After March 1, 1964, all building and electrical permits issued for the construction of new homes, buildings and other structures which require electrical, telephone, or television service, or other services provided by means of wires, cables or electrical conduits, and all alterations, remodeling or repairs of a structural nature to an existing structure, where the value of such alterations, repairs or remodeling in any calendar year exceeds the assessed valuation of the structure or the sum of $20,000.00, whichever is less, shall be issued with the condition that the conduits or conductors for such services shall be installed underground between the location of the main service switches or service entrance to such structures, and the poles, junction or pull boxes from which such service is supplied by the utility company, provided that such service is available to the property by pole, junction or pull box which is situated in the public street on the same side of the street as the structure and within the extension of the property lines of the parcel on which the structure is located. Exceptions to the requirements of this section may be permitted by the City Council, upon application of the permit applicant or the supplying utility company, in cases where such undergrounding cannot be accomplished feasibly within applicable safety regulations and other laws applicable to the installation, or in cases of unnecessary or unusual hardship. Exceptions shall be made upon such conditions as the Council may prescribe in order to further the health, safety and general welfare objectives and purposes set forth in this chapter. All installations made pursuant to this section shall be made in compliance with all applicable building and electrical codes and safety orders and other applicable rules promulgated and approved by the California Public Utilities Commission. Installations within streets and alleys shall be made at depths and locations approved by the City Engineer and in accordance with plans and specifications approved by him.
(Prior code § 22.32.1; Ord. 2579 § 1(part), 1986; Ord. 2609 § 1(part), 1987)
(A) 
Effective December 19, 1986, all distribution lines supplying electrical energy to major subdivisions, nonsubdivided residential developments containing five or more dwelling units, and nonresidential developments whose value as calculated for the purpose of issuing a building permit exceeds $500,000.00, at standard voltages necessary to furnish permanent electrical service within such subdivisions and developments, and all telephone, telegraph and television services, and any other service to such subdivisions and developments which are provided by means of wires, cables or conduits designed to carry electrical energy or electromagnetic energy of any kind whatsoever, be they constructed via joint-pole electrical distribution lines or independent systems, shall be installed and maintained underground. Such installations shall be made in compliance with all applicable building and electrical codes, safety regulations and orders, and rules and regulations approved and promulgated by the California Public Utilities Commission. The depth and location of such installation within the streets and alleys shall be approved by the City Engineer. This subsection shall be applicable to all existing and proposed services described in this subsection located or proposed to be located within the subject development or adjacent to and located on the same side of the street as the subject development.
(B) 
Effective December 19, 1986, all electrical utility main feeder lines supplying electrical energy to major subdivisions, nonsubdivided residential developments containing five or more dwelling units, and nonresidential developments whose value as calculated for the purpose of issuing a building permit exceeds $500,000.00, at high voltages necessary to furnish permanent electrical service within regional service areas shall be permitted to remain overhead, but a vacant conduit system shall be placed underground to allow undergrounding of these facilities in the future. Where relocation of such overhead lines is necessitated by project improvements and/or existing conditions and facilities, such relocation shall also be permitted to be overhead. Such installations shall be made in compliance with all applicable building and electrical codes, safety regulations and orders, and rules and regulations approved and promulgated by the California Public Utilities Commission. The depth and location of such installations within streets and alleys shall be approved by the City Engineer. This subsection shall be applicable to all existing and proposed services described in this subsection located or proposed to be located within the subject development or adjacent to and located on the same side of the street as the subject development.
(C) 
Equipment appurtenant to underground facilities such as surface-mounted transformers, pedestal-mounted terminal boxes, meter cabinets, concealed ducts, and poles or electroliers used exclusively for street lighting and/or traffic signals may be located aboveground provided all wires leading to or from the equipment are located below ground or concealed within the equipment.
(D) 
This section applies to a developer's responsibilities and obligations associated with new development and new construction as above described and does not prohibit the maintenance, repair, alteration, or relocation, in the ordinary course of service, of overhead electrical, telephone, telegraph and other wire systems existing on March 1, 1964.
(1) 
This section does not in any way apply to highvoltage transmission lines.
