Alameda County Municipal Code Art. I General

The board of supervisors of the county does hereby find and declare as follows:

A. That as areas of the county become more thickly urbanized, the demand for utility distribution facilities supplying electric, communication and similar services increases to the point that the public welfare require the removal of poles and overhead wires and associated overhead structures and the underground installation of wires and facilities;

B. That it is in the best interest of the residents and persons using the street, highways and in such areas to require the undergrounding of existing utility distribution facilities at the time of and coincidental with major street improvements occurring in such areas because of less disruption of traffic, and for the better preservation, maintenance and protection of the public street, highways, curbs, gutters and sidewalks;

C. That it is hereby declared to be in the public interest and in the interest of members of the public using such public streets and highways, because of economies which may accrue both to property owners in the vicinity and to the county in the construction, maintenance and repair of such public facilities, and in the reduction of hazards, delays and increase in the safety of persons using same, and residing adjacent thereto and services by such utility distribution systems, to provide for the undergrounding of such utility distribution systems at the same time and coincidental with major street improvements occurring in such areas;

D. That in order to accomplish such purposes, it is necessary to provide for the creation of special undergrounding districts within which the persons supplying such utility services and the users of same shall cooperate to accomplish the undergrounding of such utility service systems and the undergrounding of connection thereto by the users of such service.

(Prior gen. code § 5-500)

The purposes and object of this chapter are to accomplish the foregoing results, and the provisions thereof shall be liberally construed so as to give full effect to the accomplishment of such purpose and object.

(Prior gen. code § 5-501)

"Board" means the board of supervisors of Alameda County.

"Distribution service" includes the supplying through utility distribution facilities of electric, communication or similar or associated services.

"Modified underground system" means an electric or communications distribution system consisting of metal poles supporting high voltage wires, pad-mounted transformers, pedestal-mounted terminal boxes and meter cabinets, concealed ducts, switches, transformers and street lights, with all other facilities and wires for the supplying distribution service being placed underground.

"Person" as used in this chapter includes, in addition to the entities described in Section 1.04.210 of the Alameda County General Ordinance Code, any public utility as defined in Section 216 of the Public Utilities Code.

"Utility distribution facilities" includes all poles, wires or other overhead structure used in the supplying of distribution service to properties adjacent to county roads or streets; provided, however, that the term utility distribution facilities as used in this chapter shall not include metal poles used exclusively for street lighting, traffic signals, pedestals for police and fire system communications and alarm boxes, pad-mounted transformers, pedestal-mounted terminal boxes and meter cabinets, concealed ducts, or facilities used to carry voltages higher than thirty-five thousand (35,000) volts.

(Prior gen. code § 5-502)