HomeMy WebLinkAbout0306ORDINANCE NO. 306 (1965 Series)
AN ORDINANCE ADDING CHAPTER 4 OF ARTICLE VIII
OF THE SAN LUIS OBISPO MUNICIPAL CODE, PROVIDING
FOR UNDERGROUND UTILITIES
BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo as follows:
SECTION 1. That Chapter 4, entitled Underground Utilities, shall be and is hereby
added to Article VIII of the San Luis Obispo Municipal Code to read as follows:
CHAPTER 4
UNDERGROUND UTILITIES
Section 8400. Definitions.
Whenever in this Chapter the words or phrases hereinafter in this section defined are
used, they shall have the respective meanings assigned to them in the following definitions:
(a) "City" shall mean the City of San Luis Obispo, a municipal corporation of the
State of California.
(b) "Commission" shall mean the Public Utilities Commission of the State of
California.
(c) "Council" shall mean the City Council of the City.
(d) "Person" shall include individuals, firms, corporations, partnerships, and their
agents and employees.
(e) "Underground Utility District" or "District" shall mean an area in the City within
which poles and overhead wires and associated overhead structures are prohibited by an
ordinance adopted pursuant to the provisions of Section 3, 4 0. G of tilis Lhapter.
(f) "Poles and overhead wires and associated overhead structures" shall mean poles,
towers, supports, wires, conductors, guys, stubs, platforms, crossarms, braces, trans-
formers, insulators, cut -outs, switches, communication circuits, appliances, attachments,
and appurtenances located above ground, upon, along, across, or over the streets, alleys
and ways of the City, and used or useful in supplying electric, communication, or similar
or associated service.
(g) "Utility." shall include all persons or entities supplying electric, .communication,
or similar or associated service by means of electrical materials or devices.
Section 8400.1. Underground Service Area.
(a) The words "Underground Service Area" shall mean that area in the City more
particularly described as follows:
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ORDINANCE NO. 306 (1965 Series)
AN ORDINANCE ADDING CHAPTER 4 OF ARTICLE VIII
OF THE SAN LUIS OBISPO MUNICIPAL CODE, PROVIDING
FOR UNDERGROUND UTILITIES
BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo as follows:
SECTION 1. That Chapter 4, entitled Underground Utilities, shall be and is hereby
added to Article VIII of the San Luis Obispo Municipal Code to read as follows:
CHAPTER 4
UNDERGROUND UTILITIES
Section 8400. Definitions.
Whenever in this Chapter the words or phrases hereinafter in this section defined are
used, they shall have the respective meanings assigned to them in the following definitions:
(a) "City" shall mean the City of San Luis Obispo, a municipal corporation of the
State of California.
(b) "Commission" shall mean the Public Utilities Commission of the State of
California.
(c) "Council" shall mean the City Council of the City.
(d) "Person" shall include individuals, firms, corporations, partnerships, and their
agents and employees.
(e) "Underground Utility District" or "District" shall mean an area in the City within
which poles and overhead wires and associated overhead structures are prohibited by an
ordinance adopted pursuant to the provisions of Section 3, 4 0. G of tilis Lhapter.
(f) "Poles and overhead wires and associated overhead structures" shall mean poles,
towers, supports, wires, conductors, guys, stubs, platforms, crossarms, braces, trans-
formers, insulators, cut -outs, switches, communication circuits, appliances, attachments,
and appurtenances located above ground, upon, along, across, or over the streets, alleys
and ways of the City, and used or useful in supplying electric, communication, or similar
or associated service.
(g) "Utility." shall include all persons or entities supplying electric, .communication,
or similar or associated service by means of electrical materials or devices.
Section 8400.1. Underground Service Area.
(a) The words "Underground Service Area" shall mean that area in the City more
particularly described as follows:
That area enclosed within the boundary formed by
the centerlines of Palm Street (extended to Highway
101) , Johnson Avenue, Pismo Street, Walker Street
(extended to Highway 101), and Highway 101.
