The following definitions apply in this article. The terms, phrases, words, abbreviations and their derivations shall have the same meanings herein. When not inconsistent with the context words used in the present tense include the future; words in plural number include the singular number, and words in the singular include the plural. The word “shall” is mandatory and not merely permissive.
Abandoned facilities.Facilities no longer in service or physically disconnected from the operating facilities, or from any other facilities, or from any other facilities that are in use or that still carry service.
Administration fee.The fee charged by the city to recover its costs incurred for right-of-way management; including, but not limited to, costs associated with registering applicants; issuing, processing, and verifying right-of-way permit applications; inspecting jobsites and restoration improvements; determining the adequacy of the right-of-way restoration; revoking right-of-way permits and other costs the city may incur in implementing the provisions of this article.
Applicant.An owner or authorized agent of an owner, who submits an application for a permit under the provisions of this article.
Area of influence.That area around a utility excavation where the pavement and sub-grade is impacted by the excavation and is subject to more rapid deterioration due to the trench excavation.
Backfill.The following:
(1) The placement of new dirt, fill, or other material to refill an excavation; or
(2) The return of excavated dirt, fill or other material to an excavation.
Certificated telecommunications provider or "CTP".A person who has been issued a certificate of convenience and necessity, certificate of operating authority, or service provider certificate of operating authority by the Texas Public Utility Commission or “PUC” to offer local exchange telephone service or a person who provides voice service as defined by V.T.C.A., Local Government Code ch.
283 or “the act.”
City.The City of Aubrey, Texas and the city’s officers and employees.
City project.The construction, location, maintenance, relocation, alteration, improvement, repair, removal or other work performed by the city, or its designee, in the public right-of-way or on any city utilities or city facilities.
City utilities.Any water, sewer or drainage line or services owned and operated by the city.
Compaction.Refers to consolidating backfill material in a trench to prevent future settlement.
Construction.Boring, the breaking of pavement, or the installation, modification, upgrade, maintenance, removal, or similar activities, within the right-of-way. The definition includes, but is not limited to, providing primary service, restoration, or maintenance of existing facilities within the right-of-way.
Contractor.Any public or private person, subcontractor or organization, other than the city.
Day.Business day unless otherwise specified.
Department.The city department of public works or a successor department that is responsible for management of the right-of-way and roadway infrastructure.
Emergency operations.Are defined as those operations and repairs necessary to prevent damage or injury to the health or safety of the public or any person and the work necessary to address or prevent an immediate service interruption. Upgrading of facilities, new service installation and neighborhood improvement projects are not emergency operations.
Excavation.Any activity that removes or otherwise disturbs soil, pavement, driveways, curbs, or sidewalks in the right-of-way and does not include landscaping activity unless the activity removes or disturbs the paved portion of the right-of-way.
Facilities.The equipment, and property, including but not limited to, lines, poles, mains, pipes, conduits, ducts, cables, valves, manholes, handholes and wires located under, on, or above the surface of the ground within the right-of-way, and related facilities and equipment used or useful for the provision of utility services.
FCC.The Federal Communications Commission.
Governing body.The mayor and the city council of the City of Aubrey, Texas.
Governmental entity.Any county, township, city, town, village, school district, library district, road district, drainage or levee district, sewer district, water district, fire district or other municipal corporation, quasi-municipal corporation or political subdivision of the state or of any other state of the United States and any agency or instrumentality of the state or of any other state of the United States.
Holiday.Shall refer to days in which city offices are closed in observance of a holiday.
Main line.Shall refer to lines other than service connections used to convey the right-of-way user’s product.
Major project.Any project, which includes 300 or more linear feet of excavation or any excavation under pavement.
Network node.Equipment at a fixed location that enables wireless communications between user equipment and a communication network.
Network provider.A wireless service provider, or a person that does not provide wireless services and that is not an electric utility but builds or installs, on behalf of a wireless service provider, network nodes or node support poles or any other structure that supports or is capable of supporting a network node.
Pavement.Shall refer to streets containing Portland cement, asphalt, brick or other rigid or semi-rigid material that covers the surface of a street and their underlying subgrade and base.
