HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-04-24 City Council (8)City of Palo Alto
C ty Manager’s Report
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC WORKS
DATE:APRIL 24, 1997 CMR:216:97
SUBJECT:PERMIT WITH BROOKS FIBER COMMUNICATIONS OF SAN
JOSE, INC.FOR THE INSTALLATION OF FIBER OPTIC
CONDUITS
REOUEST
This is an informational report on a permit to be issued to Brooks.Fiber Communications of
San Jose, Inc. (BFCSJ, Inc.) for the installation of approximately 13,930 lineal feet of fiber
optic cable within conduit under certain sidewalks and streetsin eastern Palo Alto.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
BFCSJ, Inc. is a telephone corporation as def’med in Public Utilities Code Section 234 and
a public utility as def’med in Public Utilities Code, Section 216, with the legal right to access
Palo Alto’s right-of-way. Although the law does not require BFCSJ, Inc. to obtain a city
franchise, the City may regulate the location and manner of construction. However, the City
cannot restrict or interfere with BFCSJ, Inc.’s right to construct or maintain its
telecommunication lines.
A permit will not preclude the City of Palo Alto from developing its own fiber optic
communication system.:
EXECUTIVE suMMARY
Brooks Fiber Communications of San Jose, Inc. (BFCSJ, Inc.) has applied to the City for
a permit to install a reliable, fully redundant telecommunications network in eastern Palo Alto
for the purpose-of meeting voice, data, and other communication needs.
As with the previous MFS and MCI permits, the City will require that BFCSJ, Inc. install
the conduit under the sidewalk area and under the street at street crossings using directional
boring methods. This trenchless technology minimizes adverse impacts to pedestrian and
vehicular traffic. Also, based on previous recent projects, staff will require BFCSJ, Inc. to
"pothole" frequently to identify the location of existing underground utilities and place the
conduit below the elevation of existing utilities where practical. This will reduce the risk of
conflict with, and .subsequent damage to, City-owned utilities.
CMR:216:97 Page .1 of 3
The new route, wholly within commercial areas of the City of Palo Alto, will start at an
existing subsurface telecommunication vault currently located on East Bayshore Road at
Elwell Court. The route will proceed north on East Bayshore Road, past the City
Municipal Service Center, to the north city limit line of Palo Alto with East Palo Alto. At
the intersection of Embarcadero Road, this new line will branch out by going east on
Embarcadero Road to Geng Road then turning north on Geng Road and terminate at 2400
Geng Road. Another branch will be installed from the existing trunk line on Fabian Way,
previously installed by MCImetro in 1995. This new branch will start at an existing
subsurface telecommunication vault located at the intersection of East Meadow and Fabian
Way. It will then proceed west on East Meadow Drive and then north on East Meadow
Circle. and terminate at 1020 East Meadow Circle. (See attached map).
Precautions will be taken to ensure that trees and their root structures will not be impacted.
An application for Architectural Review is being submitted to the City of Palo Alto
Planning Department. Construction will be performed in accordance with City of Palo
Alto standards. The permit is expected to be issued in early May 1997.
Other permit conditions will include:
Notification: BFCSJ, Inc. will provide a minimum of two written notices of the
construction schedule to those addresses directly impacted by the work. In the
event there is an outage or service break to the City of Palo Alto utilities, BFCSJ,
Inc. will immediately notify the City of Palo Alto or responsible agency, so that
steps can be taken to. notify any impacted customers.
Liability: BFCSJ, Inc. will provide comprehensive general and automotive liability
insurance.
Indemnification: BFCSJ, Inc. will indemnify and hold harmless the City against
any claims, demands, losses, damages, whether direct or indirect, including liability
resulting from loss of service to any third party for any interruption to any
telecommunication or other utility service.
Bond: BFCSJ, Inc. will provide a performance bond in the amount of $50,000 to
guarantee the faithful performance of sidewalk and street restoration work within
City of Palo Alto right-of-way.
FISCAL IMPACT
Brooks Fiber Communications of San Jose, Inc. will be required to collect and distribute
the telephone users tax to the City from its service users pursuant to the Palo Alto
Municipal Code. BFCSJ, Inc. will also pay the City a fee for the Permit for Construction
in the Public Street which covers City administration and inspection costs.
CMR:216:97 Page 2 of 3
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
An environmental assessment shall be performed as part of a review of the project by the
Planning Department.
ATTACHMENT
M~
PREPARED BY: John A. Carlson, Acting Assistant Director of Public Works
DEPARTMENT HEAD REVIEW:
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
JUNE
City Manager
S. ROBERTS
CMR:216:97 Page 3 of 3
LOCATION MAP
PALO ALTO, CA.
LEGEND
PROPOSED BROOKS