(E) 
The City Engineer may grant a variance from the requirement of placing vacant conduit systems for existing electrical utility feeder lines if one of the following circumstances exist:
(1) 
A proposed subdivision is a subdivision of an existing developed parcel and no additional building sites are being proposed; or
(2) 
The main feeder line under consideration is not located on a major street in the City as denoted on the City of Santa Rosa General Plan/Circulation Element; or
(3) 
A majority of the frontage of the abutting property, 500 feet in either direction, has developed with the feeder system left overhead and no vacant conduit placed.
(F) 
The City Engineer may also grant a variance from any requirement imposed pursuant to this section if, on the basis of the grounds asserted and the evidence submitted, the City Engineer makes findings of fact that establish that one or both of the circumstances set forth below apply:
(1) 
That there are special circumstances applicable to the subject property such as perimeter dimension, topography, location or encumbrances provided by existing improvements that the strict interpretation of the requirements under this section would result in practical difficulties or unusual hardships inconsistent with the general purpose and intent of this chapter. The cost of undergrounding is normally not a special circumstance; or
(2) 
That the nature and extent of relocating or undergrounding of existing utility improvements, as required in this chapter, neither bears a reasonable relationship to the proposed use or uses of property nor improves the visual appearance of the general roadway area; and
In addition, the City Engineer finds and determines, based on articulated facts, that the granting of such a variance will not be materially detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to property in the same zone and vicinity in which the property is located.
(Prior code § 22.32.2; Ord. 2234 § 1, 1982; Ord. 2579 § 1, 1986; Ord. 2609 § 1(part), 1987)
The redevelopment project area identified as Santa Rosa Center Project No. 1, as particularly described and delineated in the official development plan adopted by Ordinance No. 1036, as amended by Ordinance No 1127, and all of the public right-of-way of E Street and Santa Rosa Avenue adjacent to the project area, is included in the electrical underground district and is subject to the regulations of this chapter, except as provided in this section. All facilities hereafter constructed in the project area for the supplying and distribution of electric energy and service for telephone, telegraph and television services and any other service provided by means of wires, cables or conduits designed to carry electrical energy or electromagnetic energy of any kind whatsoever shall be installed and maintained underground except pad-mounted transformers on private property. Such installation shall be made in compliance with all applicable building and electrical codes, safety regulations and ordinances, and also in compliance with the rules approved or promulgated by the Public Utility Commission of the State. The depths and locations of such installations within streets and alleys shall be approved by the City Engineer. The following exceptions are made to the provisions of this section:
(A) 
Exception of made until April 15, 1975, for primary electrical distribution lines on E Street and on Santa Rosa Avenue within the project area designed to carry 4,000 volts or more, provided that such lines are installed on tapered steel poles of general appearance approved by the City Council, and on the further condition that all secondary leads from pole transformers will be installed inside of the poles and connected underground to the secondary distribution facilities, and further provided that the supplying utility company shall install such underground ducts and other facilities in E Street and Santa Rosa Avenue during construction of such streets in connection with redevelopment project improvements as may be necessary to eliminate the unnecessary opening of such streets when the excepted facilities are replaced by underground facilities;
(B) 
Further exception is made for the installation of the east side of E Street of aboveground facilities consisting of tubular type steel poles, wires and necessary appurtenances for the continued use of 60 kilovolt wires between the power substation at E Street and Santa Rosa Creek and the southerly boundary of the redevelopment project area;
(C) 
Exception is also made for 60 kilovolt lines overhead at the southwesterly corner of the project area between Tupper Street and Santa Rosa Avenue at precise locations approved by the City Council.
(Prior code § 22.32.3)
From and after February 15, 1965, the following described district is included in the electric underground district and is subject to all of the regulations of this chapter that are applicable to the electric underground district described in Section 13-12.160. The said district is described as follows:
Beginning at the northwesterly corner of that parcel of land, Clark to Clark as recorded October 25, 1948, in Official Records of Sonoma County, Book 835, page 269, said corner being also in the southerly line of Ellis Street; thence southerly along the westerly line of said parcel of land of Clark to its intersection with the northerly line of that tract of land, Haverlock to Haverlock as recorded October 22, 1957, in Official Records of Sonoma County, Book 1552, page 350; thence westerly along said northerly line to the northwesterly corner of said tract; thence southerly along the westerly line of said tract of land of Haverlock to the southwesterly corner of said tract; thence easterly along and the westerly extension of said southerly line to the northwesterly corner of that parcel of land, Selligo to Begeer, as recorded January 20, 1947, in Official Records of Sonoma County, Book 716, page 303; thence southerly along the westerly line of said parcel of land of Begeer to the southwesterly corner of said parcel; thence easterly along the southerly line of said parcel to the northwesterly corner of that tract of land, Hopkins to Scott, Parcel Two, as recorded November 16, 1945, in Official Records of Sonoma County, Book 667, page 369; thence southerly along the westerly line of said tract to the southwesterly corner of said Parcel Two; thence easterly along the southerly line of said Parcel Two to the northwesterly corner of that parcel of land, Distant Horizons, Inc. to G. K. Hardt Development Co., as recorded November 26, 1963, in Official Records of Sonoma County, Book 2004, page 668; thence southerly along the westerly line of said parcel of land of G. K. Hardt Development Co. to the southwesterly corner of said parcel, said corner being in the northerly line of a 10-foot alley in Lemmon and Barnetts Addition to the City of Santa Rosa as said alley and addition are shown upon a map recorded May 2, 1903, in Maps, Book 15, page 7, Sonoma County Records; thence southerly and crossing said alley in a straight line to the northeasterly corner of Lot 3 of the aforementioned Lemmon and Barnetts Addition; thence southerly along the easterly line of said Lot 3 to the southeasterly corner of said Lot 3, said corner being also in the northerly line of Sebastopol Avenue; thence southerly and crossing Sebastopol Avenue in a straight line to the northeasterly corner of Lot 16, Block A, in Hoffingers Addition as said lot and block are shown upon a map recorded March 17, 1893, in Maps, Book 10, page 30, Sonoma County Records; thence southerly along the easterly line of said Lot 16 and the southerly extension of said easterly line, and crossing Palm Avenue, to its intersection with the northerly line of that tract of land, Hardt to G. K. Hardt Development Co., Parcel Thirteen as recorded August 28, 1957, in Official Records of Sonoma County, Book 1541, page 101; thence westerly along the northerly line of said Parcel Thirteen and following the meanderings thereof to the northwesterly corner of said Parcel Thirteen; thence southerly along the westerly line of said Parcel Thirteen to its intersection with the northerly line of Parcel Seven of the aforementioned tract of land of G. K. Hardt Development Co.; thence westerly along said northerly line to the northwesterly corner of said Parcel Seven; thence southerly along the westerly line of said Parcel Seven to the southwesterly corner of said parcel; thence easterly along the southerly line of said Parcel Seven to the northwesterly corner of Parcel Nine of the aforementioned tract of land of G. K. Hardt Development Co.; thence southerly along the westerly line of said Parcel Nine and following the meanderings thereof to its intersection with the northerly line of South A Street; thence easterly along the northerly line of South A Street to its intersection with the northerly extension of the westerly line of Santa Rosa Avenue southerly of South A Street; thence southerly along said extension and said westerly line of Santa Rosa Avenue, and crossing South A Street to the northeasterly corner of that tract of land, Santa Rosa Management Co., Inc. to Rogers, Parcel One, as recorded October 10, 1961, in Official Records of Sonoma County, Book 1850, page 6; thence westerly along the northerly line of said Parcel One to the northwesterly corner of said Parcel One; thence southerly along the westerly line of said Parcel One; and the southerly extension of said westerly line, to its intersection with the northerly line of Earle Street; thence southerly and crossing Earle Street in a straight line, to the northwesterly corner of Lot 4, Block 1, in Plat of Sunnyside Addition as said lot, block and addition are shown upon a map recorded November 3, 1887, in Maps, Book 1, page 29, Sonoma County Records; thence southerly along the westerly line of said Lot 4 to the southwesterly corner of said lot; thence easterly along the southerly line of said Lot 4, and the easterly extension of said southerly line and crossing Santa Rosa Avenue and Petaluma Hill Road to its intersection with the easterly line of Petaluma Hill Road; thence southerly along the east line of Petaluma Hill Road to its intersection with the northwesterly corner of that parcel of land, Leete to Leete, as recorded September 27, 1951, in Official Records of Sonoma County, Book 1079, page 190; thence easterly along the northerly line of said parcel of land of Leete to its intersection with the westerly line of Rutledge Avenue; thence northerly along the westerly line of Rutledge Avenue and the northerly extension of said westerly line and crossing Bennett Avenue to its intersection with the northerly line of Bennett Avenue; thence westerly along the northerly line of Bennett Avenue to its intersection with the easterly line of Santa Rosa Avenue; thence northerly along the easterly line of Santa Rosa Avenue to its intersection with the southerly line of Maple Street; thence easterly along the southerly line of Maple Street to its intersection with the southerly extension of the westerly line of Lot 301, Block 9, in Wheelers Second Addition to the City of Santa Rosa as said lot, block and addition are shown upon a map recorded January 10, 1908, in Maps, Book 20, page 25, Sonoma County Records; thence northerly along said extension and said westerly line of said Lot 301, and crossing Maple Street and the northerly extension of said westerly line to its intersection with the southerly line of Oak Street; thence northerly and crossing Oak Street in a straight line, to the southwesterly corner of Parcel Five of the aforementioned tract of land, G. K. Hardt Development Co.; thence northerly along the westerly line of said Parcel Five to its intersection with the southerly line of Lot 197 of Block 7 of the aforementioned Wheelers Second Addition; thence easterly along said southerly line to the southeast corner of said Lot 197; thence northerly along the easterly line of said Lot 197 and the northerly extension of said easterly line and crossing Pine Street to the northwesterly corner of Lot 159 of Block 5 of the aforementioned Wheelers Second Addition; thence easterly along the northerly line of said Lot 159 and the easterly extension of said northerly line to the northeasterly corner of Lot 157 of Block 5 of said addition; thence northerly along the northerly extension of the easterly line of said Lot 157 and crossing Mill Street to its intersection with the northerly line of Mill Street; thence westerly along the northerly line of Mill Street to the southwesterly corner of that parcel of land, Price to Lesbille, as recorded August 31, 1964, in Official Records of Sonoma County, Book 2070, page 451; thence northerly along the westerly line of said parcel of land of Lesbille to the northwesterly corner of said parcel; thence easterly along the northerly line of said parcel to the northeasterly corner of said parcel; thence northerly along the northerly extension of the easterly line of said parcel to land of Lesbille to the northeasterly corner of that tract of land of Evans to Rudat, et al., as recorded January 31, 1956, in Official Records of Sonoma County, Book 1412, page 72; thence westerly along the northerly line of said tract of land of Rudat et al. to the southwesterly corner of that parcel of land, Giacolini to Bader, as recorded February 7, 1955, in Official Records of Sonoma County, Book 1325, page 120; thence northerly along the westerly line of said parcel of land of Bader to its intersection with the southerly line of Wheeler Street; thence easterly along the southerly line of Wheeler Street to its intersection with the southerly extension of the westerly line of that tract of land, Browning to Spencer, as recorded September 25, 1961, in Official Records of Sonoma County, Book 1847, page 173; thence northerly along said southerly extension and said westerly line of said tract of land of Spencer and crossing Wheeler Street to its intersection with the southerly line of that tract of land, Bona to Blake, Parcel Two, as recorded March 17, 1949, in Official Records of Sonoma County, Book 867, page 247; thence westerly along the southerly line of Parcel Two to the southwesterly corner of said parcel; thence northerly along the westerly line of said Parcel Two to the southeasterly corner of that tract of land described in Decree Establishing Fact of Death, as recorded November 20, 1961, in Official Records of Sonoma County, Book 1857, page 660; thence westerly along the southerly line of said tract of land to the southwesterly corner of said tract; thence northerly along the westerly line of said tract and the northerly extension of said westerly line, and crossing Charles Street to its intersection with the northerly line of Charles Street; thence westerly along the northerly line of Charles Street to its intersection with the easterly line of Santa Rosa Avenue; thence northerly along the easterly line of Santa Rosa Avenue and crossing Tupper Street, to its intersection with the easterly extension of the southerly line of Ellis Street (now Sonoma Avenue); thence westerly along said extension and said southerly line to the point of beginning.
(Prior code § 22.32.4)