IN GENERAL.

Dallas City Code ch. 36, art. I

in effect

Dallas City Code § 36-1 COMPLIANCE WITH CHAPTER.

SEC. 36-1. COMPLIANCE WITH CHAPTER. No person shall erect or construct a pole, pier, abutment or other necessary fixture, appurtenance or appliance for electric light or power purposes within the city for electric light or power purposes or maintain any such pole, pier, abutment, wire or other such necessary fixture, appurtenance or appliance within the city, except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. (Code 1941, Art. 105-1)

Dallas City Code § 36-2 CONSENT OF CITY REQUIRED TO ERECT POLES, WIRES, ETC.

SEC. 36-2. CONSENT OF CITY REQUIRED TO ERECT POLES, WIRES, ETC. No person shall erect or construct any pole, pier, abutment, wire or other necessary fixture, appurtenance or appliance set out in Section 36-1, for magnetic telegraph or telephone purposes, for electric light or power purposes or for any other purpose whatever along any of the streets or alleys of the city without first obtaining the consent of the city council so to do. (Code 1941, Arts. 104-1, 105-2)

Dallas City Code § 36-3 WHEN ALLEYS TO BE USED RATHER THAN STREETS.

SEC. 36-3. WHEN ALLEYS TO BE USED RATHER THAN STREETS. Whenever, in the judgment of the city council, the use of any public alley for such purposes is practicable, poles, wires or other necessary fixtures for telegraph, telephone or electric light purposes shall be placed upon and along such alley, instead of upon and along the streets next adjoining and parallel thereto. When such poles or fixtures are set in an alley they shall be located as near the side lines of the alley as practicable and in such manner as not to incommode the public or the adjoining property holders. (Code 1941, Art. 104-2)

Dallas City Code § 36-4 REMOVAL UPON ABANDONMENT.

SEC. 36-4. REMOVAL UPON ABANDONMENT. All persons who have erected or constructed any poles or fixtures in the city or who may hereafter erect or construct them and who have ceased to use them for the purposes originally intended or who may hereafter so cease to use them shall take down and remove such poles, wires and fixtures when notified by the city manager, upon the order of the city council. It shall be the duty of such persons to commence removal within five days after notice and to complete the same without delay. Upon failure to do so, such persons are guilty of an offense. In addition, the chief of police, upon the order of the city council, shall proceed to take down and remove such poles, wires and fixtures at the cost and expense of such persons and the same shall be a charge against them and may be sued for and recovered by the city in any court of competent jurisdiction. (Code 1941, Art. 104-10; Ord. 19963)

Dallas City Code § 36-5 RESERVED. (Repealed by Ord. No. 33224)

Dallas City Code § 36-6 LOCATION OF POLES AND OTHER FIXTURES.

SEC. 36-6. LOCATION OF POLES AND OTHER FIXTURES. When poles or other fixtures are erected on the street they shall be placed, if practicable, on the outer edge of the sidewalk just inside of the curbstone on a line dividing the lots of property owners, but in no case shall they be placed so as to interfere with or damage the curbstone, trees or other public or private property. (Code 1941, Art. 104-3)

Dallas City Code § 36-7 CROSSARMS.

SEC. 36-7. CROSSARMS. Crossarms shall be of a uniform length determined by the supervisor of public utilities, strengthened by braces and painted the same color as the pole. The crossarms of each company shall bear the same characteristic mark. (Code 1941, Arts. 104-3, 105-6)

Dallas City Code § 36-8 HEIGHT OF WIRES.

SEC. 36-8. HEIGHT OF WIRES. Wires shall be run at a safe height from the ground. The trolley wires of all streetcar systems shall not be lower than 18 feet from the track at all places other than railroad crossings and at all railroad crossings such trolley wires shall not be lower than 22 feet. (Code 1941, Arts. 104-3, 104-4)

Dallas City Code § 36-9 CHANGE OF LOCATION OF POLES OR CHANGE OF HEIGHT OF WIRES.

