(a) Findings and Purpose.
(1) The Village of Plain City, Ohio (the "Village") is vitally concerned with the use of all Rights of Way in the Village as such Rights of Way are a valuable and limited resource which must be utilized to promote the public health, safety, and welfare including the economic development of the Village.
(2) Changes in the public utilities and communication industries have increased the demand and need for access to Rights of Way and placement of facilities and structures therein.
(3) It is necessary to comprehensively plan and manage access to, and structures and facilities in, the Rights of Way to promote efficiency, discourage uneconomic duplication of facilities, lessen the public inconvenience of uncoordinated work in the Rights of Way, and promote the public health, safety, and welfare.
(4) The Village has authority under the Laws and Constitution of the State of Ohio, including but not limited to Article 18, Sections 3, 4 and 7, to regulate public and private entities which use the Rights of Way.
(5) In the interest of equity and uniformity specific utilities and their uses are not singled out in this ordinance. The Village recognizes the inherent differences between aerial and underground utilities and that some rules and regulations may pertain to one and not the other. Where there is a question of applicability, the ordinance shall be applied in the least restrictive way for the occupant, providing the municipality's primary goal of maintaining and managing the right of way is not negatively impacted.
(c) Definitions. For the purposes of Chapter 922 the following terms, phrases, words, and their derivations have the meanings set forth herein. When not inconsistent with the context, words in the present tense include the future tense, words in the plural number include the singular number, and words in the singular number include the plural number. The words "shall" and "will" are mandatory and "may" is permissive. Words not defined shall be given their common and ordinary meaning. References hereafter to "Sections" are, unless otherwise specified, references to Sections in this Chapter. Defined terms remain defined terms whether or not capitalized.
(1) "AFFILIATE" means each Person who falls into one or more of the following categories: (a) each Person having, directly or indirectly, a controlling interest in a Provider, (b) each Person in which a Provider has, directly or indirectly a controlling interest, (c) each officer, director, general partner, limited partner or shareholder holding an interest of fifteen percent (15%) or more, joint venturer or joint venture partner, of a Provider, and (d) each Person, directly or indirectly, controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Provider; provided that Affiliate shall in no event mean any limited partner or shareholder holding an interest of less than fifteen percent (15%) of such Provider, or any creditor of such Provider solely by virtue of its status as a creditor and which is not otherwise an Affiliate by reason of owning a controlling interest in, being owned by, or being under common ownership, common management, or common control with, such Provider.
(2) "APPLICANT" means any Person who seeks to obtain a Certificate of Registration and/or a Permit.
(3) "APPLICATION" means the process by which an Applicant submits a request to obtain Certificate of Registration and/or a Permit.
(4) "APPLICATION FEE" means the fee paid to the Village for application for a Certificate of Registration pursuant to Section 922.03(a).
(5) "BANKRUPTCY CODE" means the United States Bankruptcy Code of 1928, as amended including regulations promulgated by Title 11 of the United States Code.
(6) "BEST EFFORT(S)" means the best reasonable efforts under the circumstances, taking into consideration, among other appropriate matters, all applicable Laws, regulations, safety, engineering and operational codes, available technology, human resources, and cost.
(7) "CABLE FRANCHISE" means the same as "franchise" in the Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984, 98 Stat. 2779, 47 U.S.C. 522.
(8) "CABLE OPERATOR" means the same as in the Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984, 98 Stat. 2779, 47 U.S.C. 522.
(9) "CABLE SERVICE" means the same as in the Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984, 98 Stat. 2779, 47 U.S.C. 522.
(10) "CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION" means the document issued to each Provider and its unique System to occupy the Rights of Way within the Village that outlines the terms of that occupancy of the Rights of Way.
(11) "CODE (or C.O.)" means the codified ordinances of Plain City, Ohio.
