<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="glu" article_name="Land Use" number="8-401" title_number="8" title_name="Historic Preservation" subtitle_number="4">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Each local jurisdiction in which a district is designated may enact local laws requiring that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>utility companies relocate existing overhead lines and facilities underground within the defined part of the district or the entire district; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>if necessary, private owners who receive service from the relocated lines and facilities place any connection underground.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A local law enacted under this section shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>require that the estimated cost to property owners for work performed on private property be determined and made available to affected property owners;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>provide financing for these costs to private owners, including financing for any charges for the amortization of bonds issued to initially cover private costs; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>include any other provisions reasonably related to placing overhead lines and facilities underground and administering underground relocation projects.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Except as otherwise provided in this section, the Public Service Commission shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>determine the amount of the monthly surcharge required to support the net capital costs of an underground relocation and determine which customers of the applicable utility are subject to the surcharge;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>include the related net capital costs in the rate base; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>adopt any other method to appropriately apportion the costs.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A utility may not be required to pay more than one–half of the net capital costs of an underground relocation.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>A local jurisdiction may appropriate money for underground relocation projects from any federal, State, and local funds the local jurisdiction receives for that purpose.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In implementing subsection (a)(2)(ii) of this section, the local jurisdiction may enter into an agreement with individual property owners under which the local jurisdiction agrees to advance funds to cover the property owners’ costs for the relocation of the overhead lines and facilities.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The local jurisdiction may appropriate money, impose taxes, or borrow money to pay and advance the costs of an underground relocation.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>In order to recapture expended costs, the local jurisdiction may:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>impose a benefit assessment against property in the district on behalf of which the utility is relocated underground; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>provide for the collection of the assessment.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
