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(a) [Reserved.]
(b) Overlashing. Permittee shall not allow the wires or any other facilities of a third party to be overlashed to permittee’s facilities without municipality’s prior written consent. Municipality’s right to withhold written consent is subject to the authority of the MPSC under Section 361 of the Michigan Telecommunications Act, MCLA § 484.2361.
(c) No burden on public right-of-way. Permittee, its contractors, subcontractors and the facilities shall not unduly burden or interfere with the present or future use of any of the public rights-of-way. Permittee’s aerial cables and wires shall be suspended so as to not endanger or injure persons or property in or about the public right-of-way. If municipality reasonably determines that any portion of the facilities constitutes an undue burden or interference, due to changed circumstances, permittee, at its sole expense, shall modify the facilities or take such other actions that municipality may determine is in the public interest to remove or alleviate the burden, and permittee shall do so within a reasonable time period. Municipality shall attempt to require all occupants of a pole or conduit whose facilities are a burden to remove or alleviate the burden concurrently.
(d) No priority. This ordinance does not establish any priority of use of the public right-of-way by permittee over any present or future permittees or parties having agreements with municipality or franchises for such use. In the event of any dispute as to the priority of use of the public right-of-way, the first priority shall be to the public generally, the second priority to municipality, the third priority to the State of Michigan and its political subdivisions in the performance of their various functions, and thereafter as between other permit, agreement or franchise holders, as determined (except as otherwise provided by law) by municipality in the exercise of its powers, including the police power and other powers reserved to and conferred on it by the State of Michigan.
(e) Restoration of property. Permittee, its contractors and subcontractors shall immediately (subject to seasonal work restrictions) restore, at permittee’s sole expense, in a manner approved by municipality, any portion of the public right-of-way that is in any way disturbed, damaged, or injured by the construction, installation, operation, maintenance or removal of the facilities to a reasonably equivalent (or, at permittee’s option, better) condition as that which existed prior to the disturbance. In the event that permittee, its contractors or subcontractors fail to make such repair within a reasonable time, municipality may make the repair and permittee shall pay the costs municipality incurred for the repair.
(f) Marking. Permittee shall mark its facilities installed after the effective date of this ordinance as follows: Aerial portions of the facilities shall be marked with a marker on permittee’s lines on alternate poles which shall state permittee’s name and provide a toll-free number to call for assistance. Direct buried underground portions of the facilities shall have: (1) a conducting wire placed in the ground at least several inches above permittee’s cable (if such cable is nonconductive); (2) at least several inches above that, a continuous colored tape with a statement to the effect that there is buried cable beneath; and (3) stakes or other appropriate above-ground markers with permittee’s name and a toll-free number indicating that there is buried cable below. Bored underground portions of the facilities shall have a conducting wire at the same depth as the cable and shall not be required to provide the continuous colored tape. Portions of the facilities located in conduit, including conduit of others used by permittee, shall be marked at its entrance into and exit from each manhole and handhole with permittee’s name and a toll-free telephone number.
(g) Tree trimming. Permittee may trim trees upon and overhanging the public right-of-way so as to prevent the branches of such trees from coming into contact with the facilities, consistent with any standards adopted by municipality. Permittee shall dispose of all trimmed materials. Permittee shall minimize the trimming of trees to that essential to maintain the integrity of the facilities. Except in emergencies, all trimming of trees in the public right-of-way shall have the advance approval of Manager.
(h) Installation and maintenance. The construction and installation of the facilities shall be performed pursuant to plans approved by municipality. The open cut of any public right-of-way shall be coordinated with the Manager or Manager’s designee. Permittee shall install and maintain the facilities in a reasonably safe condition. If the existing poles in the public right-of-way are overburdened or unavailable for permittee’s use, or the facilities of all users of the poles are required to go underground, then permittee shall, at its expense, place such portion of its facilities underground, unless municipality approves an alternate location. Permittee may perform maintenance on the facilities without prior approval of municipality, provided that permittee shall obtain any and all permits required by municipality in the event that any maintenance will disturb or block vehicular traffic or are otherwise required by municipality.
(i) Pavement cut coordination.