(12) "CONFIDENTIAL/PROPRIETARY INFORMATION" means all information that has been either identified or clearly marked as Confidential/Proprietary Information by the Provider prior to any submission. Information that is considered by a Provider to be either trade secret, confidential and/or proprietary, or information that upon public disclosure would be highly likely to place critical portions of a Provider's System in material danger of vandalism, sabotage, or an act of terrorism, all may be marked as Confidential/Proprietary Information by a Provider when submitted. Upon receipt of such clearly marked Confidential/Proprietary Information from a Provider, the Village shall endeavor, in accordance with the requirements of Ohio Revised Code Chapter 149 (the Ohio Public Records Act), to use all the same reasonable measures and exercise the same degree of care that the Village uses to protect its own information of such a nature from disclosure to third parties. In the event that the Village receives a request from a third party for disclosure of information a Provider has clearly marked as Confidential/Proprietary Information, then the Village shall respond as required by Ohio Revised Code Chapter 149, but will attempt to use all reasonable means to notify the Provider as soon as possible.
(13) "CONSTRUCT" means, but not be limited to, digging, boring, tunneling, trenching, excavating, obstructing, installing wires, installing conduit, installing pipes, installing transmission lines, installing poles, installing signs or installing Facilities, other than landscaping, ornamental plantings in, on, above, within, over, below, under or through any part of the Rights of Way. Construct shall also include the act of opening and/or cutting into the surface of any paved or improved surface that is any part of the Right of Way.
(14) "CONSTRUCTION" means, but not limited to, the act or process of digging, boring, tunneling, trenching, excavating, obstructing, installing wires, installing conduit, installing pipes, installing transmission lines, installing poles, installing signs or installing Facilities, other than landscaping, ornamental plantings in, on, above, within, over, below, under or through any part of the Rights of Way. Construction shall also include the act of opening and/or cutting into the surface of any paved or improved surface that is part of the Right of Way.
(15) "CONSTRUCTION BOND" means a bond posted to ensure proper and complete Construction and/or repair of a Facility and the affected Rights of Way pursuant to a Permit.
(16) "CONSTRUCTION AND MAJOR MAINTENANCE PLAN" means a written plan including maps of the expected location, design, other related equipment and Facilities of a Provider which describes in full the Construction intended to be accomplished by the Provider in the Rights of Way over the next calendar year.
(17) "CONSTRUCTION PERMIT" means the Permit specified in Section 922.13 et seq. which must be obtained before a Person may construct in, locate in, occupy, maintain, move or remove Facilities from, in or on the Rights of Way.
(18) "COUNTY" means Union County, Ohio. County specifically excludes any and all contractors, agents or other Person acting on behalf of said County.
(19) "CREDIBLE" means worthy of being believed.
(20) "EMERGENCY" means a condition that poses a clear and immediate danger to life or health, or of a significant loss of property.
(21) "FACILITY(IES)" means any tangible thing located in any Rights of Way within the Village; but shall not include boulevard plantings, ornamental plantings or gardens planted or maintained in the Rights of Way between a Person's property and the street edge of pavement.
(22) "FCC" means the Federal Communications Commission, or any successor thereto.
(23) "FERC" means the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as created and amended in accordance with the Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 792, or its statutory successor.
(24) "FULL" means unable to accommodate any additional Facilities as determined by the Village Engineer in accordance with the principles of public health, safety and welfare, following a reasonable analysis taking into consideration all applicable Law; commonly accepted industry standards; and routine engineering practices.
(25) "IN" when used in conjunction with Rights of Way, means in, on, above, within, over, below, under or through a Rights of Way.
(26) "INSPECTOR" means any Person authorized by the Mayor to carry out inspections related to the provisions of Chapter 922.
(27) "LAW" means any local, state and/or federal legislative, judicial or administrative order, certificate, decision, statute, constitution, ordinance, resolution, regulation, rule, tariff or other requirement in effect either at the time of execution of Chapter 922 or at any time during the location of, and/or while a Provider's Facilities are located in the public Rights of Way.
(28) "MAYOR" means the duly elected Mayor of the Village of Plain City, Ohio.
