A municipal corporation may contract with any corporation, company, partnership, association, or person maintaining overhead cables, wires, and appurtenant equipment on a street of the municipal corporation for the relocation of such overhead cables, wires, and appurtenant equipment underground within the limits of the street. Such contract shall provide for the payment of the contract price by the municipal corporation in not less than five nor more than ten annual installments. Any part of the cost of relocating such overhead wires, cables, and appurtenant equipment to be paid by the municipal corporation pursuant to such contract, or the cost incurred by the municipal corporation in the relocation of its own overhead wires, cables, and appurtenant equipment within street limits, may be assessed upon the abutting, adjacent and contiguous or other specially benefited lots or lands in the municipal corporation in the manner provided in sections 727.01 to 727.49, inclusive, of the Revised Code. A proceeding for the relocation of overhead wires, cables, and appurtenant equipment underground may be combined with a proceeding for the furnishing of new street lighting facilities or other street improvement.

A municipal corporation may, by ordinance, adopt and enforce regulations requiring owners of property abutting upon a street in which overhead wires, cables, and appurtenant equipment supplying a utility service have been relocated underground and service connections have been provided to the property line, to install underground wires, cables, or conduits from the property line to the buildings or other structures on such property to which such utility service is supplied.

Effective Date: 09-04-1970 .