(a) Whenever any existing electric utilities, cable facilities, telecommunications facilities or other facilities are located underground within a Public Way of the City, the Facilities Operator must also locate its Facilities underground.
(b) A Facilities Operator may replace an existing Wireless Support Structure or Collocate Small Cell Facilities on an Existing Wireless Support Structure even if the Wireless Support Structure is located in an Underground Area.
(c) A Facilities Operator shall not install a new Wireless Support Structure in an Underground Area.
(d) An Operator may request a waiver of the underground placement requirement if the requirement prevents the Operator from achieving its service objective, the requirement has the effect of prohibiting the provision of reasonable service in the City, and the Operator's objective of providing reasonable service in the City cannot be met by placing Facilities at:
(1) A location in the public Right-of-Way where the prohibition does not apply;
(2) A utility easement the service provider has the right to access; and
(3) Other suitable locations or structures made available by the City at reasonable rates, fees and terms.
A request for a waiver of the underground placement requirement will be reviewed and decided by a board comprised of the Mayor, the City Engineer, the Planning and Community Development Director. Within fourteen (14) days of receiving the request, the board shall meet in a public meeting with not less than two (2) days advance written notice to the requesting party, to review and make a decision on the request at that meeting, which decision will be reduced to writing.
(e) Submission of a waiver request pursuant to subsection (d) is subject to the Facilities Operator's agreement to toll the timeframes set forth in Section 909.08(a) of the Codified Ordinances by thirty (30) days.
(Ord. 112-18. Passed 7-9-18.)