SEC. 36-9. CHANGE OF LOCATION OF POLES OR CHANGE OF HEIGHT OF WIRES. (a) The right is hereby reserved to the city council to, at any time, direct a change in the location of any poles erected in the city for any purpose and to change the height at which wires shall be run on such poles; provided, that before any such alteration or change is made, at least five days’ notice in writing shall be given the person or his agent to be affected by the proposed change and he shall be allowed a reasonable opportunity to appear before the city council and be heard upon the merits of the proposed change. (b) When the city council orders any change or alteration in the location of poles or fixtures or in the height of wires, it shall be the duty of the person so ordered to commence the same within five days after notice and complete the same without delay. Upon failure so to do, such person shall be guilty of an offense and punished as provided in this code. (Code 1941, Arts. 104-5, 104-7; Ord. 19963)

Dallas City Code § 36-10 RIGHTS NONTRANSFERABLE.

SEC. 36-10. RIGHTS NONTRANSFERABLE. All rights and franchises granted by this chapter are granted with the express understanding that the same are not transferable, but are given only to the persons petitioning for and receiving the grant. All attempted transfers of the same, without the consent of the city council first had and obtained, shall be null and void and shall work a forfeiture of all rights originally granted. (Code 1941, Art. 104-9)

Dallas City Code § 36-11 CITY MAY PRESCRIBE FURTHER REGULATIONS.

SEC. 36-11. CITY MAY PRESCRIBE FURTHER REGULATIONS. Nothing contained in this chapter shall be so construed as to in any manner affect the right of the city in the future to prescribe any other mode of conducting such wires over or under its streets. (Code 1941, Art. 104-11; Ord. 21186)

Dallas City Code § 36-12 INITIALS OF OWNERS REQUIRED ON POLES.

SEC. 36-12. INITIALS OF OWNERS REQUIRED ON POLES. All poles shall be branded or stamped with the initials of the company owning them at a point not less than five nor more than seven feet above the surface of the sidewalk. (Code 1941, Art. 105-3)

Dallas City Code § 36-13 POLES TO BE PERPENDICULAR.

SEC. 36-13. POLES TO BE PERPENDICULAR. All poles shall be erected and maintained in a perpendicular position. (Code 1941, Art 105-4)

Dallas City Code § 36-14 LINE OF POLES TO BE ON ONE SIDE OF STREET.

SEC. 36-14. LINE OF POLES TO BE ON ONE SIDE OF STREET. Each line of poles shall be run on one side of the street only, except when absolutely necessary to change to the other side, but this may be done only by the permission of the city council. (Code 1941, Art. 105-5)

Dallas City Code § 36-15 PERMISSION REQUIRED FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT OR POWER CONDUCTORS ON FIXTURES MAINTAINED FOR OTHER WIRES.

SEC. 36-15. PERMISSION REQUIRED FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT OR POWER CONDUCTORS ON FIXTURES MAINTAINED FOR OTHER WIRES. Electric light or power conductors shall not be placed upon fixtures erected or maintained for wires used for telegraph, telephone, fire alarm or other signalling purposes, except by the permission of the city council. (Code 1941, Art. 105-7)

Dallas City Code § 36-16 MINIMUM DISTANCE OF WIRES FROM BUILDINGS, POLES, ETC.

SEC. 36-16. MINIMUM DISTANCE OF WIRES FROM BUILDINGS, POLES, ETC. No wire shall be stretched within four inches of any pole, building, or other object without being attached thereto and insulated therefrom. (Code 1941, Art. 105-8)

Dallas City Code § 36-17 MINIMUM DISTANCE OF WIRE ON CROSSARM FROM POLE.

SEC. 36-17. MINIMUM DISTANCE OF WIRE ON CROSSARM FROM POLE. No electric light or power wire on a crossarm shall be less than one foot distant from the pole or other central support. (Code 1941, Art. 105-9)

Dallas City Code § 36-18 MINIMUM HEIGHT OF WIRES ABOVE ROOFS.

SEC. 36-18. MINIMUM HEIGHT OF WIRES ABOVE ROOFS. Wires over roofs must be at least seven feet above flat roofs at the lowest point of sag and one foot above the ridge of other roofs. (Code 1941, Art. 105-10)

Dallas City Code § 36-19 SUPPORTS OF CONDUCTORS.

SEC. 36-19. SUPPORTS OF CONDUCTORS. All supports of electric conductors shall be constructed of durable material and shall be capable of sustaining a load or pressure of at least 12 times that which is normally upon them. (Code 1941, Art. 105-11)

Dallas City Code § 36-20 JOINTS.

