Chapter 12.20
UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICTS
Sections:
12.20.020 Public hearing by city council.
12.20.030 City council may designate underground utility districts by resolution.
12.20.050 Exception, emergency or unusual circumstances.
12.20.070 Notice to property owners and utility companies.
12.20.080 Responsibility of utility companies.
12.20.090 Responsibility of property owners.
12.20.100 Responsibility of city.
12.20.010 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:
“City council” shall mean the city council of the city of Rancho Cordova;
“Clerk” shall mean the duly appointed and acting clerk of the city;
“Director of public works” shall mean the duly appointed and acting director of public works of the city;
“Person” shall mean and include individuals, firms, corporations, partnerships, and their agents and employees;
“Poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures” shall mean poles, towers, supports, wires, conductors, guys, stubs, platforms, crossarms, 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” 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 RCMC 12.20.030;
“Utility” shall include all persons or entities supplying electric, communication or similar or associated service by means of electrical materials or devices. [Ord. 11-2023 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 21-2003 §§ 2, 4; Ord. 20-2003 §§ 2, 4; SCC 542 § 1, 1983].
12.20.020 Public hearing by city council.
The city 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 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. 11-2023 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 21-2003 §§ 2, 4; Ord. 20-2003 §§ 2, 4; SCC 542 § 1, 1983].
12.20.030 City council may designate underground utility districts by resolution.
If, after any such public hearing, the city 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. [Ord. 11-2023 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 21-2003 §§ 2, 4; Ord. 20-2003 §§ 2, 4; SCC 542 § 1, 1983].
12.20.040 Unlawful acts.
Whenever the city council creates an underground utility district and orders the removal of poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures therein as provided in RCMC 12.20.030, 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 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 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 RCMC 12.20.090, and for such reasonable time required to remove said facilities after said work has been performed, and except as otherwise provided in this chapter. [Ord. 11-2023 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 21-2003 §§ 2, 4; Ord. 20-2003 §§ 2, 4; SCC 542 § 1, 1983].
12.20.050 Exception, emergency or unusual circumstances.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, overhead facilities may be installed and maintained for a period, not to exceed 90 days, without authority of the city council in order to provide emergency service. The city council 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. 11-2023 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 21-2003 §§ 2, 4; Ord. 20-2003 §§ 2, 4; SCC 542 § 1, 1983].
12.20.060 Other exceptions.
This chapter and any resolution adopted pursuant to RCMC 12.20.030 shall, unless otherwise provided in such resolution, not apply to the following types of facilities:
A. Any city 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. Antennas, 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 meter cabinets, switching cubicles, and concealed ducts;
H. Temporary poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures used or to be used in conjunction with construction projects. [Ord. 11-2023 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 21-2003 §§ 2, 4; Ord. 20-2003 §§ 2, 4; SCC 542 § 1, 1983].
12.20.070 Notice to property owners and utility companies.
Within 10 days after the effective date of a resolution adopted pursuant to RCMC 12.20.030, the clerk shall notify all affected utilities and all persons owning real property within the district created by said resolution of the adoption thereof. Said 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 and rights-of-way 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.
Notification by the clerk shall be made by mailing a copy of the resolution adopted pursuant to RCMC 12.20.030, 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. 11-2023 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 21-2003 §§ 2, 4; Ord. 20-2003 §§ 2, 4; SCC 542 § 1, 1983].
12.20.080 Responsibility of utility companies.
If underground construction is necessary to provide utility service within a district created by any resolution adopted pursuant to RCMC 12.20.030, 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. [Ord. 11-2023 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 21-2003 §§ 2, 4; Ord. 20-2003 §§ 2, 4; SCC 542 § 1, 1983].
12.20.090 Responsibility of property owners.
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 RCMC 12.20.080 and the termination facility on or within said building or structure being served, all in accordance with applicable rules, regulations and tariffs of the respective utility or utilities. If any property owner, after due notice, refuses to comply within a reasonable time to effect the removal or preparation in accordance with the applicable rules of the utility involved, the city may cause the work to be done and assess the costs of the work against the property, and the assessment shall become a lien against the property. The assessment may be collected at the same time and in the same manner as ordinary county ad valorem taxes are collected, and shall be subject to the same penalties and the same procedure and sale in case of delinquency as provided for these taxes. All laws applicable to the levy, collection, and enforcement of county ad valorem taxes shall be applicable to the assessment. [Ord. 11-2023 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 21-2003 §§ 2, 4; Ord. 20-2003 §§ 2, 4; SCC 0886 § 1, 1992; SCC 542 § 1, 1983].
12.20.100 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 RCMC 12.20.030. [Ord. 11-2023 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 21-2003 §§ 2, 4; Ord. 20-2003 §§ 2, 4; SCC 542 § 1, 1983].
12.20.110 Extension of time.
In the event that any act required by this chapter or by a resolution adopted pursuant to RCMC 12.20.030 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. 11-2023 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 21-2003 §§ 2, 4; Ord. 20-2003 §§ 2, 4; SCC 542 § 1, 1983].