(29) "MINOR MAINTENANCE PERMIT" means a Permit, which must be obtained before a Person can perform minor maintenance, as set forth in Section 922.15, in or on the Rights of Way.
(30) "OHIO MANUAL OF UNIFORM TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES OR OMUTCD" means the uniform system of traffic control devices promulgated by the Ohio Department of Transportation pursuant to O.R.C. § 4511.09.
(31) "O.R.C" means the Revised Code of the State of Ohio.
(32) "OHIO UTILITY PROTECTION SERVICE" means the utility protection service as defined in O.R.C. § 153.64 and/or § 3781.26 or a statutory successor thereto.
(33) "PERMIT" means a Construction Permit or a Minor Maintenance Permit, as the context requires.
(34) "PERMIT COST" means all direct, incidental and indirect costs actually incurred or realized by the Village for Permit issuance, permit oversight and pavement degradation resulting from Construction activity.
(35) "PERMIT FEE" means money paid to the Village for a Permit to Construct in the Rights of Way as required by Chapter 922.
(36) "PERMITTEE" means any Person to whom a Construction Permit and/or, Minor Maintenance Permit has been granted by the Village and not revoked.
(37) "PERSON" means any natural or corporate person, business association or other business entity including, but not limited to, a partnership, a sole proprietorship, a political subdivision, a public or private agency of any kind, a utility, a successor or assign of any of the foregoing, or any other legal entity.
(38) "PROVIDER" means a Person who owns or operates a System and has a valid Certificate of Registration. The Village, County and Cable Operators operating pursuant to a valid Cable Franchise, or Video Service Provider operating pursuant to a valid video service authorization shall also be considered Providers.
(39) "PUCO" means the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio as defined in O.R.C. § 4901.02.
(40) "REGISTRATION MAINTENANCE FEE" means the money paid to the Village to maintain a Certificate of Registration and compensate the Village for all actual costs incurred by the Village in the management, administration and control of the Rights of Way of the Village, and which are not reasonably recoverable by the Village through Construction Permit Fees or other approved recovery mechanisms.
(41) "REMOVAL BOND" means a bond posted to ensure the availability of sufficient funds to remove a Provider's Facilities upon abandonment or disuse, or discontinuance of a Provider's use or occupation of the Rights of Way.
(42) "RESTORATION" means the process and the resultant effects by which a Rights of Way is returned to a condition as good as or better than its condition immediately prior to the Construction. Restoration shall occur in accordance with the Rules and Regulations as may be enacted or amended from time to time.
(43) "RIGHT(S) OF WAY" means the surface and space in, above, within, over below, under or through any real property in which the Village has an interest in Law or equity, whether held in fee, or other estate or interest, or as a trustee for the public, including, but not limited to any public street, boulevard, road, highway, freeway, lane, alley, court, sidewalk, parkway, river, tunnel, viaduct, bridge, conduit, or any other place, area, or real property owned by or under the legal or equitable control of the Village that, consistent with the purposes for which it was dedicated, may be used for the purposes of constructing, operating, repairing, or replacing a System. Rights of Way shall not include buildings, parks, or other public property or easements that have not been dedicated to compatible uses, except to the extent the use or occupation of such property is specifically granted in a Permit or by Law.
(44) "RIGHT(S) OF WAY COST" means all direct, incidental and indirect costs borne by the Village for the management and administration of the Rights of Way and this Chapter.
(45) "RULE(S) AND REGULATION(S)" means any rules or regulations adopted by the Village Engineer pursuant to Section 922.06(e).
(46) "SERVICE(S)" means the offering of any service or Utility for a fee directly to the public, or to such classes of users as to be effectively available directly to the public, or alternatively, the provision (for a fee or otherwise) of any service or Utility between two or more points for a proprietary purpose to a class of users other than the general public that in the opinion of the Mayor constitutes a service.
(47) "SUPPLEMENTARY APPLICATION" means any application made to Construct on or in more of the Rights of Way than previously allowed, or to extend a Permit that had already been issued.