SEC. 36-20. JOINTS. All joints must be so made that a perfectly secure and unvarying connection, fully equal to the cross section of the wire, will be secured. (Code 1941, Art. 105-12)

Dallas City Code § 36-21 WIRES TO BE STRETCHED AND ATTACHED TO INSULATORS.

SEC. 36-21. WIRES TO BE STRETCHED AND ATTACHED TO INSULATORS. All wires shall be stretched and fastened to glass, porcelain or other insulator approved by the supervisor of public utilities. (Code 1941, Art. 105-13)

Dallas City Code § 36-22 CONNECTIONS WITH CONDUCTORS TO BE MADEATRIGHT ANGLES.

SEC. 36-22. CONNECTIONS WITH CONDUCTORS TO BE MADEATRIGHT ANGLES. All connections with lines of electric light or power conductors shall, whenever possible, be made at right angles to the same, and must run horizontally to the building, except so far as would conflict with Section 36-26, and then to point of entrance. (Code 1941, Art. 105-14)

Dallas City Code § 36-23 WIRES CROSSING OTHER WIRES.

SEC. 36-23. WIRES CROSSING OTHER WIRES. Whenever it shall become necessary for any electric or power company to carry its wires across the lines of any fire alarm, telegraph, telephone or other electric light or power company, it shall be at a distance therefrom of not less than three feet. (Code 1941, Art. 105-15)

Dallas City Code § 36-24 WIRES ALONG WALLS.

SEC. 36-24. WIRES ALONG WALLS. In running along walls all wires shall be rigidly attached to the same by nonconducting fastenings and shall not hang from projecting insulators in loops. All arc light wires shall be placed not less than one foot apart and incandescent light wires not less than six inches apart. The use of porcelain knobs or insulators on the outside of buildings is prohibited except in dry places, when an improved insulator must be used on the walls. (Code 1941, Art. 105-16)

Dallas City Code § 36-25 WIRES ENTERING BUILDINGS.

SEC. 36-25. WIRES ENTERING BUILDINGS. All wires must enter buildings through an approved cutout switch and must be encased in a continuous piece of hard insulating tubing, so inclined as to oppose the entrance of water. The outer end of such tubing shall be sealed with some plastic insulating material so as to exclude all moisture. (Code 1941, Art. 105-17)

Dallas City Code § 36-26 GUARD IRONS AND GUARD WIRES.

SEC. 36-26. GUARD IRONS AND GUARD WIRES. Where angles occur in a line subjecting the supports to increased strain, guard irons must be placed at the outside ends of the crossarms. Guard wires must be placed wherever their presence would prevent fire alarm, telegraph, telephone or other wires from coming into accidental contact with electric light or power wires. The cost of such guard irons and wires shall be borne by the person making the last construction. (Code 1941, Art. 105-18)

Dallas City Code § 36-27 RESERVED. (Repealed by Ord. No. 33224)

Dallas City Code § 36-28 STREET LIGHTS - MINIMUM HEIGHT ABOVE SIDEWALK.

SEC. 36-28. STREET LIGHTS - MINIMUM HEIGHT ABOVE SIDEWALK. Incandescent street lights must be so placed as to have a clear space of not less than nine feet between the light and the sidewalk. (Code 1941, Art. 105-20)

Dallas City Code § 36-29 SAME - FRAMES AND EXPOSED PARTS TO BE INSULATED.

SEC. 36-29. SAME - FRAMES AND EXPOSED PARTS TO BE INSULATED. Incandescent street lights must have the frames and exposed parts carefully insulated from the circuit. (Code 1941, Art. 105-21)

Dallas City Code § 36-30 STANDARD OF INSULATION RESISTANCE.

SEC. 36-30. STANDARD OF INSULATION RESISTANCE. The resistance of the insulation on the circuits must be maintained at a standard provided by the supervisor of public utilities and every facility for testing circuits shall be accorded him. (Code 1941, Art. 105-22)

Dallas City Code § 36-31 COPPER WIRE STANDARDS; SUBMISSION OF SAMPLES FORTESTS.

SEC. 36-31. COPPER WIRE STANDARDS; SUBMISSION OF SAMPLES FORTESTS. All copper wire must be at least 95 percent conductory. Samples of wires to be used or in actual use shall be submitted to the city electrician for tests of conductivity at any time when required. (Code 1941, Art. 105-23)

Dallas City Code § 36-32 SAFETY CUTOUTS FOR CONDUCTORS.