(b) All new or remodeled buildings in the Underground Service Area requiring
electric or communication service shall have such service supplied from a service lateral
placed underground from the main electric or communication service facilities within the
building to the sidewalk area. Where the utility's distribution system is underground, said
service lateral shall terminate at a location in the sidewalk area designated by the utility.
Where the utility's distribution system is overhead, said service lateral shall terminate as
a pole riser on a pole designated by the utility. All conduits, conductors and associated
equipment necessary to receive utility service by means of said underground service lateral
shall be provided by the person owning, operating, leasing or renting said building, subject
to applicable rules, regulations and tariffs of the supplying utility on file with the Com-
mission and to the lawful requirements of State laws and City ordinances .
(c) The supplying utility shall furnish that portion of the conduits, conductors and
associated equipment required to be furnished by it for an underground connection or a pole
riser service, as the case may be, under and subject to the provisions of its applicable
rules, regulations and tariffs on file with the Commission.
(d) For purposes hereof a building shall be deemed to be remodeled if within any
twelve (12) month period, additions, alterations or repairs are made thereto, the cost
of which exceeds fifty per cent (509D of the current replacement cost of the building. In
determining the cost of such additions, alterations or repairs, there shall be excluded the
cost of any work required by this Chapter.
(e) Single family residential buildings are exempt from the provisions of this
Section.
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Section 8400.2. Creation of Underground Utility Districts.
The Council may, from time to time, call public hearings to ascertain whether the
public necessity, health c:r safety requires the removal of poles and overhead wires and
associated overhead structures from any particular area or areas within the City and the
underground installation of wires and facilities for supplying electric, communication, or
similar or associated service. The City Clerk of the City shall notify all affected property
owners and utilities by mail of the time and place of such hearings at least thirty (30) days
prior to the date thereof. If, after any such public hearing, the Council finds that the
public necessity, health or safety requires such removal and such underground installation
within any such area, the Council shall, by ordinance, declare such area an Underground
Utility District. Such ordinance shall include a description of the area comprising such
District and shall fix the time within which such poles and overhead wires and other
associated overhead structures must be removed and within which affected property owners
must be ready to receive underground service. The Council shall allow a reasonable time
for such removal, having due regard for the availability of necessary labor, materials and
equipment for such removal and for the installation of such underground facilities as may be
occasioned thereby.
Section 8400.3. Unlawful to Maintain Poles, etc.
Whenever the Council by ordinance declares an area of the City an Underground
District as provided in Section 8400-.2 hereof; it shall be unlawful for any person or utility to
maintain any pole, overhead wire or associated overhead structures within the District after
the date when said overhead facilities are required to be removed.
Any person or utility who shall erect, construct, place, keep, maintain, continue,
employ, or operate any such pole or overhead wire or associated overhead structure in the
District, or who shall neglect to take down and remove any such pole, overhead wire or
associated overhead structure within the time designated in said ordinance, or who shall
otherwise fail to comply with the provisions of this ordinance, shall be guilty of a misde-
meanor under Section 1200 of the City's Municipal Code. Each consecutive fifteen (15) day
period during which the failure to comply with the provisions hereof shall continue shall
constitute a separate offense.
Section 8400.4. Exception by Special Permission.
The Council may grant special permission, on such terms as the Council may deem
appropriate, in cases of emergency or unusual circumstances, without discrimination as to
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any person or utility, to erect, construct, install, maintain, use or operate, poles and
overhead wires and associated overhead structures, notwithstanding any other provisions of
this Chapter.
Section 8400.5. Exceptions.
This Chapter shall not apply to the following types of facilities:
(a) Poles used exclusively for police and fire alarm boxes or any similar municipal
equipment installed under the supervision and to the satisfaction of the City Engineer of the
City;
(b) Poles and overhead wires and associated overhead structures used exclusively
for street lighting;
(c) Wires (exclusive of supporting structures) crossing any portion of a District from
which overhead wires have been prohibited, or connecting to buildings within the perimeter
of such portion, when such wires originate in an area from which poles and overhead wires
and associated overhead structures are not prohibited;
(d) 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;
(e) Radio antennae, their associated equipment and supporting structures, used by a
utility for furnishing communication services; or
(f) Service terminals in pedestals aboveground, used to distribute communication
service in underground systems.
