Chapter 34

Oakdale Municipal Code · 2026-07 edition · updated 2026-09-27 · Oakdale

UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICTS

§	34-1.	Definitions.	§ 34-6.	Same–Emergency service;
§	34-2.	Public hearing by city council		unusual circumstances.
		on placing utilities	§ 34-7.	Notice to property owners and
		underground.		utility companies to provide
§	34-3.	Designation of districts by		underground facilities.
		resolution of city council; fixing	§ 34-8.	Responsibility of utility
		of time for completion of work.		companies.
§	34-4.	Maintenance, construction, etc.,	§ 34-9.	Responsibility of property
		of overhead wires, etc.,		owners; removal of overhead
		prohibited within designated		facilities by director of public
		district.		works.
§	34-5.	Exceptions to underground	§ 34-10.	Responsibility of city.
		requirements–Generally.	§ 34-11.	Extension of time.

§ 34-1. Definitions. [Ord. No. 521, § 1.]

For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:

COMMISSION — The public utilities commission of the state.

POLES, OVERHEAD WIRES AND ASSOCIATED OVERHEAD STRUCTURES — Poles, towers, supports, wires, conductors, guys, stubs, platforms, crossarms, braces, transformers, insulators, cutouts, switches, communication circuits, appliances, attachments and appurtenances located above-ground within a district and used or useful in supplying electric, communication or similar or associated service.

UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICT OR DISTRICT — That area in the city within which poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures are prohibited as such area is described in a resolution adopted pursuant to the provisions of section 34-3.

UTILITY — All persons or entities supplying electric, communication or similar or associated service by means of electrical materials or devices.

§ 34-2. Public hearing by city council on placing utilities underground. [Ord. No. 521, § 2.]

The city council may from time to time call public hearings to ascertain whether the public necessity, health, safety or welfare requires the removal of poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures within designated areas of the city and the underground installation of wires and facilities for supplying electric, communication, or similar or associated service. The city clerk shall notify all affected property owners as shown on the last equalized assessment roll and utilities concerned by mail of the time and place of such hearings at least ten days prior to the date thereof. Each such hearing shall be open to the public and may be continued from time to time. At each such hearing all persons interested shall be given an opportunity to be heard. The decision of the council shall be final and conclusive.

1. For state law as to conversion of overload utility facilities to underground locations, see Sts. & H. C., §§ 5896.1 to 5896.17. As to underground utilities in subdivisions, see § 31-36 of this Code.

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City of Oakdale, CA § 34-3

OAKDALE CITY CODE

§ 34-5

§ 34-3. Designation of districts by resolution of city council; fixing of time for completion of work. [Ord. No. 521, § 3.]

If, after a public hearing the city council finds that the public necessity, health, safety or welfare requires the removal and underground installation of poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures within a designated area, the council shall, by resolution, declare such designated area an underground utility district and order such removal and underground installation. Such resolution shall include a description of the area comprising such district and shall fix the time within which such removal and underground installation shall be accomplished and within which affected property owners shall be ready to receive underground service. A reasonable time shall be allowed for such removal and underground installation, having due regard for the availability of labor, materials and equipment necessary for such removal and for the installation of such underground facilities as may be occasioned thereby.

§ 34-4. Maintenance, construction, etc., of overhead wires, etc., prohibited within designated district. [Ord. No. 521, § 4.]

Whenever the city council creates an underground utility district and orders the removal of poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures therein as provided in section 34-3, it shall be unlawful for any person or utility to erect, construct, place, keep, maintain, continue, employ or operate poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures in the district after the date when the overhead facilities are required to be removed by such resolution, except as the overhead facilities may be required to furnish service to an owner or occupant of property prior to the performance by such owner or occupant of the underground work necessary for such owner or occupant to continue to receive utility service as provided in section 34-9, and for such reasonable time required to remove the facilities after the work has been performed, and except as otherwise provided in this chapter.

§ 34-5. Exceptions to underground requirements–Generally. [Ord. No. 521, § 6.]

