§ 22C — Prohibition and removal of overhead wires; fines and penalties

Section 22C. After such report has been filed, the municipality may adopt an ordinance or by-law which shall forbid a utility to install or construct except by way of replacement or upgrading of existing facilities any poles and overhead wires and associated overhead structures upon, along or across any public way within all or any part or parts of the municipality and shall require a utility to remove immediately any poles and overhead wires and associated overhead structures installed or constructed by it in violation of such ordinance or by-law. Any such ordinance or by-law shall specify whether it applies to all of the municipality or only to a part or parts thereof and, if only to a part or parts, shall describe such part or parts with reasonable certainty by reference to the names of any way or ways to all or any designated portions thereof to which it applies, by reference to a map, or by other suitable means. Any person who installs or constructs any poles and overhead wires and associated overhead structures in violation of any such ordinance or by-law shall be punished by a fine of not less than one thousand dollars and not more than five thousand dollars. Any person who fails to remove immediately any poles and overhead wires and associated overhead structures in violation of any such ordinance or by-law shall be punished by a fine of not less than one thousand dollars and not more than five thousand dollars for each consecutive fifteen day period during which his failure continues.