The city has experienced development, construction and maintenance operations by utilities and other entities which require excavations and cuts in public streets, alleys, and other properties. These excavations or cuts occur because of such things as the installation of water lines, sanitary sewers, drainage structures, other utilities, or the replacement, improvement or maintenance of such systems. When these excavations or cuts occur, significant problems face the city because of the vast number of cuts, the occasional poor restoration techniques, or the multiple cuts in the same area by different entities because there is no need to contact other utilities. As a result, there is a real potential for serious deterioration of the paved rights-of-way and, on occasion, a possible hidden threat to the public safety. As a result, an ordinance is required that sets forth in detail the responsibilities of any entity that uses the public rights-of-way, through franchise or other legal authority, and in the course of, or in furtherance of, that use, causes excavations or cuts to occur.
(Ord. 461, passed 1-21-14)