This chapter and any resolution adopted pursuant to section 34-3 shall, unless otherwise provided in such resolution, not apply to the following types of facilities:

(a) Any municipal facilities or equipment installed under the supervision and to the satisfaction of the city engineer.
(b) Poles or electroliers used exclusively for street lighting.
(c) Overhead wires (exclusive of supporting structures) crossing any portion of a district within which overhead wires have been prohibited, or connecting to buildings on the perimeter of a district, when such wires originate in an area from which poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures are not prohibited.
(d) Poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures used for the transmission of electric energy at nominal voltages in excess of 34,500 volts.
(e) Overhead wires attached to the exterior surface of a building by means of a bracket or other fixture and extending from one location on the building to another location on the same building or to an adjacent building without crossing any public street.
(f) Antennae, associated equipment and supporting structures, used by a utility for furnishing communication services.
(g) Equipment appurtenant to underground facilities, such as surface mounted transformers, pedestal

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City of Oakdale, CA § 34-5

UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICTS

§ 34-10

mounted terminal boxes and meter cabinets and concealed ducts.

(h) Temporary poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures used or to be used in conjunction with construction projects.

§ 34-6. Same–Emergency service; unusual circumstances. [Ord. No. 521, § 5.]

Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, overhead facilities may be installed and maintained for a period, not to exceed ten days, without authority of the council in order to provide emergency service. The council may grant special permission, on such terms as the council may deem appropriate, in cases of unusual circumstances, without discrimination as to any person or utility, to erect, construct, install, maintain, use or operate poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures.

§ 34-7. Notice to property owners and utility companies to provide underground facilities. [Ord. No. 521, § 7.]

Within ten days after the effective date of a resolution adopted pursuant to section 34-3, the city clerk shall notify all affected utilities and all persons owning real property within the district created by the resolution of the adoption thereof. The city clerk shall further notify such affected property owners of the necessity that, if they or any person occupying such property desire to continue to receive electric, communication or similar or associated service, they or such occupant shall provide all necessary facility changes on their premises so as to receive such service from the lines of the supplying utility or utilities at a new location, subject to applicable rules, regulations and tariffs of the respective utility or utilities on file with the public utilities commission.

Notification by the city clerk shall be made by mailing a copy of the resolution adopted pursuant to section 34-3, together with a copy of this chapter, to affected property owners as such are shown on the last equalized assessment roll and to the affected utilities.

§ 34-8. Responsibility of utility companies. [Ord. No. 521, § 8.]

If underground construction is necessary to provide utility service within a district created by any resolution adopted pursuant to section 34-3, the supplying utility shall furnish that portion of the conduits, conductors and associated equipment required to be furnished by it under its applicable rules, regulations and tariffs on file with the public utilities commission.

§ 34-9. Responsibility of property owners; removal of overhead facilities by director of public works. [Ord. No. 521, § 9; Ord. No. 752, § 1. 1979.]

(a) Every person owning a building or structure within a district shall perform construction and provide that portion of the service connection on his property between the facilities referred to in section 34-8 and the termination facility on or within the building or structure being served, all in accordance with applicable rules, regulations and tariffs of the respective utility or utilities on file with the public utilities commission.
(b) In the event any person owning the property does not comply with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section within the time provided for in the resolution enacted pursuant to section 34-8, the director of public works shall post written notice on the property being served and thirty days thereafter shall have the authority to order the disconnection and removal of any and all overhead service wires and associated facilities supplying utility service to the property.

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City of Oakdale, CA § 34-10

OAKDALE CITY CODE

§ 34-11

§ 34-10. Responsibility of city. [Ord. No. 521, § 10.]

The city shall remove at its own expense all city-owned equipment from all poles required to be removed under this chapter in ample time to enable the owner or user of such poles to remove the same within the time specified in the resolution enacted pursuant to section 34-3.

§ 34-11. Extension of time. [Ord. No. 521, § 11.]

In the event that any act required by this chapter or by a resolution adopted pursuant to section 34-3 cannot be performed within the time provided on account of shortage of materials, war, restraint by public authorities, strikes, labor disturbances, civil disobedience or any other circumstances beyond the control of the actor, then the time within which such act will be accomplished shall be extended for a period equivalent to the time of such limitation.

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City of Oakdale, CA

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