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City of Waltham, MA
Middlesex County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
[Gen. Ords. 1962, §§ 13-1, 13-2]
(a) 
No person shall install telegraph, telephone, electric light or power or any other electric lines or wires in the City without permission of the Council.
(b) 
A person desiring such permission shall furnish the Council with the following information:
(1) 
The streets through which the lines shall run;
(2) 
A plan of the streets so designated, upon a scale of 40 feet to the inch or such other scale as the Council may in any special case require.
(c) 
The Council shall then determine and specify on each plan where each post may be located and issue to the party applying for such location, a certificate, specifically enumerating:
(1) 
The streets where the lines may run;
(2) 
The location of each post thereon, as exhibited on such plan;
(3) 
The kind of posts to be used;
(4) 
The height at which all wires shall be placed;
(5) 
The dimensions and location of the underground conduit, if such lines or any part thereof are to be laid underground, specified on the plan and set forth in such certificate.
(d) 
Whenever a location is granted upon poles or through conduits already established, a plan of the streets so traversed is not required.
(e) 
The plan and a copy of the certificate, provided for in this section shall be filed in the office of the City Clerk, and copies of the plan and certificate shall be filed in the office of the Director of Public Works and Forestry and the office of the Inspector of Wires. The construction of the line shall conform thereto in every particular and any post placed otherwise than as therein designated shall be forthwith removed.
[Gen. Ords. 1962, § 13-3; Ord. No. 27626, 10-25-1993; Ord. No. 29149, 12-26-2000]
No person shall place wires designed to carry a current of electricity within a building without a permit therefor from the Inspector of Wires. Such persons shall not turn the electric current on to the wires that are to be used for electric lighting, heating or power until such wiring has been inspected and permission to do so has been given by the Inspector. Each electrical permit fee shall be as set forth hereunder:
(a) 
City public buildings: no charge.
(b) 
Residential.
(1) 
New houses, condos, townhouses and apartments: $50 per unit plus $30 for each 100 amps of service (secondary side of transformer), e.g. $80 for 100 amps, $110 for 200 amps, etc.
(2) 
Temporary service per 100 amps: $25.
(3) 
Service change per 100 amps: $25.
(4) 
Swimming pools (above ground): $25.
(5) 
Swimming pools (in ground): $40.
(6) 
Additions and remodel: $50.
(7) 
Repairs (miscellaneous work, minimum): $25.
(8) 
Smoke detectors: $25.
(9) 
Air conditioners: $25.
(10) 
Heating systems: $25.
(11) 
Security and fire alarm systems: $25.
(12) 
Reinspection fee for defects: $50 for first, $100 for the second and all subsequent inspections for the same violations.
(c) 
Commercial.
(1) 
New construction.
a. 
Fifty dollars per 100 amps of service (secondary side of transformer) plus $15 per 1,000 square feet of construction.
b. 
Temporary service per 100 amps (secondary side of transformer): $30.
c. 
Fire alarm and security systems: $5 per 1,000 square feet; minimum fee: $50.
(2) 
Existing construction remodels, etc.
a. 
Service change per 100 amps (secondary side of transformer): $40.
b. 
Panels, install or change each: $25.
c. 
Outlets, lights, switches, fire alarm, security systems, video systems for security, data systems, phone systems:
1. 
One to 30: $30.
2. 
Thirty-one to 60: $50.
3. 
Sixty-one to 100: $70.
4. 
Over 100 is an additional $15 per 100.
d. 
Minimum fee for repairs: $50.
e. 
Signs (each): $50.
f. 
Retrofit of ballast, per building: $50.
g. 
Maintenance permits.
1. 
Annual fee: $400.
2. 
Maintenance permits to cover the following only.
[a] 
All repairs, new installations up to five 125 volt devices. (i.e., plugs, lights, switches).
[b] 
Routine ballast repair, one for one replacement of equipment.
h. 
Carnival permits: $50.
i. 
General installations: $50 per 100 amps of secondary side output.
j. 
