21.17.020 Electrical Equipment and Wiring.
A. Purpose. The purpose of this section is to ensure the placement of utilities underground in order to:
1. Eliminate safety issues caused by damaged overhead lines;
2. Reduce the number of service interruptions caused by storms;
3. Remove utility poles which are a hazard along streets; and
4. Improve the appearance and aesthetics of the public ways.
B. Requirements for Wiring and Electrical Equipment.
1. Existing aerial wiring shall be relocated underground and new facilities installed underground within a property and within the public right-of-way abutting the property when one or more of the following occurs:
a. Subdivisions are developed;
b. Short subdivisions are developed;
c. Local improvement districts and utility local improvement districts are developed;
e. Binding site plans are developed;
f. New commercial, industrial, or multifamily residential buildings are constructed;
g. Remodeling or additions to existing commercial or industrial buildings, or conversions to these uses that increase gross floor area by 50 percent or more, or any alterations or repairs which exceed 100 percent of the value of the previously existing structure, and to multifamily residential buildings whenever any alterations or repairs exceed 100 percent of the value of the previously existing structure; or
h. Building complexes or other projects are developed and are of a size to warrant undergrounding.
2. Wiring for electrical, communication, and other purposes serving a building or property shall be relocated or placed underground from the point of primary distribution to within a property when one of the following occurs:
a. The overhead electrical, communication, and primary utility distribution facilities are relocated underground;
b. Remodeling or additions to existing commercial or industrial buildings or conversions to these uses takes place;
c. The electrical service panel within a structure, or the service lines to the structure, are upgraded or modified; or
d. Construction of new single-family residences or remodeling or additions to any type of existing residential building that increases gross floor area by 20 percent or more, or any alterations or repairs which exceed 100 percent of the value of the previously existing structure.
3. All new equipment related to the provision of electrical service, communications, or other utilities, except transformers, switch cabinets, traffic signal cabinets, and street lighting cabinets, shall be installed in one of the following locations:
a. Underground;
b. Inside a building;
c. In a service alley;
d. Immediately adjacent to a building and screened from view; or
e. In a landscaped area and screened from view.
The decision maker may approve an alternate location if an applicant demonstrates that the equipment cannot be placed in any of the above locations.
4. All existing aboveground equipment related to the provision of electrical service, communications, or other utilities, except transformers, switch cabinets, traffic signal cabinets, and street lighting cabinets, shall be relocated and placed within one of the locations described in subsection B.3 whenever any of the conditions set forth in subsections B.1 or B.2 are present.
5. Traffic signal cabinets and street lighting cabinets shall be placed within the street furnishings zone where this zone exists or in a less conspicuous or other alternate location when all operational and maintenance needs of the City of Redmond and other utilities related to safety, access and visibility are met. The street furnishings zone is described in the Transportation Master Plan and consists of a hard surface area between the sidewalk and curb in which trees, benches, trash receptacles, and other street furniture serving pedestrian needs are placed.
6. Where the decision maker has determined that interim street improvements are adequate as provided in RZC 21.52.030, Street and Access Standards, the requirement to underground distribution facilities may be temporarily waived
C. Overhead Facilities Prohibited. As overhead communication, electrical, and utility facilities are relocated underground, persons and businesses served by such facilities shall relocate all overhead connections underground and connect to the new underground facilities within 90 days of the date of undergrounding completion.
D. Property Owner’s Responsibility for Rewiring. The property owner is responsible for providing all labor and materials for any required rewiring and relocation of existing facilities between primary relocation and the point at which secondary service is received on the customer’s premises. The property owner shall also provide necessary occupancy rights and easements for transmission facilities and maintenance.
E. Construction Specifications. The design and construction specifications for underground facilities covered by this section shall be subject to approval by the Director of Public Works.
F. Exemptions. The requirements of this section shall not apply to electrical distribution substations nor to electrical lines of greater than 50 kV capacity unless it can be shown that the undergrounding of these lines has become economically feasible. This section shall also not apply where the utility demonstrates that its facilities will not function properly if located underground or cannot be maintained properly if so located. (Ord. 2652; Ord. 2662)