[Added 3-14-2012 by Ord. No. 3329]
The purpose of this article is to implement a program, upon
adopting of this article, to effect the timely removal of utility
poles no longer in use, damaged beyond use or reuse, or found to be
redundant within the public rights-of-way in the Village of Ridgewood.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Any depressed curb cut constructed to provide ease of access
from the street to the sidewalk in accordance with the requirement
of the Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG, 36 CFR
Part 1190) for individuals needing the same.
For any pole utilized by two or more utilities serving the
public, the utility last removing its wires, cables, conduit, pipes,
lines, or other structures shall be liable for the removal of the
pole and the restoration at grade as required. Said removal shall
include any guy wires and supports previously used to assist the joint
pole.
Any entity, public or privately owned (business, regulated
utility, or utility), that maintains wires, cables, conduit, pipes,
lines, or other structures on a utility pole. For the purposes of
this article, the responsible utility shall mean the entity last transferring
wires, cables, conduit, pipes, lines, or other structures from the
pole.
Any pole erected within the public right-of-way for the purposes
of carrying wires, conduit, cabling, or utilized to provide support
to an adjacent utility pole.
A.
Any firm, public utility, or other entity, public or privately owned, engaged in the placement or replacement of utility poles within the public right-of-way in the Village, after the effective date of this article, shall obtain a minor street opening permit for each pole location proposed in accordance with the requirements in Article IV, § 249-45, Application for permit.
B.
Any firm, public utility, or other entity, public or privately owned,
engaged in the placement or replacement of utility poles within the
public right-of-way in the Village shall provide the Village of Ridgewood
with a contact person or department head within 30 calendar days of
the adoption of this article.
A.
For both new and replacement utility poles in the Village, the following
requirements shall be adhered to:
(1)
Location and placement. The street opening permit application shall
provide a street address for the proposed work.
(2)
Standards for installation.
(a)
All pole locations shall be coordinated with adjacent utilities
to avoid conflicts with any existing structures.
(b)
No utility pole installation shall be closer than 15 feet from
the apron of a depressed curb ADA ramp. In the event a street intersection
corner does not have sidewalks or an ADA ramp, the pole installation
shall be no closer than 15 feet from the intersection of the projection
of each curbline of the intersection.
(c)
No pole shall be placed within the apron of a driveway entering
the public right-of-way.
B.
Utility pole removal in the public right-of-way.
(1)
For joint pole conditions observed in the Village, the responsible
utility shall have 14 calendar days to remove the pole upon written
notice from the Director and/or his/her designated representative.
Removal shall include the complete restoration of the surface of the
public right-of-way in accordance with the street opening permit.
(2)
For any Village project widening a paved street within the public
right-of-way, the responsible party for a pole shall remove the pole
within 21 calendar days of written notification from the Director
and/or his/her designated representative to do so at no fee to the
Village.
(3)
Any utility requesting a waiver from the above requirements, shall
do so in writing to the Director and/or his/her designated representative
within 10 calendar days of the issuance of the written notice directing
a pole to be removed. The request shall present documentable reason
for a waiver.
This article shall be enforced by the Village of Ridgewood Director
of Public Works or his/her designated representative, and/or the Village
of Ridgewood Police Department.
Any utility, public or otherwise, contractor or entity firm
(public or privately owned) found to be in violation of the provisions
of this article with regard to the requirements therein, shall be
subject to a minimum fine of $250 per violation per day, not to exceed
$2,000 per violation per day.
Each section, subsection, sentence, clause and phrase of this
article is declared to be an independent section, subsection, sentence,
clause and phrase, and the finding or holding of any such portion
of this article to be unconstitutional, void, or ineffective for any
clause, or reason, shall not affect any other portion of this article.
