There is hereby granted to Interstate Power and Light Company, hereinafter referred to as the "Company," its successors and assigns, the right, privilege and non-exclusive franchise for the term of twenty-five (25) years with limited right of cancellation as stipulated in Section 110.08 from and after the passage, adoption, approval and acceptance of this Ordinance, to lay down, maintain and operate the necessary pipes, mains and other conductors and appliances in, along and under the streets, avenues, alleys and public places in the City as now or hereafter constituted, for the purpose of distributing, supplying and selling gas to said City and the residents thereof and to persons and corporations beyond the limits thereof; also the right of eminent domain as provided in Section 364.2 of the Code of Iowa. The term "gas" as used in this franchise shall be construed to mean natural gas only.
The mains and pipes of the Company must be so placed as not to interfere unnecessarily with water pipes, drains, sewers and fire plugs which have been or may hereafter be placed in any street, alley and public places in said City nor unnecessarily interfere with the proper use of the same, including ordinary drainage, or with the sewers, underground pipe and other property of the City. The Company, its successors and assigns shall hold the City free and harmless from all damages arising from the negligent acts or omissions of the Company in the laying down, operation and maintenance of said natural gas distribution system.
In making any excavations in any street, alley, or public place, Company, its successors and assigns, shall protect the site while work is in progress by guards, barriers or signals, shall not unnecessarily obstruct the use of the streets, and shall back fill all openings in such manner as to prevent settling or depressions in surface, pavement or sidewalk of such excavations with same materials, restoring the condition as nearly as practical. The Company shall not be required to restore or modify public right of way, sidewalks or other areas in or adjacent to the Company project to a condition superior to its immediate previously existing condition.
The Company shall, at its cost, locate and relocate its existing facilities or equipment in, on, over or under any public street or alley in the City in such a manner as the City may at any time reasonably require for the purposes of facilitating the construction, reconstruction, maintenance or repair of the street or alley or any public improvement thereof, in or about any such street or alley or reasonably promoting the efficient operation of any such improvement. If the City requires the Company to relocate facilities in the public right of way that have been relocated at Company expense at the direction of the City during the previous ten years, the reasonable costs of such relocation will be paid by the City.
If the City orders or requests the Company to relocate its existing facilities or equipment for any reason other than as specified above, or as the result of the initial request for a commercial, private or other non-public development, the Company shall receive payment for the cost of such relocation as a precondition to relocating its existing facilities or equipment.
The City shall consider reasonable alternatives in designing its public works projects so as not arbitrarily to cause the Company unreasonable additional expense in exercising its authority under this section. The City shall also provide a reasonable alternative location for the Company's facilities as part of its relocation request.
Vacating a street, avenue, alley, public ground or public right-of-way shall not deprive the Company of its right to operate and maintain existing facilities and their replacements on, below, above or beneath the vacated property. Prior to the City abandoning or vacating any street, avenue, alley, right-of-way or other public ground where the Company has installed gas lines, mains or facilities, the City shall grant the Company a utility easement for said facilities.
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