SEC. 36-32. SAFETY CUTOUTS FOR CONDUCTORS. Every system of conductors shall be protected by a safety cutout that will interrupt the passage through the conductors of a current stronger than they can safely carry. (Code 1941, Art. 105-24)

Dallas City Code § 36-33 INSPECTION OF WORK.

SEC. 36-33. INSPECTION OF WORK. Immediately after the erection of any wiring or other outdoor construction for electric light or power or before the concealment or use of any inside wiring, the person erecting the same shall notify the city electrician that such work is ready for inspection. No use shall be made of such wiring or its appurtenances for the purposes aforesaid until approved by the supervisor of public utilities and a permit therefor is issued by him. No changes in such system shall be made without a permit therefor from the supervisor of public utilities. (Code 1941, Art. 105-25)

Dallas City Code § 36-34 RESERVED. (Repealed by Ord. No. 33224)

Dallas City Code § 36-35 SECONDARY GENERATORS AND CONVERTERS.

SEC. 36-35. SECONDARY GENERATORS AND CONVERTERS. Secondary generators or converters shall not be placed or maintained inside any building used for any other purpose. (Code 1941, Art. 105-27)

Dallas City Code § 36-36 MINIMUM DISTANCE OF WIRES FROM FIRE ALARM WIRE.

SEC. 36-36. MINIMUM DISTANCE OF WIRES FROM FIRE ALARM WIRE. No electric light or power wire shall be erected or maintained within three feet of any fire alarm wire. (Code 1941, Art. 105-28)

Dallas City Code § 36-37 MINIMUM DISTANCE OF POLES FROM FIREPLUGS.

SEC. 36-37. MINIMUM DISTANCE OF POLES FROM FIREPLUGS. No pole for any wire of any kind shall be erected nearer than five feet to any fireplug. (Code 1941, Art. 105-28)

Dallas City Code § 36-38 LINEMEN AND LAMPMEN TO WEAR BADGES.

SEC. 36-38. LINEMEN AND LAMPMEN TO WEAR BADGES. Every lineman and lampman shall wear a badge in plain sight, indicating his number and the person by whom he is employed. In case of fire such badge shall serve as a pass to admit the wearer inside fire lines. (Code 1941, Art. 105-29)

Dallas City Code § 36-39 APPARATUS WITH EXPOSED PARTS.

SEC. 36-39. APPARATUS WITH EXPOSED PARTS. No switch, lamp, motor, dynamo or other conductor having exposed uninsulated parts shall be erected or maintained where any person unacquainted with the dangers of the same could easily come in contact therewith. (Code 1941, Art. 105-30)

Dallas City Code § 36-40 USE OF POLES BY ANOTHER COMPANY.

SEC. 36-40. USE OF POLES BY ANOTHER COMPANY. In granting permits to erect poles for purposes of electric light or power the city reserves the right, if the interests of the city so demand, to authorize other companies to use the same poles for the same purposes upon the payment to the owners thereof of a proper compensation which shall be determined between the parties concerned or by the city council in default of such agreement. All permits will be subject to this condition, and in accepting a permit the applicant accordingly binds himself thereto. (Code 1941, Art. 105-31)

Dallas City Code § 36-41 PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS.

SEC. 36-41. PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS. Every violation of any of the provisions of this chapter is an offense, and the person guilty of violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction, be punished as provided in Section 13-1. Every day’s failure or refusal to comply with any of such provisions shall constitute a separate offense. In case of wilful and continued violation of the provisions of this chapter by any person, the city council shall have the power to revoke and repeal any ordinance under which such person may be acting, and to revoke and repeal all permits, privileges and franchises granted to the person. (Code 1941, Art. 105-32; Ord. 19963)

Dallas City Code § 36-42 ATTACHMENT OF WIRES TO BUILDINGS.

SEC. 36-42. ATTACHMENT OF WIRES TO BUILDINGS. No telephone, telegraph, electric light or other company or any person, agent or employee of any such companies shall attach or in anywise connect any wire or wires to, along, across or over any house, store or building of any description in the city without first obtaining the written consent or permission of the owner of such house, store or building and also a permit from the building inspector for such connection or attachment. (Code 1941, Art. 105-33)

Source: City of Dallas, Dallas City Code and City Charter (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/dallas/latest/dallas_tx/0-0-0-116769Fetched: 10/26/2026