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ORDINANCE NO. 1375
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA,
AMENDING CHAPTER 8 OF ARTICLE VIII
OF THE ARCADIA MUNICIPAL CODE BY
ADDING THERETO A NEW PART 3 ENTITLED
"UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICTS"
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA, CALIFCRNIA, DOES
ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. That Chapter 8 of Article VIII of the Arcadia
Municipal Code is hereby amended by adding thereto a new Part 3
entitled "Underground Utility Districts," the same to read as follows:
ARTICLE VIII.
CHAPTER 8.
PART 3.
BUILDING REGULATIONS
MISCELLANEOUS BUILDING REGULATIONS
UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICTS
8830. DEFINITIONS. Whenever in this Part the words or
phrases hereinafter in this section defined are used, they shall
have the respective meanings assigned to them in the following def-
initions:
8830.1. COMMISSION. "Commission" shall mean the Public
Utilities Commission of the State of California.
8830.2. UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICT. "Underground
Utility District" or "District" shall mean that area in the City
within which poles, overhead wires, and associated overhead struc-
tures are prohibited as such area is described in a resolution
adopted pursuant to the provisions of Section 8832 of this Part.
8830.3. PERSON. "Person" shall mean and include indi-
viduals, firms, corporations, partnerships, and their agents and
employees.
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8830.4. POLES, OVERHEAD WIRES AND ASSOCIATED OVERHEAD
STRUCTURES. "Poles, overhead wires and associated overhead struc-
tures" shall mean poles, towers, supports, wires, conductors, guys,
stubs, platforms, crossarms, braces, transformers, insulators, cut-
outs, switches, communication circuits, appliances, attachments and
appurtenances located above-ground within a District and used or
useful in supplying electric, communication or similar or associ-
ated service.
8830.5. UTILITY. "Utility" shall inc lude all persons or
entjties supplying electric, communication or similar or associated
service by means of electrical materials or devices.
8831. PUBLIC HEARING. 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 or associated
service. The City Clerk shall notify all affected property owners
as shown on the last equalized assessment roll and utilities con-
cerned by mail of the time and place of such hearings at least ten
(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 Council shall be final and conclusive.
8831.1. REPORT BY ENGINEER. Prior to holding such public
hearing, the City Engineer shall consult with all affected utilities
and shall prepare a report for submission at such hearing containing,
among other information, the extent of such utilities' participation
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and estimates of the total costs to thce Ci.t:! and affected property
owners. Such report shall contain an estimate of the time required
to complete such underground installation and removal of overhead
facilities.
8832. DESIGNATION OF UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICTS. If,
after such public hearing the Council finds that the public neces-
sity, health, safety or welfare requires such removal and such
underground installation within a designated area, the 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 under-
ground 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, mate-
rials and equipment necessary for such removal and for the installa-
tion of such underground facilities as may be occasioned thereby.
8833. UNLAWFUL ACTS. Whenever the Council creates an
Underground Utility District and orders the removal of poles, over-
head wires and associated overhead structures therein as provided
in Section 8832 hereof, 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 said overhead facilities are
,
required to be removed by such resolution, except as said overhead
facilities may be required to furnish service to an owner or occu-
pant of property prior to the performance by such owner or occupant
of the underground work necessary for such owner or occupant to con-
tinue to receive utility service as provided in Section 8836, and
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for such reasonable time required to remove said facilities after
said work has been performed, and except as otherwise provided in
this Part.
8833.1. EXCEPTION, EMERGENCY OR UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Part, the Director of Public
Works may authorize overhead facilities to be installed and main-
tained for a period, not to exceed ten (10) days, without authority
of the Council in order to provide emergency service. The Council
may grant special permission, on such terms as the Council may deem
appropriate, in cases of unusual circumstances, without discrim-
ination as to any person or utility, to erect, construct, install,
maintain, use or operate poles, overhead wires and associated over-
head structures.
8833.2. SAME. OTHER EXCEPTIONS. In any resolution
adopted pursuant to Section 8832, the Council may authorize any or
all of the following exceptions:
(a) Any municipal facilities or equipment installed under
the supervision and to the satisfaction of the City Engineer.
(b) Poles, electroliers or conductors 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 frOD. which poles,
overhead wires and associated overhead structures are not prohibited.
(d) Poles, overhead wires and associated overhead struc-
tures used for the transmission of electric energy at nominal volt-
ages in excess of 34,500 volts.
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(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,struc-
tures, used by a utility for furnishing communication services.
(g) Equipment appurtenant to underground facilities, such
as surface mounted transformers, pedestal mounted terminal boxes
and meter cabinets, and concealed ducts.
(h) Temporary poles, overhead wires and associated over-
head structures used or to be used in conjunction with construction
projects.
8834. NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNERS AND UTILITY COMPANIES.
Within ten (10) days after the effective date of a resolution
adopted pursuant to Section 8832, the City Clerk shall notify all
affected utilities and all persons owning real property within the
District created by said resolution of the adoption thereof. Said
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
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.
