UNDERGROUND UTILITY INSTALLATIONS

Las Vegas Municipal Code tit. 13, ch. 13.52

in effect

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 13.52.010 Purpose.

13.52.010 - Purpose. In order to promote the health, safety, convenience and general welfare of the inhabitants of the city and to improve the aesthetic appearance of the City, the purpose of this Chapter is to require that existing overhead distribution lines needing replacement shall be placed underground and to require that the distribution lines serving all new developments shall be located underground, unless exempted or waived from the provisions of this Chapter. (Ord. 3390 § 1, 1988: Ord. 2238 § 3 (part), 1981: prior code § 11-4-1)

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 13.52.020 Definitions.

13.52.020 - Definitions. Whenever in this Chapter the following words or phrases are used, they shall have the respective meanings assigned to them in the following definitions: (A) "Approved poles" means shaved wood poles with a light-gray finish. Poles of other types and finish may be used by agreement between the utility and the Director of Public Works. (B) "Commercial development" means a multiple-store complex consisting of five or more stores within the complex, such as, but not necessarily limited to, shopping centers. (C) "Commission" means the Public Utilities Commission of the State. (D) "Overhead distribution lines" means the poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures, but not limited to, poles, towers, supports, wires, conductors, guys, stubs, platforms, crossarms, braces, transformers, insulators, cutouts, switches, communication circuits, appliances, attachments and appurtenances, located aboveground upon, along, across or over the public streets, alleys and ways of the City and used or useful in supplying electric, communication or similar or associated services. (E) "Replace" means and includes any reconstruction, re-erection or relocation of the overhead distribution lines. (F) "Subdivision" means any land, vacant or improved, which is divided into five or more lots, parcels, sites, units or plots for the purpose of transfer or development, or any proposed transfer or development, or any building or buildings constructed for occupancy by five or more tenants for commercial or industrial purposes on the same parcel of land. (G) "Utility" means and includes all persons or entities supplying electric, communication or similar or associated service by way of electrical means or devices. (Ord. No. 6816, § 127, 8-17-22; Ord. 2238 § 3 (part), 1981: prior code § 11-4-2)

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 13.52.030 Required on overhead replacement.

13.52.030 - Required on overhead replacement. The utility will construct, operate and maintain underground lines along public streets, roads and highways which the utility has a legal right to occupy, and on public lands and private property across which rights-of-way and easements have been obtained, whenever it is necessary to replace an existing overhead distribution line, subject to the following conditions: (A) Such lines are five hundred feet or more in length; (B) If the majority of customers adjoining the line being replaced do not agree to the undergrounding as given above, this will be cause for application for continuation of overhead service by the utility. (Ord. 2238 § 3 (part), 1981: prior code § 11-4-3 (part))

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 13.52.040 Customer facilities and noncooperation.

13.52.040 - Customer facilities and noncooperation. Customers will be given an opportunity by the utility to continue their service underground by providing the necessary trenching between the service point and the meter. The utility will provide and install the necessary wiring conduit and appurtenances up to one hundred feet from the service point. In the event a customer refuses to cooperate, a service stub pole will be provided by the utility and the service connection will remain overhead. (Ord. 2238 § 3 (part), 1981: prior code § 11-4-3 (part))

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 13.52.050 Subdivisions—Responsibility for arrangements.

13.52.050 - Subdivisions—Responsibility for arrangements. The developer, owner, subdivider or resubdivider is responsible for complying with the requirements of this Chapter, and shall make arrangements with the necessary utilities involved with the specifications, design plans and installation of an underground distribution line. (Ord. 2238 § 3 (part), 1981: prior code § 11-4-4(A))

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 13.52.060 Subdivisions—Tentative and parcel map indication.

13.52.060 - Subdivisions—Tentative and parcel map indication. The developer, owner, subdivider or resubdivider shall indicate on the tentative subdivision map or the parcel map the terminal points of the proposed underground distribution lines. The utility shall approve the map by an authorized signature prior to its submission to the City. After approval thereof by the City, the developer, owner, subdivider or resubdivider shall provide the utility with an approved copy of the tentative map or parcel map. (Ord. 2238 § 3 (part), 1981: prior code § 11-4-4(B))

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 13.52.070 Subdivisions—Plan of installation—Meters.

13.52.070 - Subdivisions—Plan of installation—Meters. A separate plan showing the proposed installation of the underground distribution lines shall be submitted for approval by the City with the final subdivision map. The plan will show the location of all underground services with locations to be marked at the walk or the curb. All utility meters are to be located so as to have access for purposes of monitoring and reading from the street side of the buildings. (Ord. 2238 § 3 (part), 1981: prior code § 11-4-4(C))

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 13.52.080 Subdivisions—As-built plan.

13.52.080 - Subdivisions—As-built plan. An "as-built" reproducible plan shall be furnished to the City and to the various utilities which will indicate the location of the underground distribution lines as actually installed prior to occupancy of structures and/or release of construction bonds. (Ord. 2238 § 3 (part), 1981: prior code § 11-4-4(D))

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 13.52.090 Subdivisions—Easements.

13.52.090 - Subdivisions—Easements. It shall be the responsibility of the developer, owner, subdivider or resubdivider to provide underground utility easements along the front, rear and side lots as may be required by the city and the utilities. (Ord. 2238 § 3 (part), 1981: prior code § 11-4-4(E))

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 13.52.100 Stub down or pull boxes for building work.