(1) Permittee shall coordinate its construction and all other work in the public right-of-way with municipality’s program for street construction and rebuilding (collectively “street construction”) and its program for street repaving and resurfacing (except seal coating and patching) (collectively, “street resurfacing”).
(2) The goals of such coordination shall be to encourage permittee to conduct all work in the public right-of-way in conjunction with or immediately prior to any street construction or street resurfacing planned by municipality.
(j) Compliance with laws. Permittee shall comply with all valid and enforceable Federal and State statutes and regulations; and all valid and enforceable local regulations regarding the use and occupation of the public right-of-way, including the police powers of municipality, regarding the construction, installation, and maintenance of its facilities, now in force or which hereafter may be promulgated. Before any installation is commenced, permittee shall secure all necessary permits, licenses and approvals from municipality or other governmental entity as may be required by law, including, without limitation, all utility line permits and highway permits. Municipality shall not unreasonably delay or deny issuance of any such permits, licenses or approvals. Permittee shall comply in all respects with applicable codes and industry standards, including but not limited to the National Electrical Safety Code (latest edition adopted by Michigan Public Service Commission) and the National Electrical Code (latest edition). Permittee shall comply with all zoning and land use ordinances and historic preservation ordinances as may exist or may hereafter be amended. This section does not constitute a waiver of permittee’s right to challenge laws, statutes, ordinances, rules or regulations now in force or established in the future.
(k) Street vacation. If municipality vacates or consents to the vacation of public right-of-way within its jurisdiction, and such vacation necessitates the removal and relocation of permittee’s facilities in the vacated public right-of-way, permittee shall consent to the vacation and remove its facilities at its sole cost and expense when ordered to do so by municipality or a Court of competent jurisdiction. Permittee shall relocate its facilities to such alternate route as municipality and permittee mutually agree, applying reasonable engineering standards.
(l) Relocation. If municipality requests permittee to relocate, protect, support, disconnect or remove its facilities because of street or utility work, or other public projects, permittee shall relocate, protect, support, disconnect, or remove its facilities, at its sole cost and expense, including where necessary to such alternate route as municipality and permittee mutually agree, applying reasonable engineering standards. The work shall be completed within a reasonable time period.
(m) Public emergency. Municipality shall have the right to sever, disrupt, dig up or otherwise destroy facilities of permittee if such action is necessary because of a public emergency. If reasonable to do so under the circumstances, municipality shall attempt to provide notice to permittee. Public emergency shall be any condition which poses an immediate threat to life, health or property caused by any natural or manmade disaster, including, but not limited to, storms, floods, fire, accidents, explosions, water main breaks, hazardous material spills, etc. Permittee shall be responsible for repair at its sole cost and expense of any of its facilities damaged pursuant to any such action taken by municipality.
(n) Miss Dig. If eligible to join, permittee shall subscribe to and be a member of “Miss Dig,” the association of utilities formed pursuant to Act 53 of the Public Acts of 1974, as amended, MCLA §§ 460.701 et seq., and shall conduct its business in conformance with the statutory provisions and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(o) Underground relocation. If permittee has its facilities on poles of Consumers Energy, Detroit Edison or another electric or telecommunications provider and Consumers Energy, Detroit Edison or such other electric or telecommunications provider relocates its system underground, then permittee shall relocate its facilities underground in the same location at permittee’s sole cost and expense.
(p) Identification. All personnel of permittee and its contractors or subcontractors, who have as part of their normal duties contact with the general public, shall wear on their clothing a clearly visible identification card bearing permittee’s name, their name and photograph. Permittee shall account for all identification cards at all times. Every service vehicle of permittee and its contractors or subcontractors shall be clearly identified as such to the public, such as by a magnetic sign with permittee’s name and telephone number.
(Ord. 3760, passed 11-23-2009)
Statutory reference:
Protection of underground facilities, see MCLA 460.701 et seq.
(a) Indemnity. Permittee shall defend, indemnify, protect, and hold harmless municipality, its officers, agents, employees, elected and appointed officials, departments, boards, and commissions from any and all claims, losses, liabilities, causes of action, demands, judgments, decrees, proceedings, and expenses of any nature (collectively “claims”) (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees) arising out of or resulting from the acts or omissions of permittee, its officers, agents, employees, contractors, successors, or assigns, but only to the extent such acts or omissions are related to permittee’s use of or installation of facilities in the public right-of-way and only to the extent of the fault or responsibility of permittee, its officers, agents, employees, contractors, successors and assigns.
