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Smithfield staff to draft electric line‑extension ordinance to shift mainline costs to developers
Summary
Council directed staff to draft an amendment to MUN Code Article 18 to explicitly include electric distribution and an electric line‑extension policy that, like water/sewer practice, would generally place the cost of new mainline electric infrastructure on developers rather than the town.
Town staff presented a proposal to the Smithfield Town Council to codify an electric line extension policy and incorporate electricity into MUN Code Article 18.
The presenter (identified in the transcript as Ted) said current municipal code addresses water and sewer but not electrical distribution, and recommended amending the code and creating a written extension policy that would assign responsibility for poles, transformers, wire and service lines to developers for major subdivision extensions — a process the presenter said is similar to how water and sewer mains are handled.
Staff noted some towns recover costs differently; Benson was cited as an example where the developer bears the full burden. Councilmembers asked staff to limit the policy so it would not unduly burden in‑fill or single‑lot projects; one council member suggested excluding anything below a major subdivision threshold so that small in‑fill builds would not be adversely affected.
Council members and staff discussed technical details and policy options: whether to require underground installation where practical, whether to require system development fees (staff said the town has system development fees for water/sewer but not for electricity), and whether the town should continue its current practice of negotiating with developers (staff said the town has been placing the burden on developers in practice but lacks a written ordinance).
Staff asked for council concurrence to draft an ordinance and noted the process would include public notice and a future public hearing. Council generally agreed and asked staff to return a written ordinance and implementation plan for council review.
Next steps: staff will draft proposed code language, identify any plats or pending approvals that would be grandfathered, and schedule the ordinance for public hearing and formal adoption.
