Highways: encroachment permits: broadband facilities.

Under existing law, the Department of Transportation may issue permits authorizing encroachments, as defined, on highways. Existing law requires the department to either approve or deny an application for an encroachment permit within 60 days of receiving a completed application. The department's failure to notify an applicant within that 60-day period that the permit is denied is deemed to constitute approval of the permit. This bill would establish additional procedures for the department's review of an application for an encroachment permit for a broadband facility. Under the bill, these procedures would require the department, among other things, to notify an applicant in writing whether the application is complete within 30 days of receiving the application, to take certain actions if it deems an application incomplete, and to approve or deny an application that requires supplemental information within 30 days after receiving that information. If the department fails to notify the applicant that the application is incomplete within that 30-day time period, the bill would deem the department's failure to notify to constitute a finding that the permit application is complete.