engineer will provide such required underground facilities, in which case the cost and expense thereof will be assessed against the property, benefited and become a lien upon such property.
(d)   If upon the expiration of the thirty day period, such required underground facilities have not been provided, the county engineer shall forthwith proceed to do the work; provided, that if such premises are unoccupied and no electric or communications services are being furnished thereto, the county engineer shall, in lieu of providing the required underground facilities, have the authority to order the disconnection and removal of any and all overhead service wires and associated facilities supplying utility service to such property. Upon completion of the work by the county engineer, he shall file a written report with the Board of Supervisors setting forth the fact that the required underground facilities have been provided and the cost thereof, together with a legal description of the property against which such cost is to be assessed. The Board shall thereupon fix a time and place for hearing protests against the assessment of the cost of such work upon such premises, which such time shall not be less than ten days thereafter.
(e)   The county engineer shall forthwith, upon the time for hearing such protests having been fixed, give a notice in writing to the person in possession of such premises, and a notice in writing thereof to the owner thereof, in the manner hereinabove provided for the giving of the notice to provide the required underground facilities, of the time and place that the Board will pass upon such report and will hear protests against such assessment. Such notice shall also set for the amount of the proposed assessment.
(f)   Upon the date and hour set for the hearing of protests, the Board shall hear and consider the report and all protests, if there be any, and then proceed to affirm, modify or reject the assessment.
(g)   If any assessment is not paid within five days after its confirmation by the Board, the amount of the assessment shall become a lien upon the property against which the assessment is made by the county engineer, and the county engineer is directed to turn over to the assessor and tax collector a notice of lien on each of such properties on which the assessment has not been paid, and the assessor and tax collect shall add the amount of such assessment to the next regular bill for taxes levied against the premises upon which such assessment was not paid. The assessment shall be due and payable at the same time as the property taxes are due and payable, and if not paid when due and payable, shall bear interest at the rate of six percent per annum.

(Ord. No. 1197 § 9.)

Sec. 25A-10. - Responsibility of county.

The county shall remove at its own expense all county owned equipment from all poles required to be removed hereunder in ample time to enable the owner or user of such poles to remove the same within the time specified in the resolution enacted pursuant to section 25A-3.

(Ord. No. 1197 § 10.)

Sec. 25A-11. - Extension of time.

In the event that any act required by this chapter or by a resolution adopted pursuant to section 25A-3 cannot be performed within the time provided on account of shortage of materials, war, restraint by public authorities, strikes, labor disturbances, civil disobedience or any other circumstances beyond the control of the actor, then the time within which such act will be accomplished shall be extended for a period equivalent to the time of such limitation.

(Ord. No. 1197 § 11.)

Sec. 25A-12. - Penalty for violation of chapter.

It shall be unlawful for any person to violate any provision or to fail to comply with any of the requirements of this chapter. Any person violating any provision of this chapter or falling to comply with any of its requirements shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine not exceeding. six hundred dollars or by imprisonment not exceeding six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Each such person shall be deemed guilty of a separate offense for each day during any portion of which any violation of any of the provisions of this chapter is committed, continued or permitted by such person, and shall be punishable therefor as provided for in this chapter.

(Ord. No. 1197 § 12.)