(48) "SYSTEM" means any System of conduit, cables, ducts, pipes, wires, lines, towers, antennae wave guides, optic fiber, microwave, laser beams and any associated converters, equipment or Facilities or Utilities designed and constructed for the purpose of producing, receiving, amplifying, delivering or distributing Services within the Village. A System shall specifically include, but not necessarily be limited to: electric distribution and/or transmission systems, natural or artificial gas distribution and/or transmission systems, water distribution systems, storm sewer systems, sanitary sewer systems, cable television systems, video service networks, telecommunications systems (whether voice, video, data, or other), fiber optic systems, and wireless communications systems.
(49) "SYSTEM REPRESENTATIVE" means the specifically identified agent/employee of a Provider who is authorized to direct field activities of that Provider and serve as official notice agent for System related information. Any such System Representative shall be required to be available at all times to receive notice of and immediately direct response to System related emergencies or situations.
(50) "TRANSFER" means the disposal by the Provider, directly or indirectly, by gift, assignment, voluntary sale, merger, consolidation or otherwise, of fifty-one percent (51%) or more at one time of the ownership or controlling interest in the System, or fifty-one percent (51%) cumulatively over the term of a Certificate of Registration of such interests to a corporation, partnership, limited partnership, trust, or association or Person or group of Persons acting in concert.
(51) "TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY" means, but not be limited to, the use of directional boring, horizontal drilling, microtunneling and other techniques in the Construction of underground portions of Facilities which result in the least amount of disruption and damage to Rights of Way as possible.
(52) "UNDERGROUND FACILITY(IES)" means all lines, cables, conduits, pipes, posts, tanks, vaults and any other Facilities which are located wholly or partially underneath Rights of Way.
(53) "UNUSED FACILITY(IES)" means facilities located in the Rights of Way which have remained unused for twelve (12) months and for which the Provider is unable to provide the Village with a Credible plan detailing the procedure by which the Provider intends to begin actively using such Facilities within the next twelve (12) months, or that it has a potential purchaser or user of the Facilities who will be actively using the Facilities within the next twelve (12) months, or that the availability of such Facilities is required by the Provider to adequately and efficiently operate its System.
(54) "UTILITY(IES)" means any water, sewer, gas, drainage, sprinkler or culvert pipe and any electric power, telecommunications, signal communications, cable television or video service provider conduit, fiber, wire, cable, or an operator thereof.
(55) "UTILITY CORRIDOR(S)" means those specific areas of the Rights of Way designated as such by the Village Engineer pursuant to Section 922.03(f)(1).
(56) "VIDEO SERVICE" means the same as "video service" in O.R.C. 1332.21(J).
(57) "VIDEO SERVICE AUTHORIZATION (or VSA)" means a "video service authorization" as issued to a Video Service Provider by the Director of the Ohio Department of Commerce in accordance O.R.C. 1332.24(A)(1).
(58) "VIDEO SERVICE NETWORK" means the same as "video service network" in O.R.C. 1332.21(L).
(59) "VIDEO SERVICE PROVIDER (or VSP)" means the same as "video service provider" in O.R.C. 1332.21(M).
(60) "VILLAGE" means The Village of Plain City, Ohio.
(61) “VILLAGE ADMINISTRATOR" means the duly appointed Village Administrator of the Village of Plain City, Ohio or designee.
(62) "VILLAGE COUNCIL" means the governing body of the Village of Plain City, Ohio.
(63) "VILLAGE ENGINEER" means the duly appointed Village Engineer of the Village of Plain City, Ohio.
(64) "VILLAGE FISCAL OFFICER" means the duly appointed Fiscal Officer of the Village of Plain City, Ohio.
(65) "VILLAGE SOLICITOR" means the duly appointed Village Solicitor of Plain City, Ohio.
(66) "WORKING DAY" means any Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, but excluding legal holidays observed by the Village.
(Ord. 8-18. Passed 7-9-18.)