No franchise grant shall in any way or to any extent impair or affect the right of the city now or hereafter conferred upon it by law to acquire the property of the grantee thereof either by purchase or through the exercise of the right of eminent domain, and nothing herein contained shall be construed to contract away or to modify or to abridge either for a term or in perpetuity the city's right of eminent domain with respect to any public utility. (Ord. 2000-017 § 2(j) (Exh. A))