ITEM 10-B
Council Meeting: June 15, 1993
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Public Hearing to Hear the Matter of the Expansion of
the Underground Utility District at Fourteenth Street
and Ashland Avenue
INTRODUCTION
This report recommends that City Council hold a public hearing to
approve an additional area of the City where the electric,
telephone and cable TV lines will be placed underground. It is
recommended that District 1, which currently includes Fourteenth
Street between Pearl Street and Ocean Park Boulevard, be expanded
to include Fourteenth Street between Ocean Park Boulevard and
Ashland Avenue, and Ashland Avenue between Fourteenth Street and
Sixteenth Street (see attached map for details).
BACKGROUND
California Public Utility regulation, Rule 20A Section 8209,
specifies that each utility company must allocate two percent of
its gross revenues for use in placing aerial facilities
underground. The facilities include electrical lines, telephone
lines and/or cable TV lines. The regulations specify locations
or conditions where facilities may be undergrounded using
designated utility company funds and require that one or more of
the locations or conditions be met: 1) areas adjacent to a
public use area such as a park, Civic Center or school, 2)
arterial streets used by the community at large, or 3) locations
where there are unusually heavy concentrations of wires and
adjacent to an electrical substation or other facility which
causes significant interference with TV and radio reception in
nearby residences.
DISCUSSION
On May 11, 1993, the City Council set a Public Hearing to hear
the matter of the expansion of Underground District 1 at
Fourteenth Street between Pearl Street and Ocean Park Boulevard,
to include the following associated network: Fourteenth Street
from Ocean Park Boulevard to Ashland Avenue, and Ashland Avenue
from Fourteenth Street to Sixteenth Street. Following the
creation of the original District 1, Southern California Edison
determined that this expansion would be beneficial because it
would eliminate one existing steel pole and prevent the need for
installation of another steel pole. This change will result in a
cost savings to the City's allocation of designated funds of
approximately $100,000 and result in a lower cost per mile of
undergrounding. It will also provide a complete system
connection to the nearby substation. Completion of the design
and installation of this expanded district is scheduled for July
1995.
City staff has discussed the expansion and schedule of this
undergrounding with the utility companies and all parties concur
with this plan. All trench and duct work in the street
right-of-way will be contracted to a construction company by the
Edison Company. Cable work will be done later by the General
Telephone, Edison and Century Cable companies.
Property owners will pay for the portion of the cost which
entails running underground service from the property line to the
building electrical panel (and/or for a new panel if one is
required). Southern California Edison has informed the City that
the expansion will require three additional private property
service connections to be placed underground by property owners.
All of these owners have been notified of the hearing.
BUDGET/FINANCIAL IMPACT
The proposed undergrounding of utilities will be funded by the
utility companies with affected property owners paying for their
service connection. There is no budget or financial impact to
the City as a result of the expansion of these underground
utility areas or the extension of the project and the
construction time period.
RECOMMENDATIONS
It is recommended that City Council approve the Resolution
requiring undergrounding of the utilities on an extended portion
of District 1 at: Fourteenth Street between Ocean Park Boulevard
and Ashland Avenue, and Ashland Avenue between Fourteenth Street
and Sixteenth Street.
Prepared by: Stanley Scholl, P.E., Director of General Services
Anthony Antich, P.E., City Engineer
Attachment: Map of Proposed Undergrounding Areas
Resolution for Adoption
Notice of Public Hearing
RESOLUTION NO. (CCS)
(CITY COUNCIL SERIES)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF SANTA MONICA FINDING THAT THE
PUBLIC NECESSITY, HEALTH, SAFETY AND
WELFARE REQUIRES, WITHIN CERTAIN
DESIGNATED AREAS, THE UNDERGROUND
INSTALLATION OF WIRES AND FACILITIES
SUPPLYING ELECTRIC, COMMUNICATION OR
SIMILAR OR ASSOCIATED SERVICES AND
DESIGNATING SUCH CERTAIN AREAS AS
UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICTS AND
ORDERING THE REMOVAL OF POLES, OVERHEAD
WIRES AND ASSOCIATED OVERHEAD STRUCTURES
WITHIN SUCH DISTRICTS AND THE UNDERGROUND
INSTALLATION OF SUCH WIRES AND FACILITIES
WHEREAS, a public hearing has been duly and regularly held
pursuant to Resolution Number 8589 (CCS), on the proposed
improvement of an extension to Underground District 1 at
Fourteenth Street between Ocean Park Boulevard and Ashland Avenue
and at Ashland Avenue between Fourteenth Street and Sixteenth
Street, by undergrounding of utilities and appurtenant work
thereto as described in Resolution Number 8589 (CCS); and
WHEREAS, said improvement has been considered fully,
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council hereby finds that the public
necessity, health, safety and welfare require the above described
improvement in such designated areas.
SECTION 2. The City Council hereby finds such
undergrounding to be in the general public interest for the
following reasons:
A. Such undergrounding will reduce total undergrounding
costs by eliminating a new steel pole installation; and
B. Such undergrounding allows for a complete system
connection to a nearby substation.
SECTION 3. The expanded area of District 1, Fourteenth
Street between Ocean Park Boulevard and Ashland Avenue, and
Ashland Avenue between Fourteenth Street and Sixteenth Street, is
hereby declared to be an underground utility district as provided
by the Santa Monica Municipal Code.
SECTION 4. The City Council hereby orders the removal of
all poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures from
within the designated underground utility district and the
underground installation therein for all wires and facilities
required for supplying electric, communication or similar or
associated services.
SECTION 5. The City Council hereby orders that the
completion of the expanded District 1 be designated to be July,
1995.
SECTION 6. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of
this Resolution, and thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be
in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
________________________
JOSEPH LAWRENCE
Acting City Attorney