Chapter 70.04
UNDERGROUNDING OF UTILITIES
Sections:
70.04.020 Public hearing by Council.
70.04.030 City Council may designate underground utility districts by resolution.
70.04.040 Penalty for violation.
70.04.050 Exception, emergency, or unusual circumstances.
70.04.070 Exception resolution.
70.04.080 Notice to property owners and utility companies.
70.04.090 Responsibility of utility companies.
70.04.100 Responsibility of property owners.
70.04.140 Notice of assessment.
70.04.150 Assessment – Council hearing.
70.04.170 Responsibility of City.
70.04.010 Definitions.
Whenever in this chapter the words or phrases hereinafter in this section defined are used, they shall have the following meanings assigned to them:
A. “Commission” means the Public Utilities Commission of the State of California.
B. “Person” means and includes individuals, firms, corporations, partnerships, and their agents and employees.
C. “Poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures” means 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.
D. “Underground utility district” or “district” shall mean that area in the City 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 CMC 70.04.030.
E. “Utility” includes all persons or entities supplying electric, communication or similar or associated service by means of electrical materials or devices. (Public Utilities Code Section 11501 et seq.) (Ord. 2018 § 2 (Att. A), 2010)
70.04.020 Public hearing by Council.
The Council 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 areas of the City and the underground installation of wires and facilities for supplying electric, communication or similar associated service. The City 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 10 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 City Council shall be final and conclusive. (Ord. 2018 § 2 (Att. A), 2010)
70.04.030 City Council may designate underground utility districts by resolution.
If after any such public hearing the Council finds that the public necessity, health, safety or welfare requires such removal and such underground installation within a designated area, the City Council shall, by resolution, 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. Immediately following the adoption, the City Clerk shall cause a certified copy of such resolution to be recorded in the Office of the County Recorder. (Ord. 2018 § 2 (Att. A), 2010)
70.04.040 Penalty for violation.
Whenever the Council creates an underground utility district and orders the removal of poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures therein as provided in CMC 70.04.030, 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 the overhead facilities are required to be removed by such resolution except as the 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 CMC 70.04.100, and for such reasonable time required to remove the facilities after the work has been performed, and except as otherwise provided in this chapter. Any person who violates this section is guilty of an infraction. (Ord. 2018 § 2 (Att. A), 2010)
70.04.050 Exception, emergency, or unusual circumstances.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, overhead facilities may be installed and maintained for a period, not to exceed 10 days without authority of the Council in order to provide emergency service. The City Council or the City Manager or an authorized representative may grant special permission, on such terms as the City Council 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. 2018 § 2 (Att. A), 2010)
70.04.060 Other exceptions.
The following exceptions shall be contained in any resolution adopted pursuant to CMC 70.04.030:
A. Any municipal facilities or equipment installed under the supervision and to the satisfaction of the Director of Engineering;
B. Poles or electroliers used exclusively for street lighting;
C. Poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures used for the transmission of electric energy at nominal voltages in excess of 34,500 volts;
D. Temporary poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures to be used in conjunction with construction projects for a period ending not later than 30 days following the commencement of service to the completed structure. (Ord. 2018 § 2 (Att. A), 2010)
70.04.070 Exception resolution.
In any resolution adopted pursuant to CMC 70.04.030, the City Council may authorize any or all of the following exceptions:
A. Overhead (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;
B. Poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures used for the transmission of electric energy at nominal voltages in excess of 34,500 volts;
C. 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;
D. Antennas, associated equipment and supporting structures, used by a utility for furnishing communication services;
E. Equipment appurtenant to underground facilities, such as surface-mounted transformers, pedestal-mounted terminal boxes and meter cabinets, and concealed ducts. (Ord. 2018 § 2 (Att. A), 2010)
70.04.080 Notice to property owners and utility companies.
Within 10 days after the effective date of a resolution adopted pursuant to CMC 70.04.030, the City Clerk shall notify all affected utilities and all persons owning real property within the district created by the resolution of the adoption thereof. The City 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, communication or similar 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 the applicable rules, regulations and tariffs of the respective utilities on file with the Commission.
