(A) Placement, location, and relocation of facilities must comply with the Act, with other applicable law, with other applicable standards adopted by the City Engineer, and with Minn. Rules 7819.3100, 7819.5000, and 7819.5100, to the extent the rules do not limit authority otherwise available to cities.
(B) Undergrounding. Unless otherwise agreed in a franchise or other agreement between the applicable right-of-way user and the city, facilities in the right-of-way must be located or relocated and maintained underground in accordance with Chapter 96 of the City Code.
(C) Corridors. The city may assign a specific area within the right-of-way, or any particular segment thereof as may be necessary, for each type of facility that is or, pursuant to current technology, the city expects will someday be located within the right-of-way. All excavation, obstruction, or other permits issued by the city involving the installation or replacement of facilities shall designate the proper corridor for the facilities at issue. Any registrant who has facilities in the right-of-way in a position at variance with the corridors established by the city shall, no later than at the time of the next reconstruction or excavation of the area where the facilities are located, move the facilities to the assigned position within the right-of-way, unless this requirement is waived by the city for good cause shown, upon consideration of such factors as the remaining economic life of the facilities, public safety, customer service needs, and hardship to the registrant.
(D) Nuisance. One year after the passage of this chapter, any facilities found in a right-of-way that have not been registered shall be deemed to be a nuisance. The city may exercise any remedies or rights it has at law or in equity, including, but not limited to, abating the nuisance or taking possession of the facilities and restoring the right-of-way to a useable condition.
(E) Limitation of space. To protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public, or when necessary to protect the right-of-way and its current use, the city shall have the power to prohibit or limit the placement of new or additional facilities within the right-of-way. In making such decisions, the city shall strive to the extent possible to accommodate all existing and potential users of the right-of-way, but shall be guided primarily by considerations of the public interest, the public’s needs for the particular utility service, the condition of the right-of-way, the time of year with respect to essential utilities, the protection of existing facilities in the right-of-way, and future city plans for public improvements and development projects which have been determined to be in the public interest.
(Ord. 2021-01, passed 3-8-2021)