13.52.100 - Stub down or pull boxes for building work. Any person obtaining a permit to erect, construct, place or replace a building, structure or dwelling, or to enlarge or make additions thereto in excess of six hundred fifty square feet, will be required to provide, in addition to the usual overhead utility lines and structures, a conduit stub down or pull boxes, or both. (Ord. 2238 § 3 (part), 1981: prior code § 11-4-5)

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 13.52.110 Approved poles required when.

13.52.110 - Approved poles required when. If a utility is not for whatever reason required to replace existing overhead distribution lines with an underground distribution line, then any utility obtaining a permit to replace a one-half-mile section, or more, of an existing overhead distribution line shall use or install approved poles. Where the continuity of alignment is broken by the intersection with a major thoroughfare, freeway or expressway, street or railroad overpass or underpass, railroad crossing, change in alignment of a street or a pole line, or the end of a pole line, or by City-owned property, the Department of Public Works may require the replacement of a quarter-mile section with approved poles. (Ord. No. 6816, § 128, 8-17-22; Ord. 2238 § 3 (part), 1981: prior code § 11-4-6)

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 13.52.120 City equipment on poles—Removal.

13.52.120 - City equipment on poles—Removal. The City shall remove at its own expense all City-owned equipment from poles required to be relocated underground upon notification by the utility. (Ord. 2238 § 3 (part), 1981: prior code § 11-4-7)

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 13.52.130 City equipment on poles—Exemption.

13.52.130 - City equipment on poles—Exemption. The provisions of this Chapter shall not apply to any municipal facilities or equipment installed under the supervision of, and to the satisfaction of, the Director of Public Works, including, but not necessarily limited to, poles and appurtenances used for street lighting purposes and poles and appurtenances containing fire alarm boxes. (Ord. No. 6816, § 129, 8-17-22; Ord. 2238 § 3 (part), 1981: prior code § 11-4-8(A))

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 13.52.140 High-voltage lines.

13.52.140 - High-voltage lines. The provisions of this Chapter that require the undergrounding of distribution lines shall not apply to new and existing high-voltage lines transmitting electricity over fifteen thousand volts. Such high-voltage lines may be installed underground or above ground. Lines which are to be installed above ground shall be installed on routes as approved by the City Planning Commission, and the pole locations must first be approved by the Director of Public Works. Metal poles shall be used at angle points for purposes of eliminating the guy wire supports. The poles for all tangent structures must be approved by the Director of Public Works. Single-pole lines shall be equipped with post-type insulators and shall conform to good construction practice, with poles properly plumbed. If the City requires that utility poles located on public rights-of-way be moved, the owner shall move the poles upon notification by the Director of Public Works. The cost of moving the utility poles shall be borne entirely by the owner. (Ord. 5003 § 1, 1997: Ord. 2238 § 3 (part), 1981: prior code § 11-4-8(B))

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 13.52.150 Service boxes—Exposed conduit—Transformers—Meters.

13.52.150 - Service boxes—Exposed conduit—Transformers—Meters. The provisions of this Chapter shall not apply to house service switchboxes and exposed conduit at buildings, which may be aboveground. The transformers will be either the above-surface, pad-mounted type or the submersible type installed below grade, located back of the sidewalk. All enclosed communications terminal blocks will preferably be located adjacent to the transformers, but may be spaced otherwise if required. Electric meters may be aboveground. (Ord. 2238 § 3 (part), 1981: prior code § 11-4-8(C))

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 13.52.160 Exempted facilities and equipment.

13.52.160 - Exempted facilities and equipment. The provisions of this Chapter shall not apply to: (A) Equipment appurtenant to underground facilities, such as surface-mounted transformers, pedestal-mounted terminal boxes and meter cabinets, and concealed ducts; (B) Temporary poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures used or to be used in conjunction with construction projects; (C) Radio antennas and associated equipment and supporting structures used for furnishing communications services, but not including communications distribution systems on poles; (D) Emergency service for overhead electrical or communication lines may be installed on a temporary basis, to be removed when the underground services are energized. (Ord. 2238 § 3 (part), 1981: prior code § 11-4-8(D—G))

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 13.52.170 Waivers.

13.52.170 - Waivers. (A) An application may be made to the Director of Public Works requesting approval of a waiver of the requirements of this Chapter pertaining to underground installation of distribution lines for any of the following reasons: (1) In cases of emergency where public health and safety would be jeopardized; (2) Unavailability of materials necessary for underground installation; (3) Topographical or subsurface conditions making such underground installations economically unreasonable or impractical; or (4) Requiring the underground installation does not promote the purposes stated under Section 13.52.010 or is unreasonable due to other circumstances presented by the applicant. (B) Except as otherwise provided in Subsection (C), the application shall be reviewed by the Director of Public Works who shall make recommendations for approval or denial to the City Council. After reviewing the recommendations of the Director of Public Works, the City Council shall approve the application if it comes within one of the categories set out in Subsection (A) of this Section for which a waiver may be granted to the applicant. (C) The City Manager or the City Manager's designee may grant a waiver under this Section if the City Manager determines that an administrative-level waiver is appropriate, given the nature and scope of the application. (Ord. No. 6085, § 1, 3-3-10; Ord. 3283 § 1, 1987: Ord. 3087 § 1, 1983: Ord. 2238 § 3 (part), 1981: prior code § 11-4-9)

Source: City of Las Vegas, Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/nv/las_vegas/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT13STSIPUPL_CH13.52UNUTINFetched: 10/28/2026