Permit.A permit issued under this article authorizing excavation in the right-of-way.
Permittee.Any person or right-of-way user to whom a permit is issued to excavate a right-of-way.
Perpendicular excavations.Any trench with a centerline that when projected toward the centerline of the street, the two lines intersect at an angle of 90 degrees.
Person.Any person, company, partnership, contractor, subcontractor, agency or other public or private entity, excepting the city.
Public inconvenience penalty.Shall refer to a penalty assessed to the right-of-way user who denies the public the use of public property for a time period greater than allowed by this article.
PUCT.The Public Utility Commission of Texas.
Registration.The annual application process of the right-of-way user to use any portion of the right-of-way.
Registration certificate.Shall refer to the document provided by the city, annually, upon approval of the application for registration.
Repair.The temporary or permanent construction work necessary to make the right-of-way useable.
Repair area.That area around excavation where the pavement and subgrade is impacted by an excavation.
Restoration.The process by which an excavated right-of-way and surrounding area, including, but not limited to, pavement and foundation structures, ground cover, landscaping, and monuments are returned to the same condition, or better than that which existed before the commencement of the work.
Resurfacing.Any repaving, overlay, seal or reconstruction which creates a new pavement surface over the entire width of the street, excluding crack seals and localized base and pavement repairs.
Right-of-way or public right-of-way.The surface of, and the space above and below, any street, road, highway, freeway, tollway, lane, path, drainageway, channel, fee interest, public way or place, sidewalk, alley, boulevard, parkway, drive, fire lane or other easement now or hereafter held by the city or over which the city exercises any rights of management or control and shall include, but not be limited to, all easements now held, or hereafter held, by the city, but shall specifically exclude private property.
Right-of-way user.A person, its successors and assigns, that uses the right-of-way for purposes of work, excavation, provision of services, or installing, constructing, maintaining, or repairing facilities thereon, including, but not limited to, landowners and service providers.
Service.A commodity provided to a person by means of a delivery system that is comprised of facilities located or to be located in the right-of-way, including, but not limited to, gas, telephone, cable television, Internet services, open video systems, alarm systems, steam, electric, water, telegraph, data transmission, petroleum pipelines, or sanitary sewage.
Service connection.Shall refer to the line that serves no more than two individual customers or two meter banks.
Street.The paved portion of the right-of-way, whether fee or easement, that has been constructed, reconstructed, or resurfaced with concrete or asphalt or some other surface.
Surface mounted markers.Refers to any sign, post or other marker, which rises above the surface of the ground to show the location of an underground utility.
Thoroughfare.All roadways and streets classified on the city’s comprehensive plan, as it exists or may be amended, including but not limited to a highway, tollway, major thoroughfare, minor thoroughfare, major collector, minor collector or local collector.
TMUTCD.The Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic-Control Devices, as it exists or may be amended.
Traffic-control representative.Shall refer to the designated representative of the right-of-way user who is responsible for work zone safety and compliance with TMUTCD. The right-of-way user shall ensure such person has adequate training, knowledge and authority to perform the responsibilities listed above.
Transport facility.Each transmission path physically within a public right-of-way, extending with a physical line from a network node directly to the network, for the purpose of providing backhaul for network nodes.
Trench.Shall refer to excavation deeper than 12 inches. This shall include linear trenches, holes, pits and etc.
Utility.Any privately or publicly owned entity which uses right-of-way to furnish the public any general public service, including, without limitation, sanitary sewer, gas, electricity, water, telephone, petroleum products, telegraph, heat, steam or chilled water, together with the equipment, structures, and appurtenances belonging to such entity and located within and near the right-of-way. Poles are regulated herein only as specifically set forth in this article.
White lining.Marking the excavation site with white washable marking paint or flags prior to requesting a utility location in order to further identify the site.
Wireless service.Any service using licensed or unlicensed wireless spectrum, including the use of wi-fi, whether at a fixed location or mobile, provided to the public using a network node.
(Ordinance 639-18 adopted 6/26/18)