Notification by the City Clerk shall be made by mailing a copy of the resolution adopted pursuant to CMC 70.04.030, 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. 2018 § 2 (Att. A), 2010)
70.04.090 Responsibility of utility companies.
If underground construction is necessary to provide utility service within a district created by any resolution adopted pursuant to CMC 70.04.030, 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. 2018 § 2 (Att. A), 2010)
70.04.100 Responsibility of property owners.
Every person owning, operating, leasing, occupying or renting a building or structure within a district shall construct and provide that portion of the service connection on his property between the facilities referred to in CMC 70.04.090 and the termination facility on or within the building or structure being served, subject to the applicable rules, regulations and tariffs of the respective utilities on file with the Commission. In the event any person owning, operating, leasing, occupying or renting the property does not comply with the above requirements within the time provided for in the resolution enacted pursuant to CMC 70.04.030, the Director of Engineering shall post written notice on the property being served and 30 days thereafter shall have the authority to order the disconnection and removal of any and all overhead service wires and associated facilities supplying utility service to the property.
As an alternative method of securing compliance with the foregoing, the Director of Engineering shall, when directed by the City Council, give notice in writing to the person in possession of such premises, and a notice in writing to the owner thereof as shown on the last equalized assessment roll, to provide the required underground facilities within 10 days after receipt of such notice. (Ord. 2018 § 2 (Att. A), 2010)
70.04.110 Notice – Delivery.
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 Coronado. 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 48 hours after the mailing thereof. If notice is given by mail to either the owner or occupant of such premises, the Director of Engineering shall, within 48 hours after the mailing thereof, cause a copy thereof, printed on a card not less than eight inches by 10 inches in size, to be posted in a conspicuous place on the premises. (Ord. 2018 § 2 (Att. A), 2010)
70.04.120 Notice – Contents.
The notice given by the Director of Engineering to provide the required underground facilities shall particularly specify what work is required to be done, and shall state that if the work is not completed within 10 days after receipt of such notice, the Director of Engineering will provide such required underground facilities, in which case the cost and expense thereof will be assessed against the property benefitted and become a lien upon such property. (Ord. 2018 § 2 (Att. A), 2010)
70.04.130 Failure to provide.
If, upon the expiration of the 10-day period, the required underground facilities have not been provided, the Director of Engineering shall forthwith proceed to do the work; provided, however, if such premises are unoccupied and no electric or communications services are being furnished thereto, the Director of Engineering 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 said property. Upon completion of the work by the Director of Engineering, he shall file a written report with the City Council 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 City Council shall thereupon fix a time and a place for hearing protests against the assessment of the cost of such work upon such premises, which time shall not be less than 10 days thereafter. (Ord. 2018 § 2 (Att. A), 2010)
70.04.140 Notice of assessment.
The Director of Engineering 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 Council will pass upon such report and will hear protests against such assessment. Such notice shall also set forth the amount of the proposed assessment. (Ord. 2018 § 2 (Att. A), 2010)
70.04.150 Assessment – Council hearing.
Upon the date and hour set for the hearing of protests, the City Council shall hear and consider the report and all protests, if there be any, and then proceed to affirm, modify or reject the assessment. (Ord. 2018 § 2 (Att. A), 2010)
70.04.160 Assessment – Lien.
If any assessment is not paid within five days after its confirmation by the Council, the amount of the assessment shall become a lien upon the property against which the assessment is made by the Director of Engineering and the Director of Engineering is directed to turn over to the assessor and tax collector a notice of lien on each of the properties on which the assessment has been paid, and the assessor and tax collector shall add the amount of the assessment to the next regular bill for taxes levied against the premises upon which the 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 year. (Ord. 2018 § 2 (Att. A), 2010)
70.04.170 Responsibility of City.
The City shall remove at its own expense all City-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 CMC 70.04.030. (Ord. 2018 § 2 (Att. A), 2010)
70.04.180 Extension of time.
In the event that any act required by this chapter or by a resolution adopted pursuant to CMC 70.04.030 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. 2018 § 2 (Att. A), 2010)