Los Altos Municipal Code Ch. 12.38 Undergrounding Utilities

The purpose of this chapter is to improve and maintain the visual quality and public and private views in the city, as well as to protect and enhance the health and quality of life of its citizens, by reducing hazards along with the visual blight created by overhead utilities.

(Ord. No. 2025-542, § 4, 10-28-2025)

It is the intent of the city to ensure that all new utility services and relocated existing utility services are placed underground, including additions exceeding fifty (50) percent of floor area and/or seven hundred and fifty (750) square feet or more, excluding basements and any non-habitable floor areas. For the purpose of this section, removal of roof framing with associated exterior walls down to, or below the subfloor/slab shall be included in the above calculations. Therefore, the following shall apply:

a.

In areas served by existing overhead facilities, all new service drops shall be installed underground from the most convenient existing pole.

b.

Relocations and extensions of existing overhead facilities shall be prohibited; provided, however, relocation of existing poles shall be permitted in some instances pursuant to Section 13.20.160 of this municipal code.

c.

Residential properties that are served by utilities located in rear yards on standard lots with frontage on only one public right-of-way shall not be required to underground existing overhead services.

d.

The obligation to provide compliance with these underground utility regulations may not be evaded by performing a series of small additions undertaken over a three-year period and/or two code cycles. The original addition permit issuance date where these regulations were in effect shall be used for compliance.

i.

Any submittal for building permits which exceed fifty (50) percent and/or seven hundred and fifty (750) square feet of existing floor areas (area calculations shall not include existing basement floor areas and any non-habitable floor areas, i.e., garages) during the three-year period shall comply with

ii.

No exception or waiver shall be granted from compliance with undergrounding utilities.

e.

The Building Official may only grant exceptions to these requirements in cases where access across adjacent property is necessary but is not legally or practically available.

i.

To demonstrate an exception the property owner shall provide a plan showing the required utility design, communication with adjacent property owners indicating the lack of access allowed, and a letter from the utility company which indicates that no alternative configuration for undergrounding of utilities is possible.

f.

Final Inspection, and issuance of Certificate of Occupancy. No exception or waiver shall be granted which allows for a property owner to evade compliance with this requirement.

(Ord. No. 2025-542, § 4, 10-28-2025)