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HomeGovernment CodeDiv. 3Pt. 2Ch. 10Art. 7§ 38793 Municipal Underground Utility Compliance

§ 38793 Municipal Underground Utility Compliance

Government Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 38793 Municipal Underground Utility Compliance

Key Takeaways

  • •If a city wants to move power lines underground, they can make property owners get their land ready for it.
  • •If you don’t do the work after being told, the city can do it for you and make you pay.
  • •The city can add this cost to your property taxes, and if you don’t pay, they can take your property.

Example

Your neighborhood is getting new underground power lines, but you ignore the city’s letters to prepare your yard.

The city can hire someone to do the work and charge you for it. If you don’t pay, they’ll add it to your taxes and could even sell your home to get the money.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 38793 Municipal Underground Utility Compliance

As a means of implementing a municipal underground utility district formed to remove existing overhead utility lines and to require property owners of the district, served by such lines, to prepare their properties to accept underground utility lines, cities may provide by ordinance that if any property owner, after due notice, refuses to comply within a reasonable time to effect such removal or preparation in accordance with the applicable rules of the utility involved the city may cause such work to be done and assess the costs thereof against the property and that such assessment shall become a lien against the property. The assessment may be collected at the same time and in the same manner as ordinary municipal ad valorem taxes are collected, and shall be subject to the same penalties and the same procedure and sale in case of delinquency as provided for such taxes. All laws applicable to the levy, collection and enforcement of municipal ad valorem taxes shall be applicable to such assessment. (Added by Stats. 1969, Ch. 492.)

Last verified: January 22, 2026

Key Terms

utilityordinanceenforcementlienpropertyassessmentpreparationaccordance

Related Statutes

  • § 26230 County Underground Utility Compliance
  • § 38773 Nuisance Abatement Cost Recovery
  • § 38773.1 Nuisance Abatement Lien Procedure
  • § 38773.2 Graffiti Abatement Cost Recovery
  • § 38773.7 Repeat Offender Abatement Costs

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Government Code. Section 38793.
View Official Source