Inspections required to be performed during nonbusiness hours: $100 each inspection
[Gen. Ords. 1962, § 13-4]
Every person operating lines of electric wires upon, over or under any street or building in this City shall, within 15 days after a written request from the Inspector of Wires, furnish the Inspector with full and accurate information as to:
(1) 
The location of their poles or conduits, unless an accurate plan thereof is already on record in the office of the City Clerk as provided in Section 13-1(c);
(2) 
The number of crossarms attached to each pole and the number of wires attached thereto;
(3) 
The location of subways, manholes and other information in relation to their methods, together with the locations where telegraphic, telephonic, electric lighting or electric power service is rendered;
(4) 
The size, kind and tested strength of supporting or service wires;
(5) 
The average volts charged or used; and
(6) 
All other information concerning the construction and operation of their lines which the Inspector may consider necessary to the faithful and effectual discharge of his duties under this chapter.
[Gen. Ords. 1962, § 13-5]
Before a permit is granted pursuant to this article to any person such person must sign an agreement that the City shall have the right, free of charge, to place its fire alarm, telegraph, police signal or other electric wires upon any posts or within any conduits, but signal wires only, used exclusively for municipal purposes, may be placed upon the poles or in the conduits of any telephone company.
[Gen. Ords. 1962, § 13-6]
Before a permit is granted pursuant to this article to any person, such person must sign an agreement stating that the Council may, with the written consent of such person, license the occupation of the same by the wires of any other person.
[Gen. Ords. 1962, § 13-7]
All wires maintained along or across streets or other public places of the City, shall be placed underground or at a height not less than 18 feet from the ground over the middle of a street nor less than 16 feet at the street line, upon suitable poles, or from building to building.
[Gen. Ords. 1962, § 13-8; Ord. No. 27083, 3-11-1991]
Every line of wire shall be so constructed, placed and maintained as not to interfere with the operation of the fire alarm, telegraph, police signal system or any traffic signal control system.
Cross references — Fire Department, Ch. 6; police Department, Ch. 14.
[Gen. Ords. 1962, § 13-9]
No person erecting or maintaining any wires shall cut or trim any tree standing in a street or other public places without having obtained legal authority to do so.
[Gen. Ords. 1962, § 13-12]
No person erecting or maintaining a line of electric wires shall permit pieces of wire or other material to be left on the surface of any street or sidewalk, or permit unused coils or loose ends of wires to remain attached to any pole or crossarm more than 24 hours. All unused wires shall be forthwith removed.
[Gen. Ords. 1962, § 13-14]
(a) 
The quality of all poles shall be approved by the Director of Public Works and Forestry before being erected.
(b) 
The distributing and other poles shall be of such height and other dimensions and of such form and material and so located, as to be satisfactory to the Director of Public Works and Forestry or to the approval of any person whom the Mayor may select.
[Gen. Ords. 1962, § 13-11]
Every person erecting or maintaining a line of electric wires, shall construct and arrange all poles, crossarms, wires, fixtures, insulations, attachments and appliances and tags or marks, so as to secure safety and to conform to the conditions and requirements of Chapter 166 of the General Laws, and of all other laws, ordinances and regulations relating thereto.
[Gen. Ords. 1962, § 13-30]
(a) 
The Inspector of Wires shall keep himself fully informed as to the condition of all wires, their insulations and attachments, all posts, crossarms, fixtures and conduits, and shall at least once in each year, make a thorough inspection thereof, and he shall notify the person owning or operating any line of wires to forthwith repair or remove any and all wires, crossarms, fixtures or conduits that are for any reason unsafe or dangerous or that do not comply with the law, and any or all poles improperly erected or that by reason of decay or other cause are in an unsafe or dangerous condition.
(b) 
Every person so notified shall immediately repair or remove the wires, crossarms, fixtures, conduits or poles specified in such notice as dangerous and unsafe.
[Gen. Ords. 1962, § 13-18]
No person, in laying, repairing or removing its wires or conduits, shall disturb or in any way interfere with electric light wires or any other wires or any gas or water pipes or sewers, or pipes therewith connected or any other pipes.
[Gen. Ords. 1962, § 13-28]
No person shall install for hire any electric wiring or fixtures without first, or within five (5) days after completing the work, giving notice to the Inspector of Wires.