4939.03 Prohibited conduct concering public ways.
4939.03 Prohibited conduct concering public ways.
(A) No person shall occupy or use a public way except in accordance with law.
(B) In occupying or using a public way, no person shall unreasonably compromise the public health, safety, and welfare.
(C)(1) No person shall occupy or use a public way without first obtaining any requisite consent of the municipal corporation owning or controlling the public way.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(5) of this section, a municipal corporation, not later than sixty days after the date of filing by a person of a completed request for consent, shall grant or deny its consent.
(3) A municipal corporation shall not unreasonably withhold or deny consent.
(4) If a request by a person for consent is denied, the municipal corporation shall provide to the person in writing its reasons for denying the request and such information as the person may reasonably request to obtain consent.
(5) Except in the case of a public utility subject to the jurisdiction and recognized on the rolls of the public utilities commission or of a cable operator possessing a valid franchise awarded pursuant to the “Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984,” 98 Stat. 2779, 47 U.S.C.A. 541, a municipal corporation, for good cause shown, may withhold, deny, or delay its consent to any person based upon the person’s failure to possess the financial, technical, and managerial resources necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare.
(6) Initial consent for occupancy or use of a public way shall be conclusively presumed for all lines, poles, pipes, conduits, ducts, equipment, or other appurtenances, structures, or facilities of a public utility or cable operator that, on the effective date of this section, lawfully so occupy or use a public way. However, such presumed consent does not relieve the public utility or cable operator of compliance with any law related to the ongoing occupancy or use of a public way.
Effective Date: 07-02-2002