§ 3.8. Utility Services (not provided by the City of Terrell).

a.

For purposes of this Section, the following meanings shall apply:

1.

Utility services. The facilities of any person, firm or corporation providing electric, natural gas, telephone, cable television, or any other such item or service for public use approved but not provided by the City of Terrell.

2.

Feeder or feeder/lateral line. High voltage supply electric lines carrying more than 69,000 volts that emanate from substations used to distribute power through an area to an unspecified number of customers.

3.

Lateral lines. Those electric or telephone lines used to distribute service from a feeder line to a single subdivision. These electric lines are normally connected to a feeder line through a sectionalizing device such as a fuse.

4.

Service lines. Those lines used to connect between the utilities' system or lateral lines and the end user's meter box.

b.

All subdivision plats and engineering plans submitted to the City of Terrell for approval shall provide for utility services such as electrical, gas, telephone and cable television utility lines, including lateral or service distribution lines, and wires to be placed underground. Feeder and other major transmission lines may remain overhead within the appropriate easements. However, an applicant shall endeavor and, whenever practical, the City shall require that feeder lines are placed away from major or minor thoroughfares or arterials, as shown on the Thoroughfare Plan. Whenever practical, feeder lines which are to be placed overhead shall not be placed along both sides of the street right-of-way. Verification of acceptance of easement locations and widths by the public utilities shall be provided to the City, by the applicant, prior to final plat approval by the City, and all easements shall be reviewed by the utility companies and by the City Engineer (for those to the City) prior to granting final approval for any residential subdivision affected by this Section. The applicant shall also, prior to final plat approval, provide a Letter of Commitment from each utility provider, such as those providing electricity, gas, telephone and cable television, who will serve the development that said utility providers will ensure the provision of necessary infrastructure and service to all portions of the proposed development within twelve (12) months following final plat approval. Failure to submit such Letters of Commitment from utility providers shall constitute grounds for denial of the final plat application on the basis that there is no written assurance that the development can be served by essential utility services.

c.

Each of the utility companies shall be responsible for developing administrative policies, criteria for easement size, and cost reimbursement procedures for the installation and extension of their underground utilities. Nothing herein shall prohibit or restrict any utility company from recovering the difference in cost of overhead facilities and underground utilities from the property owner in accordance with the provisions of such utility's approved tariff. No utility company shall be required or permitted to begin construction of underground facilities unless and until the property owner or developer of the subdivision has made arrangements satisfactory to the specific utility company for the payment of such difference between the cost of overhead facilities and underground facilities.

d.

All electrical and telephone support equipment, including amplifiers and switching devices necessary for underground installations, shall be pad- or ground-mounted, or shall be placed underground and not overhead, unless the subdivision is served from perimeter overhead electrical facilities.

e.

Temporary construction service may be provided by overhead electric lines and facilities without obtaining a waiver/suspension or special exception, provided that when the underground utility service to any portion of a subdivision is completed, such overhead electric lines and facilities are promptly removed.

f.

Nothing in this Section shall be construed to require any existing facilities in place prior to the effective date of this Ordinance to be placed underground.

g.

The metering for utilities such as water, gas and electricity shall be located on the individual lots to be served, not grouped together in a centralized location(s), such as "gang-box" style metering stations, which shall not be permitted.

h.

The locations, widths and configurations of easements for any utility service provider other than the City of Terrell shall be determined, approved and acquired (if necessary) by the applicable utility service provider.

i.

All utility installations shall be subject to inspection by the City, and shall be in conformance with any applicable City design standards related to their placement within public rights-of-way within easements, or elsewhere in the City (including on private property).