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Home My WebLink About0192.094~ ~ -' - March 17, 1994 THE HONOR..lI.BLE CITY COUNCIL Palo Altc, California ~, -:~:-:" 1 9 Southgat __ ~ ___ Undi!'L:rsKound Conversion Pro';ect -Distric:t No. 3S Members of the Council: At its meeting of December 13, 1993, the Council passed Resol~tion of Intent No. 7274 to establish Underground Utility District No. 35. The att~ch~d map shows the proposed boundaries of the project. The Ccuncil meeting of t1arch 21, 1994, has been set. as the date of th,=, Public Hearing on the matter. Notices announcing this meet ing, with a description of the project and a cc.py of the resolution, were mailed to all property owners in the proposed district on February 18/ 1994. 'l'his report presents the map of the project area, intrcduces the ordinance establi.shing the project area as Underground Utility District No.35, and recommends Council ado9tion of the ordinance. Background As indicated in Offi:617:93, because. of recent agreements '.IIith Pacific Bell, the Electric Utility is no .... able to shift its undergro-unding proj ects from the dowrl town commercial areas to residential areas. The major ccmsiderations given in 5pecif~cally selec.ting Sout'ngate fOT undergrounding were: First l about 55 ,percent cf the 77 pOles in the Southgate area are det.eriorated and require replacemet'.t. The majority of these poles are along rear lot easements. Replacing them is expensive, because 'Of limited access; and in some cases, majer trimming of mature tree:o: and/or (:ossibl e removal of structures migr:t be required. J\r.alyses show that there is economic CJoIR:192:94 ---------- ) - ~. . .... . " .~-.~--.. o benefit in replad_ng the existing overhead systeM lIIith an undeo:rground system, I-ac.her than inve8t funds to reconstruct the c,verheac. system. The second reason is the rare opportunity to make this a joint construction project: ... ith the Water and Gas l'oia.lfJ. and Service Replacement project. scheduled for construction in July 1994. By coordinating the design and ccnstrl.lction wi th 'Ct'le ~Jater and Gas project .. t.he City w:ill avoid mUltiple, trenches .... hich \liQuId be necessary if the project were done separ-ately. This '..:ill not only minirr:ize the disruption but will al so reduce expenses. since the cost of trenching will be shared bet\f\'een the utilities occupying the trench. Project Description The project involves building a new under.ground electric. telephone and cable TV {CATV) distribution system in the public right~of-way. Conduits, va~lt6. splice boxes, se~ice boxes and CP.1V pedestals and cabinets will be installed for placing the overhead electric, telephone and CATV lines and equipment underground. The main trench, along with the switch v~ult6, will be in the s~reer. The splice boxes, CATV pedes'Cals/cabinets ari.d individual ser\tice boxes, for property owners to connect to the underground system, will be located in the planting strips, sidewalks or the existing public utilities easements in back of the sidewalks. With the except-:.cn of CAT' .. ~ pedestals/cabinets and padmoum:ed transformers, all of th2 ne ..... distribution system will be underground. This projp.ct will provide undr':rground service to 24 ~ parcels or lots and will also result in the removal of 77 poles located wi thi n the: proposed boundaries. service conduits on p:;,:'ivate prope!"ty for th.e electric, telephone ar.d CATV will al so be. installed by the ci ty froIT, the service boxes to the hOUSE. Again this is being inccrporat ed ber.:::ause of the proj ect' 9 uniqueness, and t.his change will not affect t.he tctal cost. To minimize any impact on landscaped private ya.rds, tr~e proposed method of installing these service conduits is t\lnneling or boring. Staff would like to emphaS'is that this change, namely, t.he City installing the service conduits, is being proposed because of several contributL'1g fac'CoJ's noted belo'''' and, in no circumstance should it be interpreted as the norm for future projects. Conditions that influenced t,his approach are: C.