Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. v. Redevelopment Agency

Opinion

TAMURA, J.

The central issue on this appeal is whether a telephone company must bear the cost of relocating underground facilities it maintains in street rights-of-way where relocation is necessitated by vacation of the streets in furtherance of a redevelopment project under the Community Redevelopment Law (Health & Saf. Code, § 33000 et seq.).

For reasons expressed below, we have concluded that the utility must relocate its facilities at its own expense.

The pertinent facts are not in dispute. In 1972 the City Council of the City of Redlands approved a redevelopment plan which included…