§ 13.04.125. Private underground electric vaults.

A.

On reasonable notice, the department may enter upon private property to inspect, repair or replace any private underground electrical vault. It shall be the duty of the owner of a private underground vault to: (i) make the vault freely accessible to department employees; (ii) maintain the vault in good repair free from water or other unsafe conditions; and (iii) comply with all state and local regulations applicable to underground electrical vaults. Any vault which fails to meet these requirements is hereby deemed a nuisance per se.

B.

In event the condition of a private underground vault does not meet the requirements set forth in subsection A of this section, the department may proceed with code enforcement proceedings pursuant to Chapters 1.24, 1.26 or 1.30 of the Pasadena Municipal Code. The department may also, in its discretion, remediate the condition of any private underground vault. Prior to such remediation, the department shall notify the vault owner of the problems to correct and the time for correcting them. If the problems are not timely corrected, the department shall notify the vault owner of the department's proposed solutions to the problems and the department's cost to complete them. The vault owner shall have the right to contest the department's proposed action by filing an administrative appeal with the general manager of the department not later than ten days from the date set forth on the department's notice. In event an appeal is not timely taken, the department's proposed action shall be the final administrative decision and no resort to the courts may be taken therefrom due to failure to exhaust remedies.

C.

All costs of remediating the condition of a private electrical vault shall be the responsibility of the vault owner. Such costs shall be billed to the vault owner according to the normal billing procedures and requirements applicable to department customers. In event the vault owner does not timely pay in full, the department may exercise any remedies available to it under this code or other law, including shut-off of electrical service to the premises served by the private underground vault. Costs incurred by the department in remediating the condition of a private underground vault shall also be recoverable in any proceeding brought pursuant to Chapters 1.24, 1.26 or 1.30 of the Pasadena Municipal Code.

(Ord. 7041 § 1, 2006)