Patrick,
Are you saying that something buried to the proper depth according to code can still be considered subject to physical damage?
I can see it now, inspectors wanting electrical pipes to be buried 10 feet or deeper because one day their neighbor might be illegally digging on their property. What happens when someone wants to install a geothermal heating system and dig down 300 feet in the middle of the yard? What happens when they install the in ground pool and then they have to move the pipe again to keep it away from the pool?
Maybe everything overhead isn't such a bad idea, at least you can see it. A couple extra private poles running around the properties would be a lovely addition to any neighborhood.
I don't see how any zoning law can tell you where to put things under ground on your property as long as it is installed to code.