Section 8400.6. Notification of Affected Property Owners and Utilities.
Within ten (10) days after passage of an ordinance pursuant to Section 8400.2 hereof,
the City Clerk shall notify all affected utilities and all persons owning real property within
the District described in said ordinance of the adoption thereof, and shall further notify
sucIl affected property owners of the necessity that, if they or any person occupying such
property desire to continue to receive electric, communication, or other 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 in the front sidewalk area adjacent to or at the property line unless
the utility specifies some other location as provided in Section 8400.7 hereof, subject to
applicable rules, regulations and tariffs of the respective utility or utilities on file with the
Commission and to the requirements of State laws and City ordinances.
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Notification shall be made by mailing a copy of said ordinance, together with a copy
of this Chapter, to the affected utilities and to affected property owners as such are shown
on the last equalized tax roll of the County of San Luis Obispo.
Section 8400.7. Underground Construction.
If underground construction is necessary to provide utility service within the area
affected by any ordinance enacted pursuant to Section 8400.2 hereof, the supplying utility
shall furnish that portion of the conduits, conductors, boxes and associated equipment re-
quired to provide service in the sidewalk area at, or adjacent to, the property line of the
building or structure being served, provided that the utility may elect to serve a building or
structure from some location other than that above specified. Underground construction by
the utility shall be accomplished in accordance with established construction standards and
in accordance with the rules and regulations issued by the Commission, and shall be com-
pleted within the time for removal of overhead facilities specified in the ordinance enacted
pursuant to Section 8400.2 hereof.
Section 8400.8. Property Owners' Responsibility.
(a) All underground construction, conduits, conductors and associated equipment
necessary to receive utility service between the service facilities referred to in Section
8400.7 hereof and the service facilities in the building or structure being served shall be
provided by the person owning, operating, leasing or renting said property, subject to
applicable rules, regulations and tariffs of the respective utility or utilities on file with the
Commission and to the lawful requirements of State laws and City ordinances.
(b) In the event the person owning, operating, leasing or renting said property does
not comply with the provisions of subparagraph (a) of this Section within the time provided
for in the ordinance enacted pursuant to Section 8400.2, the City Council shall 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.
(c) Non - compliance by any person owning, operating, leasing or renting said property
with the provisions of this Section shall constitute a misdemeanor under Section 8400.3
hereof. Until such time as an order is issued pursuant to subparagraph (b) of this Section,
the supplying utility shall not be in violation of this ordinance or the ordinance enacted pur-
suant to Section 8400.2 hereof in continuing to maintain overhead facilities necessary to
serve such person during the period of such non - compliance and such reasonable time
thereafter as may be necessary to remove the same.
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Section 8400.9. Obligation of City.
The City shall remove its poles and fire alarm circuits or any similar municipal
equipment at its own expense 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 ordinance enacted pursuant to Section 8400.2 hereof.
Section 8400.10. Force Dfiiajeure.
In the event that any act required by this Chapter or by an ordinance enacted pursuant
to Section 8400.2 hereof cannot be performed within the time herein provided on account of
Shortage of materials, war, restraint by public authorities, strifes, labor disturbances, or
any other circumstances beyond the control of the parties, then the time within which such
act will be accomplished shall be extended for a period equivalent to the time of such
limitation.
SECTION 2. This Ordinance, together with the ayes and noes, shall be published
once in full, at least three days before its final passag -e, in the Telegram- Tribune, a
newspaper published and circulated in said City, and the same shall go into effect at the
expiration of thirty (30) days after its said final passage.
INTRODUCED AND PASSED TO P %INT this 22.nd dtay Niarch, 1965 by the following
roll call vote:
AYES: Clay P. Davidson, R. L. Graves, Jr.,
Donald Q. Miller, Clell W. Whelchel
NOES: None
ABSENT: Miss Margaret McNeil
ATTEST: