R22-09-20 Exhibit A

City of El Mirage — Regular Meeting (2022-09-08)

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EXHIBIT “A” 
RESOLUTION R22-09-20 
 
Title XV, Chapter 151: “Public Rights-of-Way; Encroachments”, Section 140 
Utilities Encroachment Permit: is amended as follows: 
 
§ 151.140 UTILITIES ENCROACHMENT PERMIT. 
   (A)   Application process. Any person desiring an encroachment permit pursuant to 
this section shall file an application with the Engineering Division in the form prescribed 
by the city, together with that part of the non-refundable application processing fee 
established by Council resolution. The full fee shall be paid on demand from the city and 
shall be in an amount established by the City Manager as necessary to recover all 
reasonably related costs incurred by the city to review and process the application. 
   (B)   Special terms and conditions for the encroachment permit described in this 
section. In addition to the general terms and conditions for all encroachment permits 
listed above, permits issued pursuant to this section shall also comply with the 
undergrounding of existing overhead and proposed utility lines per § 152.030 and § 
155.057, respectively. 
   (C)   Fees. 
      (1)   Entities subject to this permit shall pay: 
         (a)   The encroachment permit application processing fee which covers the cost of 
reviewing and processing the application provided, however, public utility corporations, 
counties, state agencies and adjacent cities, for conformity, will not be required to pay 
the permit application processing fee; 
         (b)   The inspection fee which covers the cost of inspection of the construction, 
work, or installation to insure it meets all city requirements; 
         (c)   A fee to recover all of the reasonable costs associated with construction, 
maintenance and operation of permittee’s facilities in the highway, including but not 
limited to all reasonable and supportable costs associated with the damage caused to 
the highway; and 
         (d)   In addition to the permit fees, the permittee shall also pay such use fees as 
spelled out in their use agreement with the city. 
      (2)   Each of these fees will be established by Council resolution provided however 
that application processing fee may be established based on cost as set forth 
hereinabove. 
   (D)   Examples. Examples of utilities for which this permit would be applicable would 
be non-city owned or operated water, sewer, irrigation, effluent, electric, and gas lines.

Exhibit “A” R22-09-20 
 
 
Title XV, Chapter 152: “Property Development; Off-site Construction 
Improvement Requirements”, Section 30 General Provisions: is amended as 
follows:  
 
§ 152.030 GENERAL PROVISIONS. 
   (A)   The developer shall place underground all existing overhead utility lines, 
including but not limited to telephone, cable television and electric power, except 
electrical lines exceeding 13kV capacity, either within a proposed development or 
redevelopment project or within public rights-of-way or easements adjacent to the 
project, prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy. This requirement shall apply to 
all projects submitted for approval or re-approval under the provisions of the site 
development in the zoning code. Utility poles and lines are defined herein as the poles, 
structures, wire, aerial cables, and related facilities used in the distribution of electricity 
or in the transmission of telecommunications, telegraph, data, radio, or television 
communications. This requirement includes utility lines on and adjacent to the project, 
including lines which extend across public streets, alleys, and/or easements adjacent to 
the property being developed or redeveloped. Existing utility lines within or adjacent to a 
project shall be under-grounded up to the first existing pole beyond the limits of the 
property. This requirement includes the undergrounding of all existing overhead service 
lines attached to the lines to be removed along with necessary conduit, supports, 
restoration and the like, necessary to convert the service line from overhead to 
underground. The requirement shall apply regardless of the existence of easements for 
overhead lines. When high-voltage power lines, above 13 kV or similar, are present on 
the same poles as the lower voltage lines, all lines other than the high-voltage lines 
shall be placed underground.  
   (B)   Equipment appurtenant to the underground facilities, such as surface-mounted 
transformers, pull boxes, pedestal cabinets, service terminals, telephone splice 
closures, concealed ducts, or other similar on-the-ground facilities normally used with or 
as approved by the City Engineer, may be maintained above ground with the written 
permission of the City Engineer for the specific facility to be left above ground. 
   (C)   The developer or owner of a development or redevelopment project shall be 
responsible to make necessary arrangements with the affected utility companies for the 
installation of required underground facilities, including the design and payment of any 
cost therefore as a condition of plan approval. Nothing contained herein is intended to 
obligate a providing utility company to install the underground facilities without 
reimbursement. 
   (D)   In those instances where poles to be removed include street lights, the street 
lights will be replaced with freestanding poles by the developer in accordance with 
current street light standards. 
   (E)   Relief from undergrounding requirements may be considered, at the discretion of 
City Council, under the following conditions. 
      (1)   Deferment of undergrounding may be requested by a developer in cases where 
the utility frontage is small (generally less than 1,000 feet in length). When deferment is 
approved, the developer shall obtain an estimate of undergrounding costs from all

Exhibit “A” R22-09-20 
affected utility companies. The developer shall then be required to provide a cash 
deposit, letter of credit, certificate of deposit, or other security acceptable to the City 
Attorney, in an amount equal to the estimated under-grounding costs, as provided by 
the utility company, associated with the utility frontage of the project. The developer 
shall also be required to install the ductwork (conduit) required by the utility companies 
for the future undergrounding prior to issuance of certificate of occupancy. Phasing of 
projects will be considered based on the particular situation. On projects for which plans 
are approved in phases, the developer may request delay in payment of estimated 
costs until approval of plans for the largest phase involving undergrounding, at which 
time payment for the entire project shall be required. The obligation to pay at the time of 
a subsequent phase shall be secured by an agreement which shall bind the owner and 
subsequent buyers for undergrounding costs along the entire applicable frontage. 
Monies received will be held in an account by the city to be used at whatever time the 
applicable area is converted by the city, utility companies, or other parties to 
underground utilities. 
      (2)   Exemption may be considered where the developer can show that 
undergrounding will be an unusual economic hardship and the costs of the 
undergrounding are disproportionate in terms of the utility frontage and the 
proportionate frontage of the project under consideration. Examples are cases where 
development occurs in an area where adjacent land on both sides is already developed 
(infill situation), and in cases involving additions or modifications to existing sites which 
represent a minor portion of the total site. 
      (3)   Exemption may be considered when high-voltage powerlines, above 13 kV or 
similar, would remain on the poles after the undergrounding of the lower voltage lines.  
      (4)   All requests for relief must be presented in writing to the Planning and 
Development Director prior to plan approval. Consideration for approval shall be in 
accordance with the purpose, intent, and objective of this section. The City Council shall 
approve or disapprove all formal requests for relief. Aesthetics is only one of many 
reasons for undergrounding of which public safety is paramount. Completion of 
undergrounding and/or payment of costs shall be required prior to granting of a 
certificate of occupancy. All new service lines installed shall be installed underground 
per § 155.057 even though relief may be granted for adjacent existing lines. 
   (F)   The requirements set forth above shall not apply to new utility poles and wires 
erected for purely temporary purposes such as providing temporary building 
construction power, emergency power, telephone service, or the furnishing of power to 
temporary outdoor activities. A permit for the temporary use shall be obtained from the 
Engineering Division. The length of the temporary use shall be specified in the permit 
and may not exceed six months. An additional six-month permit may be issued upon a 
finding of necessity by the City Engineer. 
 
Title XV, Chapter 155: “Subdivisions”, Section 57 Utilities: is amended as 
follows:  
 
§ 155.057 UTILITIES. 
   (A)   Location. All new utility facilities, including but not limited to gas, telephone, cable 
television and electric power, except electrical lines exceeding 13kV capacity, shall be

Exhibit “A” R22-09-20 
located underground throughout the subdivision or proposed development or 
redevelopment project. All existing overhead utility facilities shall be placed underground 
per § 152.030. All utility facilities shall be located in either the street right-of-way and its 
adjacent easement or in a dedicated alley except, where easements between alleys and 
street rights-of-way are necessary to connect the utilities, as approved by the 
city. Underground service connections to the street property line of each platted lot shall 
be installed at the owner’s or developer’s expense.   
   (B)   Easements. 
      (1)   Proper coordination shall be established between the subdivider and the 
applicable utility companies for the continuation of utility easements established in 
adjoining properties, when rights-of-way or dedicated alleys are not appropriate. 
      (2)   Where topographical, locational, or other conditions are such as to make 
impractical the inclusion of utilities within rights-of-way or dedicated alleys, perpetual 
unobstructed easements of at least ten feet in width shall be provided. Easements shall 
be indicated on the plat.