A department of the city shall not be required to make application for or secure a permit from the engineer to construct, erect, place, or repair a pole, pole line, tower, crossarm or bracket, transformer, conduit junction box, wire, meter, meter box, valve, valve box, in, upon, along, across, under or over a street of the city or remove the same from a street of the city when such work does not interfere with, disturb, destroy or remove any street improvement. (Prior code § 76009)