(b) Notice, cooperation. Municipality shall notify permittee promptly in writing of any such claims and the method and means proposed by municipality for defending or satisfying any such claims. Municipality shall cooperate with permittee in every reasonable way to facilitate the defense of any such claims. Municipality shall consult with permittee respecting the defense and satisfaction of such claims, including the selection and direction of legal counsel.
(c) Settlement. Municipality shall not settle any claim subject to indemnification under the preceding two sections without the advance written consent of permittee, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. Permittee shall have the right to defend or settle, at its own expense, any claim against municipality for which permittee is responsible hereunder.
(Ord. 3760, passed 11-23-2009)
(a) Coverage required. Prior to beginning any construction in or installation of permittee’s facilities in the public right-of-way, permittee shall obtain insurance as set forth below and file certificates evidencing same with municipality. Such insurance shall be maintained in full force and effect until the end of the term of its franchise agreement or preexisting agreement (whichever is then in effect). In the alternative, permittee may satisfy this requirement through a program of self-insurance, acceptable to municipality, by providing reasonable evidence of its financial resources to municipality. Municipality’s acceptance of such self-insurance shall not be unreasonably withheld.
(1) Commercial general liability insurance, including completed operations liability, independent contractors liability, contractual liability coverage, railroad protective coverage and coverage for property damage from perils of explosion, collapse or damage to underground utilities, commonly known as XCU coverage, in an amount not less than five million dollars ($5,000,000.00).
(2) Liability insurance for sudden and accidental environmental contamination with minimum limits of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00) and providing coverage for claims discovered within three (3) years after the term of the policy. Pursuant to the 2006 MPSC decision in case U-14720, permittee need not comply with the preceding sentence until such time after the effective date of this ordinance that it decides to place any new or existing facilities underground within the public right-of-way in municipality.
(3) Automobile liability insurance in an amount not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00).
(4) Workers’ compensation and employer’s liability insurance with statutory limits, and any applicable Federal insurance of a similar nature.
(5) The coverage amounts set forth above may be met by a combination of underlying (primary) and umbrella policies so long as in combination the limits equal or exceed those stated. If more than one insurance policy is purchased to provide the coverage amounts set forth above, then all policies providing coverage limits excess to the primary policy shall provide drop down coverage to the first dollar of coverage and other contractual obligations of the primary policy, should the primary policy carrier not be able to perform any of its contractual obligations or not be collectible for any of its coverages for any reason during the term of the franchise agreement or preexisting agreement (whichever is then in effect), or (when longer) for as long as coverage could have been available pursuant to the terms and conditions of the primary policy.
(b) Additional insured. Municipality shall be named as an additional insured on all policies (other than worker’s compensation and employer’s liability). All insurance policies shall provide that they shall not be canceled, modified or not renewed unless the insurance carrier provides thirty (30) days prior written notice to municipality. Permittee shall annually provide municipality with a certificate of insurance evidencing such coverage. All insurance policies (other than environmental contamination, workers’ compensation and employer’s liability insurance) shall be written on an occurrence basis and not on a claims- made basis.
(c) Qualified insurers. All insurance shall be issued by insurance carriers licensed to do business by the State of Michigan or by surplus line carriers on the Michigan Insurance Commission approved list of companies qualified to do business in Michigan. All insurance and surplus line carriers shall be rated A+ or better by A.M. Best Company.
(d) Deductibles. If the insurance policies required by this ordinance are written with retainages or deductibles in excess of $50,000.00, they shall be approved by Manager in advance in writing. Permittee shall indemnify and save harmless municipality from and against the payment of any deductible and from the payment of any premium on any insurance policy required to be furnished hereunder.
(e) Contractors. Permittee’s contractors and subcontractors working in the public right-of-way shall carry in full force and effect commercial general liability, environmental contamination liability, automobile liability and workers’ compensation and employer liability insurance which complies with all terms of this section. In the alternative, permittee, at its expense, may provide such coverages for any or all its contractors or subcontractors (such as by adding them to permittee’s policies).
