Chapter 148 SUBDIVISION AND LAND DEVELOPMENT. (updated 7-28-08)

Section 148-37 UNDERGROUND WIRING AND ELECTRIC SERVICE.

A.  All electric, telephone, television and other communication lines, both main and service connections, installed for new subdivisions or developments shall be made by underground wiring.  Underground wiring shall be contained within a single unified utility easement located under dedicated public rights-of-way or other public easements.  The Town Council may waive the requirements of this section only where the substantial presence of rock at a depth of less than four (4) feet below finished grade makes the installation of underground wiring impractical.

B.  The location of all lines and facilities shall be subject to the approval of the Town of Front Royal. Except where street crossings are required or where otherwise approved by the town, underground electric lines shall not be located beneath street pavement, structures or other dedicated improvements and generally shall be located in a ten-foot easement parallel to the street right-of-way.

C.  Lots and development that abut easements where there are existing overhead electric or communication distribution supply lines or service connections may be supplied with service from these overhead lines, but the service connections to these overhead lines shall be installed underground.  In the event that existing overhead lines are replaced or relocated in the course of subdivision development, the replaced or relocated lines shall be installed underground, unless the section so replaced or relocated is, in the determination of the town, too insignificant to make underground installation practical.

D.  Where overhead lines are permitted by the town, the placement and alignment of the poles shall be designed to lessen the visual impact of the overhead lines.  Alignments and pole locations shall be carefully routed to avoid locations along horizons.  The clearing of swaths through areas of trees shall be avoided by selective cutting and staggered alignment.  Trees shall be planted in open areas and at key locations to minimize the alignment of poles.  The alignment of poles shall follow rear lot lines wherever possible.

E.  The subdivider, developer or builder shall be responsible for all engineering, trenching, backfilling and installation and expense of conduits for the underground electric system.  All conduits shall be fitted with pull wires for the electric conductor.  Conductors shall be Schedule 40 PVC or such other quality material as may be approved by the Town of Front Royal.  Primary line conduits shall be three (3) inches in diameter.  Secondary line conduits and conduits used for street crossings shall be four (4) inches in diameter.  All work, design and material shall be in accordance with the conditions and specifications of the Town of Front Royal Electric Department.

F.  The Town of Front Royal shall supply and install electrical conductors and such transformers, pedestals and other electrical equipment, except as otherwise stated in this chapter, as are necessary for the operation of the underground electric system.  In the event that the conduit pull wire should break prior to or in the course of line installation, for whatever reason, it shall be the subdivider's sole responsibility to replace the pull wire within the conduit at his own expense. The subdivider, developer, builder or property owner shall be responsible for the costs of any temporary electric services. The subdivider, developer, builder or property owner shall reimburse the Town for all materials, labor, equipment utilization and overhead for this work.

(Ord. No. 25-05 Amended 9-12-05-Effective Upon Passage)

G.   The Town shall supply and install any and all conductor for each lot from the pedestal to the electric meter located on the lot's structure.  In addition, the builder shall be responsible for all trenching and backfilling and shall supply three-inch Schedule 40 PVC conduit with pull wire from the pedestal to the electric meter installed on the lot's structure.  Should the conduit pull wire break, the builder shall be responsible for replacement of the pull wire at his sole expense. All work and materials shall be in accordance with the conditions and specifications of the Town Electric Department. Electric meters shall be furnished and installed by the Town of Front Royal. The developer, builder or customer will be responsible for providing and installing the meter base. The meter base must be compatible with the Town's electric meters.

The Town shall install all fuse cutouts, surge arrestors, brackets, terminators, riser guards, loadbreak insulating caps, loadbreak elbows and wire connectors for transformers and/or sectionalizing cabinets. The subdivider, developer, builder or property owner shall reimburse the Town for all materials, labor, equipment utilization and overhead for this work.

(Ord. No. 25-05 Amended (G) 9-12-05-Effective Upon Passage)

H.  All underground electric systems shall include connections for streetlight poles located every three hundred (300) feet along subdivision streets. Pole location shall be subject to the approval of the Town of Front Royal.  Except where otherwise approved, pole location shall be staggered on the opposite sides of the street.  No overhead wires shall be permitted to serve streetlights. All streetlights poles and bases shall be equipped with wiring and connections to the underground electric system and shall be in accordance with the conditions and specifications of the Town of Front Royal Electric Department.  Streetlight poles and bases shall be supplied and installed by the subdivider at his sole expense, or, at the Town's option, streetlight poles and bases may be installed by the Town of Front Royal at the subdivider's expense. All pole lights shall be supplied and installed by the Town at the developer's or subdivider's expense.  The Town retains complete discretion as to when and if streetlight poles and lights will be installed.

(Ord. No. 25-05 Amended 9-12-05-Effective Upon Passage)

I.  All materials and improvements comprising the underground electric system shall be dedicated to the Town of Front Royal and shall be depicted on the subdivision plat.  A ten-foot-wide easement shall be dedicated to the Town of Front Royal for the operation, maintenance and repair of the underground electric system.