Notification by the City Clerk shall be made by mailing
a copy of the resolution adopted pursuant to Section 8832, together
with a copy of the provisions of this Part, to affected property
owners as such are shown on the last equalized assessment roll and
to the affected utilities.
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8835. RESPONSIBILITY OF UTILITY COMPANIES. If under-
ground construction is necessary to provide utility service within
a District created by any resolution adopted pursuant to Section
8832, the supplying utility shall furnish that portion of the con-
duits, conductors and associated equipment required to be furnished
by it under its applicable rules, regulations and tariffs on file
with the Commission.
8836. RESPONSIBILITY OF PROPERTY OWNERS.
(a) Every person owning, operating, leasing, occupying
or renting a building or structure within a District shall con-
struct and provide that portion of the service connection on his
property between the facilities referred to in Section 8835 and
the termination facility on or within said building or structure
being served. If the above is not accomplished by any person within
,
the time provided for in the resolution enacted pursuant to Section
8832, the City Engineer shall give notice in writing to the pErson
in possession of such premjses, and a notice in writing to the
owner thereof as shown on the last equalized assessment roll, to
provide the required underground facilities within ten (10) 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
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equalized assessment roll, and when no address appears, to General
Delivery, City of Arcadia. 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 (48) hours after the mailing thereof.
If notice is given by mail to either the owner or occupant of such
premises, the City Engineer shall, within forty-eight (48) hours
after themailingthereof.causeacopythereof.printed on a card
not less than eight (8) inches by ten (10) inches in size, to be
posted in a conspicuous place on said premises.
(6) The notice given by the City Engineer to provide the
required underground facilities shall particularly specify what
work is required to be done, and shall state that if said work is
not completed within thirty (30) days after receipt of such notice,
the City 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 (30) day period,
the said required underground facilities have not been provided,
the City Engineer shall forthwith proceed to do the work, provided,
however, if such premises are unoccupied and no electric or com-
munications services are being furnished thereto, the City Engineer
shall in lieu of providing the required underground facilities, have
the authority to authorize the disconnection and removal of any and
all overhead service wires and associated facilities supplying util-
ity service to said property. Upon completion of the work by the
City Engineer, 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
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of the property against which such cost is to be assessed. The
Council shall thereupon fix a time and place for hearing protests
against the assessment of the cost of such work upon such premises,
which said time shall not be less than ten (10) days thereafter.
(e) The City 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 Council will
pass upon such report and will hear protests against such assess-
ment. Such notice shall also set forth the amount of the proposed
assessment.
(f) Upon the date and hour set for the hearing of pro-
tests, the Council shall hear and consider the report and all
protests, if there be any, and then proceed to affirm, modify or
reject the aSsesEment.
(g) If any assessment is .not paid within five (5) days
after its confirmation by the Council, the amount of the assess-
ment shall become a lien upon the property against which the
assessment is made by the City Engineer, and the City Engineer is
directed to turn over to the Assessor and Tax Collector a notice
of lien on each of said properties on which the assessment has not
been paid, and said Assessor and Tax Collector shall add the amount
of said assessment to the next regular bill for taxes levied against
the premises upon which said assessment was not paid. Said assess-
ment shall be due and payable at the same time as said property
taxes are due and payable, and if not paid when due and payable,
shall bear interest at the rate of six per cent (6%) per annum.
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8836.1. SAME. EXCEPTION. The provisions of Section
7212 of the Arcadia Municipal Code shall not be applicable to any
improvement or construction resulting from any underground utility
district implemented pursuant to this Part.
8837. RESPONSIBILITY OF CITY. 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 Section 8832.
8838. EXTENSION OF TIME. In the event that any act
required by this ordinance or by a resolution adopted pursuant to
Section 8832 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 cir-
cumstances 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.
8839. PENALTY. It shall be unlawful for any person to
violate any provision or to fail to comply with any of thE require-
ments of this Part. Any person violating any provision of this
Part or failing 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 Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or
by imprisonment not exceeding six (6) 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 viola-
tion of any of the provisions of this Part is committed, continued
or permitted by such person, and shall be punishable therefor as
provided for in this Part.
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8839.1. CONSTITUTIONALITY. If any section, sub-section,
sentence, clause or phrase of this Part is for any reason held to
be invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the
remaining portions of this Part. The Council hereby declares that
it would have adopted the provisions of this Part and each section,
sub-section, sentence, clause or phrase thereof, irrespective of
the fact that anyone or more sections, sub-sections, sentences,
clauses or phrases be declared invalid.
SECTION 2. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption
of this Ordinance.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the fpregoing ordinance was adopted
at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Arcadia
held on the 5th
day of March
, 1968, by the affirmative
vote of at least three Councilmen, to wit:
AYES:
Councilmen Arth, Butterworth, Forman, Hage
and Considine
)'lOES:
None
ABSENT:
None
$~#=~
City Clerk of the City'of Arcadia
SIGNED AND APPROVED this 5th
day of March
, 1968.
ATTEST:
,
City Clei;'k . '
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