Sec. 8.7.4. Underground Utilities

  1. Extension of Utility Systems
    Electrical and telephone service shall be extended by the developer to each lot within a development.
  2. Primary Services
    All new primary electrical, telephone, fiber optic and cable distribution lines installed to serve a project shall be placed underground within the entire development to serve each parcel or building, without expense to the City.
  3. Secondary Services
    1. Within the development, all new secondary utilities installed to serve the project shall be placed underground without expense to the City.
    2. Secondary utilities shall be underground from the point they enter the site and shall include but not be limited to pad mounted or subterranean transformers, secondary electrical, telephone, fiber optic and cable distribution lines.
    3. Underground secondary electrical services shall originate from a ground mounted or subterranean electrical transformer. Ground mounted transformers shall not be located in the public right-of-way.
  4. Street Lights
    1. When installing underground electrical and telephone service, underground terminal facilities for street lighting shall be installed along public streets. All street light designs must follow the Standards for Roadway Illumination as established by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America.
    2. The average maintained footcandle level for outlying and rural roads as defined by Illuminating Engineering Society of North America shall be no less than 3/10 and the uniformity ratio shall be no greater than 64.
    3. The City will not take responsibility for any street lighting system until it meets the above standards.
  5. Inside a CM District or Protective Yard
    1. ​​​​​​​Underground utilities that traverse a CM District or a protective yard for a distance of at least 50 feet or more shall be built with a bend to prevent direct sight view through the district or yard provided that such a bend does not exceed a 90-degree angle.
    2. The requirement of a bend may be waived or modified by the Raleigh Public Utilities Director where the gradient will not permit gravity flow or where the CM District or protective yard fails to contain a vegetative screen.
    3. In tree conservation areas adjacent to the street that are zoned -MPOD, CM or -SHOD, or contain a Parkway Frontage, utilities serving the development shall be located within driveways and other authorized incursions of the tree protected area.