~R:192:94 ~~~ " . "11 major utilities in Southg.1.te are lccated along rear lot easements. This makes boring sen-ice laterals safe, since the risk of hit.tir.g underground utilities :is eliminated. The water and gas utilities will be i~3talling (boring! the service laterals as part of their project and, hence, it makes economical sense to ut i 1 ize the equip:nent to also install t:he E-lectrit:,; tel<aphon;e and CATV latercls. The number of service boxes requir-ed will be 'Considerably reduced (40%), since they will be needsd o~ly on one side of the street. This res'.ll ts in less sidewalk an.d curb being removed. It also means fewer distributicn cables and conn~ctor9 ~ill be used. There will be le.ss disruption to €:xistiT'lg mature 1 Cl.ndscape. It reduces prop~rty OWT_ers' concerns of having to trench in well la~d5caped yards. Completion of this project will eliminate overhead distribution lines in th~ southgate area, enable extension of the more efficient 12KV system into the. area '-area is now 4KV) and provide 3. future 12KV connecting tie to the College-'rerrace neigr..horhood_ Other benefits include reduced tree trimming costs, increased safety due to elimination of poles in the road ..... ays and in rear lot.s; and improved reliability and aesthetics. If an underground Utility District is cr~-:;ted, thp. Utilities DEpartment will prepare bids for installa:. ion 'Of the l..!~dergrounc substructure \cnnduits, vault.s and boxerl) as a joint construction project ..... ith the water and gas main replacement. pJ:-oject. 'Lrpon completion of Eubstructure ir.stallati()n, the utility crew \liill install the distributi.on cables, transformers and'. switches. After the cab) es are tested and e.nergized, all affected properly owners will be notified that they have 60 days t.o prepare their homes for, and cOr.lplete cOrl..'1ection to, the new system. As soon as the new connections are complet.ed, utility CLews will remove the overhead power lines from the poles .. following ... ·hich the Pacific Bell ~ .... ill remove the remaining overhead facilities and poles. CHR;192:94 '" _." Fina:nci.D.g The estimated cost of converting tne overhead dieLribution system to underground in the p:roject a.r-ea is $1,300,000, af 'Which an estimated $400,000 ..,ill be for the i:-:tstallation of telepho[i,e and CATV conduit and hexes. The City will be reirr:b'..lrsed by Pacific Bell Company and Cable Coop for this expenditure in accordance ~ith an agreement, between these parties. Total cost of this proj ect is included in the fiscal years 1993-94 and proposed 1994-95 Capital Improvement P.r-ograr.1s. Tr.e cost of the required service conversions on private property is to be b':lrne by the: individual owners in accordance with Utility Rule and Regulation No. 18. The total cost for the property owners requiring ser..rice conversion from overhead to underground has been esti;nated at $421, 000 or an aver-age of $2, 5("0 p~r parcel. The property owners have been offered the optio!"'. of financing their service conversion costs over a period of ten years in accordance with the procedure given in Sections 1.2.16.090 t.hrough 12.16.096 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code. gnviro.:g.mental Impact Assessme.nt. This project is categorically exempt from the environmental inpact assessment -orocecure. as described in the PaID Alto Emrironment3.1 Procedures. - Proposed ~X_Q.cedur~ It is proposed that: 1. U:r:.derground con·iE':rsion in the proposE';'d Southgate initiated by the creation of Underground Utility NO.35 as defined on the accompanying map_ area be District 2 _ A contract:cr be retained to install power, trd ephon<S!, communications, CATV ~ water and gas main and substr'!Jctures in a jointly occupied trench_ Upon a-,.,iard of contr'dct by the counc.i 1, an agreement for joint: participatior.. between the City, Pac~fic Bell and Cable Coop ",ill be executed _ In crder to properly distribute all of the cost of the proj€ct, CMR: 192:94 ,.----. separate agreeT':1ents will spec~l:.y tl-.at Pacific Bell and Cable Coop pay for their respective ccnd'..1.ic ~nd boxes and for th~ir share of the trench and backfill, based upon the trench area required by each util~ty. 3. The Council fi:1ds '...lndergrounding the project area to be of general public interest and benefit. The cQnstruc~ion work on the distribution system, therefore, will be done at the expense ?f the utilities invcl vea, and no part of the distribution cost wi 11 be a.ECs~ssed to the affected property owners. Therefc.re, the only cost to the property m ... ners will be tbat of replacing the overhead service equipment on their buildings with underground servicE:s. Property owners will be offered the optior. of financing their servi(:'e conversions under Section 12.16.091 of the Munjcipal Cod~ and, in effect, borrowing from the City and having th~ir r~payment costs added to their tax bills ov-er a period of t-:r:l J"ears and at an interest rate specified by the Council. Council Action and Tentative Schedtl.1e upon completion of the proj er.::t will schedule: the p,;.blic hearing, a decision to pr~ceed with resl.ll t in the following action and proposed Introduction and first readtng of Ordinance Es=ablishing project Area as Underground Utility District No. 35. Second reading and adoption of ordinance Resoluticn deter1r'1.ning property owners electing to pay service-conversion cost over a period of years. Award of Contract to install substructure (conduit '.r.lult et.c.) and Joint Construction Agreement with Pacific Bell and Cable coop. o·m~192:94 March 21. 1..9.94· i\pril lL 1994-· August 1994-- July 1994'" • Instal1atiCln of uncergc'.)und fa<":.i.lities (cables, switches etc.) S~rvice Conversion work by Property owner Pole removal and project cGmpletion * DenoteS Council Action R~commendation January 1995 thrt..! May 1995 t"'a)~ 15195 thru Augu.st 1995 Fall 1995 Staff recommends that Council adopt the attached Ordinance to amend Secti.on 12.16.02, of Chapter 12. j"f of Ti tIe 12. of the Palo Alto Municipal Code by establishing Underground Utility District No. 35. Reg;;:/~:u;;;:; + MICHAEL D. BE.~NI.JI..ND Ef.~4:tJ_En;leerir.g Manaser EDW~/;.~K Director of Utilities ~LEMIN~ Attachment: Ordinance District 35 Boundary Map Related Q.1R: CMR:617:93 Resolution of Intent -District 35 CMR,191,94 ORDINANCE NO. ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCE OF THECITY OF PALO ALTO AMENDING SBCTION 12.16.020 OF ClIAPTEIl. 12.].6 OF TIT'..E 12 OF TI!B PALO ALro MUNICIPAL COOl! BY ESTABLISHING UNDBRGROUND UTILITY DISTRICT NO. 35 )rHERBAS. this Council~ on December 13, 1993 r adopted Resolution No~ 7274. declaring its intention to amend Section 12.16.020 of Chapter 12~16 of Title 12 of the Palo ~to Municipal Code by establishing Underground Utility District No. 35 in the City and by such Reaolutjon appointed MOnday, March 21~ 1994, at the hour of 7:00 o'clock p.m., in the Council Chambers, City Hall, at 250 Hamilton Avenue. Palo Alto, California, as the time and place of hearing protests and receiving evidence for and against the propo~ed action and notice of direction; and WHEREAS. notice was gi.ven of t;he time and place the=ein stated in the manner provided by law, as appears frOQ the affida vits on file in the office of the City Clerk; and ~~ said matter came on regularly for hearing at the time therein fixed; and ~, all written protests and other written communica tions were publicly read at said meeting and evidence duly taken and all per~on~ desiring to be heard were fully heard; NOW, THERBFORE; the Council of the City of Palo Alto does ORDAIN as tollows"'; SECTION 1. The public necessity, health and safety require the removal of poles and overhead lines and associated overhead structures from that certain area described in Resolution No~ 7274-. SECTION 2. Section 12.16.020 of Chapter 12.16 of Title 12 of the Palo A1 to MuniCipal Code is amended by adding Subsection (351 thereto to read as follows: ~(35} District No. 35. All of the area in the County of Santa Clara. City of palo Alto. encompassing the a.rea bounded by Alma Avenue ... Park Boulevard. Hl Camino Real, and Churchill Avenue~ all as more particularly described on that certain map entitled ·Southgate Underground Utility District Num!:ler 35,.· on file in the office of tile City Clerk. r SECTION 3. The rUnde!'9['"ound Utility District referred to in Section 12.15.020 shall be amended to add areas shown 00 the map thOBE referred to in Resolution No. Maps· to the 72'74. SBCTION 4, The City Council hereby finds that th.e adoption of this ordinance is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Ac~~ 1 ->-." , .\ . SBCTION s, This ordinance shall become effe::::tive upon the expiration of thirty {30} days from its passage. PASSIID, AYES, NOES: ABSTENTIONS, ABSBNT: ATTI!ST: APPROVED: City Clerk Mayor City :Manager APPROVED AS TO FORM: Director of Utilities Senior Asst. City Att.orney 2 " :~-.:~ 1 * I ,.;--, .::,,_.) st· ALIIA EL CAIWIC REAL SOUTHGATE CITY OF PALO ALTO CALIFORNIA .~ ~ ;0 $ • ~ " ~ r·3OQ' ,.,.. ,~ LEGEI>CJ BOUNDAR'!' ~ PIlOJl'O~ IJNDEQG~UND DIS11i'1Cl PQOf'OH If:! ... PllOFOSEO UfII)EI!GAOVN[) ~STInCT 2161