(f) Insurance primary. Permittee’s insurance coverage shall be primary insurance with respect to municipality, its officers, agents, employees, elected and appointed officials, departments, boards and commissions (collectively “them”). Any insurance or self-insurance maintained by any of them shall be in excess of permittee’s insurance and shall not contribute to it (where “insurance or self-insurance maintained by any of them” includes any contract or agreement providing any type of indemnification or defense obligation provided to, or for the benefit of them, from any source, and includes any self-insurance program or policy, or self-insured retention or deductible by, for or on behalf of them).
(Ord. 3760, passed 11-23-2009)
Statutory reference:
MPSC Order of February 21, 2006 in re: Case No. U-14720
Municipal requirement: Municipality may require permittee to post a bond (or letter of credit), in the amount provided in Section 15(3) of the Metro Act, as amended, MCLA § 484.3115(3) (Note: Does not apply after December 3, 2015).
(Ord. 3760, passed 11-23-2009)
(a) Removal; underground. As soon as practicable after the later of the term of its franchise agreement or preexisting agreement expires, permittee or its successors and assigns shall remove any underground cable or other portions of permittee’s facilities from the public right-of-way which has been installed in such a manner that it can be removed without trenching or other opening of the public right-of-way. Permittee shall not remove any underground cable or other portions of the facilities which requires trenching or other opening of the public right-of-way except with the prior written approval of Manager. All removals shall be at permittee’s sole cost and expense.
(1) For purposes of this § 15-93(a),
CABLE means any wire, coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, feed wire or pull wire.
(b) Removal; above ground. As soon as practicable after the later of the expiration of the term of its franchise agreement or preexisting agreement, permittee, or its successor or assigns at its sole cost and expense, shall, unless waived in writing by Manager, remove from the public right-of-way all above-ground elements of its facilities, including but not limited to poles, pedestal-mounted terminal boxes, and lines attached to or suspended from poles.
(c) Schedule. The schedule and timing of removal shall be subject to approval by Manager. Unless extended by Manager, removal shall be completed not later than twelve (12) months following the expiration of the later of the term of a franchise agreement or preexisting agreement. Portions of permittee’s facilities in the public right-of-way that are not removed within such time period shall be deemed abandoned and, at the option of municipality exercised by written notice to permittee at the address provided for in the franchise agreement or preexisting agreement (whichever was last in effect), title to the portions described in such notice shall vest in municipality.
(Ord. 3760, passed 11-23-2009)
(a) Duties. Permittees shall faithfully perform all duties required by this ordinance.
(b) Different terms. The Act allows local units of government and video service providers to enter into voluntary franchise agreements that include terms and conditions which are different from those required under the Act or which are different from those in the standardized, uniform form of franchise agreement established by the MPSC. The Metro Act allows municipalities and providers to mutually agree to Metro Act permit terms differing from those in the standard forms of Metro Act permit approved by the MPSC. Current or prospective permittees who desire terms different from those in this article, as applied to them, should request such a voluntary franchise agreement or a mutually agreed to Metro Act permit from municipality.
(c) Interpretation and severability. The provisions of this ordinance shall be liberally construed to protect and preserve the peace, health, safety and welfare of the public, and should any provision or section of this ordinance be held unconstitutional, invalid, overbroad or otherwise unenforceable, such determination/holding shall not be construed as affecting the validity of any of the remaining conditions of this ordinance. If any provision in this ordinance is found to be partially overbroad, unenforceable, or invalid, permittee and municipality may nevertheless enforce such provision to the extent permitted under applicable law.
(d) Violations. A permittee who violates any provision of this ordinance is responsible for a municipal civil infraction, and shall be subject to such civil infraction fines and costs as prescribed in § 1-7 of the Municipal Code. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the remedies available to municipality in the event of a violation by a permittee of this ordinance.
(e) Authorized officials. The Mayor’s designee is hereby designated as the authorized official of municipality to issue municipal civil infraction citations (directing alleged violators to appear in court) or municipal civil infraction violation notices (directing alleged violators to appear at the Municipal Chapter Violations Bureau) for violations of this ordinance, as provided by municipality’s ordinances or Municipal Code.
(Ord. 3760, passed 11-23-2009)