§ 72-698. Utility location standards.

(a)

Protection of right-of-way. The primary concern in the design and location of utility installations is protection of the right-of-way and the safety of the road user, and in all cases full consideration shall be given to sound engineering principles and economic factors.

(b)

Underground facilities. Where possible, all longitudinal underground utility facilities shall be placed outside of four feet of the traveled way.

(c)

Location to consider future road widening and other facilities. Proposed location of poles, fire hydrants, water meters, etc., should take into consideration future road widening, sidewalk, storm drainage or other construction. Minimum guidelines for roadside recovery area shall be as shown in the latest edition of the "FDOT Minimum Standards for Streets and Highways". Deviations require approval by the CDE.

(d)

Water meter boxes. Water meter boxes shall not be placed within the limits of a proposed or existing sidewalk.

(e)

Fire hydrants. Fire hydrants shall be located no closer to the road travel way than that required for recovery areas by the green book. If no sidewalks exist, the hydrant should be located approximately one foot inside the right-of-way line. Where sidewalks are required, the desired location of the fire hydrant shall be between the sidewalk and the street with said location dependent on street design speeds and rights-of-way. Deviations shall require approval by the CDE.

(f)

Prohibited structures, signs, signals.

(1)

Pursuant to F.S. § 316.077, no person shall place, maintain or display upon any county property any unauthorized sign, signal, marking or device which purports to be or is an imitation of or resembles an official traffic-control device or railroad sign or signal, or which attempts to direct the movement of traffic or which hides from view or interferes with the effectiveness of any official traffic-control device or any railroad sign or signal.

(2)

No person shall place or maintain upon any county property any sign or signal bearing thereon any commercial advertising.

(3)

Every such prohibited sign, signal or marking is declared to be a public nuisance and a violation of this article, and the enforcement official is empowered to remove the sign or cause it to be removed without notice.

(4)

Fences and gates shall not be installed within any county property.

(g)

Mail boxes and newspaper delivery boxes. The locations and construction of mail boxes, newspaper delivery boxes and similar structures shall be in accordance with the latest edition of "A Guide for Erecting Mail Boxes on Highways" by the AASHTO. Any such existing structure not in conformance with this section may be required to be made to conform with this section if the county traffic engineer determines such existing structure to be a traffic hazard.

(h)

Headwalls and drainage inlets. Headwalls and drainage inlets shall not constitute a hazard to traffic and shall be designed in accordance with "FDOT Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction" and "FDOT Roadway and Traffic Design Standards".

(Ord. No. 96-32, §§ XXXVIII, XXXIX, 12-19-96; Ord. No. 2008-25, § III, 12-4-08)