(a)
In the exercise of governmental functions, the city has first priority over all other uses of the public rights-of-way. The city reserves the right to lay sewer, gas, water, and other pipe lines or cables and conduits, and to do underground and overhead work, and attachments, restructuring, or changes in aerial facilities in, across, along, over, or under a public street, alley, or public rights-of-way occupied by a person, and to change the curb, sidewalks, or the grade of streets or rights-of-way.
(b)
The city shall assign the location in or over the public rights-of-way among competing users of the public rights-of-way with due consideration to the public health and safety considerations of each user type, and to the extent the city can demonstrate that there is limited space available for additional users, may limit new users, as allowed under state or federal law.
(c)
If the city authorizes abutting landowners to occupy space under the surface of any public street, alley, or public rights-of-way, the grant to an abutting landowner shall be subject to the rights of the previously authorized user of the public rights-of-way. If the city closes or abandons a public right-of-way that contains a portion of a user’s facilities, the city shall close or abandon such public right-of-way subject to the rights of the user, provided the user has a current registration.
(d)
If the city gives written notice, a right-of-way user shall, at its own expense, temporarily or permanently, remove, relocate, change, or alter the position of user’s facilities that are in the public rights-of-way within one hundred twenty (120) days, unless a different schedule is approved by the city administrator. For projects expected by the city to take longer than 120 days to remove, change or relocate, the city will confer with the User before determining the alterations to be required and the timing thereof. The city shall give notice whenever the city has determined that removal, relocation, change, or alteration is reasonably necessary for the construction, operation, repair, maintenance, or installation of a city governmental public improvement in the public rights-of-way. This section shall not be construed to prevent a right-of-way user’s recovery of the cost of relocation or removal from private third parties who initiate the request for relocation or removal, nor shall it be required if improvements are solely for beautification purposes without prior joint deliberation and agreement with the person.
(e)
If the user fails to relocate facilities in the time allowed by the city in this section, the user may be subject to liability to the city for such delay and as set forth in this city code, now or hereafter enacted. Additionally, the user may be denied any new permits until the relocation is complete.
(f)
Notwithstanding anything in subsection (d) above, the city administrator and a person may agree in writing to different time frames than those provided above if circumstances reasonably warrant such a change.
(g)
Any right-of-way user trimming trees in the city’s right-of-way shall apply for and receive a permit from the city before performing any tree trimming. All tree trimming shall be in compliance with article 24.04 and all other ordinances and regulations of the city. The user shall be required to remove trimmings within 24 hours; provided, however, if any trimmings affect right-of-way use, said trimmings must be removed immediately. If said trimmings are not removed, the city may remove the trimmings or have them removed, and upon receipt of a bill from the city, the person shall promptly reimburse the city for all costs incurred within thirty (30) calendar days. Users shall not be responsible for tree trimming or removal, except as to the work required to construct, maintain, or restore utility service.
(h)
Users shall temporarily remove, raise, or lower its aerial facilities to permit the moving of houses or other bulky structures, if the city gives written notice of not less than 48 hours. The expense of these temporary rearrangements shall be paid by the party or parties requesting and benefiting from the temporary rearrangements. The person may require prepayment or prior posting of a bond from the party requesting the temporary move.
(i)
To the extent applicable, directions of the city shall be followed, including but not limited to “standard details” and “standards for right-of-way easement construction” as those requirements currently exist or as may be amended, updated or supplemented from time to time.
(j)
To the extent applicable, all of the requirements or conditions for construction and occupancy of the right-of-way shall continue during the entire time that the installed facilities remain in the right-of-way.
(Ordinance 352 adopted 2/14/18)