(1) To determine by ordinance the provisions, not inconsistent with this chapter or IC 8-1-11.1, upon which a public utility or department of public utilities created under IC 8-1-11.1 occupies the areas along, under, upon, and across the streets, highways, or other public property within such municipality or county, and such ordinance or other determination of such municipality or county executive shall be in force and prima facie reasonable. Upon complaint made by such public utility, department of public utilities, or by any qualified complainant, as provided in section 54 of this chapter, the commission shall set a hearing, as provided in sections 54 to 67 of this chapter, and if it shall find such ordinance or other determination to be unreasonable, such ordinance or other determination shall be void.

(3) To provide for a penalty for noncompliance with the provisions of any ordinance or resolution adopted pursuant to the provisions of this section.

(4) The power and authority granted in this section shall exist and be vested in said municipalities or county executives, anything in this chapter to the contrary notwithstanding.

Provided, however, whenever, after a request by petition in writing of any public utility, department of public utilities, the city, or other political subdivision or other body, having jurisdiction of the matter, shall refuse or fail, for a period of thirty (30) days, to give or grant to such public utility or department of public utilities permission and authority to construct, maintain, and operate any additional construction, equipment, or facility, reasonably necessary for the transaction of the business of such public utility or department of public utilities and for the public convenience or interest, then such public utility or department of public utilities may file a petition with said commission for such right and permission, which petition shall state, with particularity, the construction, equipment, or other facility desired to be constructed and operated, and show a reasonable public necessity therefor, and also the failure or refusal of such city, political subdivision, or other body to give or grant such right or permission; and the commission shall thereupon give notice of the pendency of such petition, together with a copy thereof, to such city or other political subdivision or body, and of the time and place of hearing of the matter set forth in such petition; and such commission shall have power to hear and determine such matters and to give or grant such right and permission and to impose such conditions in relation thereto as the necessity of such public utility or department of public utilities and the public convenience and interest may reasonably require. Provided, further, that when the relocation by a public utility or department of public utilities of any of its construction, equipment, or facility located within the corporate limits of two (2) or more adjoining cities is reasonably necessary for the public convenience or interest, and any or either of said cities fail or refuse to give or grant to such public utility or department of public utilities permission and authority to relocate such construction, equipment, or facility, any municipality which has given or granted to such public utility or department of public utilities permission and authority to relocate such construction, equipment, and facility, the public utility or department of public utilities may file a petition with said commission for such right and permission to which petition the city or cities failing or refusing to give or grant the same shall be made a respondent, and such public utility or department of public utilities if not the petitioner shall also be made a respondent, and said commission shall have power to hear and determine such matter and to give or grant such right and permission and to impose such conditions in relation thereto as the public convenience and interest may reasonably require; and if said commission shall give or grant such right and permission, no further public authority to make such relocation as authorized or to go on any street, alley, road, or highway in said city or cities necessary to be used therefor shall be required of said public utility or department of public utilities. All orders entered before June 30, 1931, by the commission in cases within the provisions of this section are hereby declared legal and valid.

     (b) Subject to the commission’s authority under subsection (a)(1) with respect to an unreasonable ordinance or other determination, the municipality or county executive may operate and maintain the streets, highways, and other public property in the municipality or county for the safety of the traveling public, and a municipality or county executive may manage the public right-of-way or require by ordinance fair and reasonable compensation on a competitively neutral and nondiscriminatory basis for occupation of the public right-of-way on a nondiscriminatory basis, including occupation by the municipality or county executive, if the compensation required is publicly disclosed by the municipality or county executive. Fair and reasonable compensation may not exceed the municipality’s or county executive’s direct, actual, and reasonably incurred costs of managing the public right-of-way caused by the public utility’s or department of public utilities’ occupancy. The management costs, which the municipality or county executive shall assign individually to the public utility or department of public utilities creating the management costs, must be limited to the direct, actual, and reasonably incurred costs a municipality or county incurs in managing the public right-of-way. As used in this section, the term “management costs” includes but is not limited to the costs to the municipality or county of the following:

(1) Registering occupants.

(2) Verifying public right-of-way occupation.

(3) Inspecting job sites and restoration projects.

(4) Restoring work inadequately performed after providing notice and the opportunity to correct the work.

(5) Administering a reasonable restoration ordinance that ensures that a public utility or department of public utilities adequately restores the right-of-way as near as is reasonably possible to the right-of-way’s original condition.

(6) Management costs associated with the implementation of an ordinance adopted under this section.

However, as used in this section, direct, actual, and reasonably incurred management costs do not include rents, franchise fees, or any other payment by a public utility or department of public utilities for occupation of the public right-of-way. As used in this section, the term “public right-of-way” does not include the airwaves above the streets, highways, or other public property within the municipality or county as those airwaves are used for cellular or other nonwire telecommunications or broadcast service.

     (c) A municipality or county executive may not unreasonably delay a public utility’s or department of public utilities’ access to or use of a street, highway, or other public property within the municipality or county. However, subsection (a)(1) and this subsection do not limit a municipality or county executive’s right to advance notification of and review of a public utility’s or department of public utilities’ occupation of a street, highway, or other public property within the municipality or county to ensure and protect the safety of the public.

     (d) Nothing in this section may be construed to affect franchise agreements between a cable company and a municipality or county.

Formerly: Acts 1913, c.76, s.110; Acts 1931, c.126, s.1. As amended by P.L.59-1984, SEC.42; P.L.127-1998, SEC.1.