REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
June 25, 2015
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
THROUGH: ROBERT N. ANDERSEN, PE, Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Capital Management Division
BY: JIM POLSGROVE, Supervising Engineering Technician
Public Works Department, Capital Management Division
SUBJECT
Title
Approve Revised Five Year Underground Utility District Plan (Located City Wide)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Council approve the revised Five Year Underground Utility District Plan (Exhibit “A”).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The California Public Utilities Commission (Commission) Rule 20A requires that Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) allocate funds for the underground placement of existing overhead electrical facilities. Cities and Counties determine the specific locations of utility undergrounding projects through formation of Underground Utility Districts (Districts) and adoption of Five Year District Plans. Exhibit “A” is the recommended Five Year Underground Utility District Plan that facilitates the orderly and planned use of the future allocation of these PG&E funds.
Portions of the proposed Five Year Underground Utility District Plan are being made in support of the Mayor’s initiative to restore and revitalize older neighborhoods.
BACKGROUND
Commission Rule 20A requires that PG&E allocate funds for the underground placement of existing overhead electrical facilities. These funds accrue to PG&E from all rate payers as part of their monthly bill and are strictly reserved for the conversion of overhead facilities in approved UUDs. Specific UUDs are formed by City Council action at noticed public hearings using criteria established by Commission Rule 20A:
1. Such undergrounding will avoid or eliminate an unusually heavy concentration of overhead electric facilities;
2. The street or road or right-of-way is extensively used by the general public and carries a heavy volume of pedestrian or vehicular traffic;
3. The street or road or right-of-way adjoins or passes through a civic area or public recreation area or an area of unusual scenic interest to the general public;
4. The street or road or right-of-way is considered an arterial street or major collector as defined in the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research General Plan Guidelines.
The recommended Five Year UUD Plan, Exhibit “A”, will facilitate orderly and planned use of the City’s future allocation of these funds. It represents collaboration with impacted utilities (phone, cable TV, City traffic,) wherein each of these utility companies funds their own cost to convert the various services to underground. The Plan may be revised or updated by the Council as needed.
Portions of the proposed Five Year Underground Utility District Plan are being made in support of the Mayor’s initiative to restore and revitalize older neighborhoods. FRE-84, located along Blackstone Avenue between Shields and Belmont Avenues and FRE-94, located along Abby Street between Belmont and Hedges Avenues will complete the undergrounding of utilities along the Blackstone Avenue corridor in support of revitalization. The proposed Five Year Underground Utility District Plan is consistent with the goals of the Fresno General Plan and will enhance aesthetics and safety concerns along the proposed Bus Rapid Transit corridor. Investment along this key transportation corridor will enhance mobility, improve aesthetic conditions, and increases economic activity.
The proposed revisions will update the current Three-Year Plan (Exhibit “B”) that was last adopted by Council on October 8, 2013. The changes are summarized below:
• The proposed revisions will omit three Districts which had been tentatively included in previous plans, but had never been formed by Council:
a. FRE-88 (Herndon Avenue between Teilman and West)
b. FRE-89 (West Avenue between Bullard and Sierra Avenue)
c. FRE-90 (Sierra Avenue between Fruit and Safford Avenues)
• The proposed revision will omit one District that had been formed by Council but has since been rescinded by Council - FRE-87 (Orange Avenue between North Avenue and Freeway 99).
• The proposed revision will revise the scheduling for six Districts which have been formed by Council, in order to reflect the ability and capacity of PG&E to construct the undergrounding projects. Those Districts are FRE-69, located along Ventura Avenue between “H” Street and Freeway 99, FRE-77, located along Peach Avenue between Belmont Avenue and Kings Canyon Road, FRE-84, located along Blackstone Avenue between Shields and Belmont Avenues, FRE-85, located along Belmont Avenue between Freeway 41 and Chestnut Avenue, FRE-92, located on Willow and Nees Avenues and FRE-93, located on Nees Avenue between Maple and Hayston Avenue.
• The proposed revision will revise the proposed boundary for a District which has not been formed by Council. That District is FRE-80, currently located along North Avenue between Freeway 99 and Freeway 41. The boundary is being revised to only include the area between Cherry and Orange Avenues, in order to avoid right-of-way issues that are not feasible to resolve at this time.
• The proposed revisions will add two new Districts to the plan. Those Districts are FRE-94, located along Abby Street between Belmont and Hedges Avenues and FRE-95, located along Ashlan Avenue between Fruit and Arthur Avenues. FRE-95 is a joint District with the County of Fresno. Rule 20A funding for this project will be transferred from the County of Fresno’s Rule 20A allocation with no impact to the City’s Rule 20A allocation.
By approval of the Plan, the Council is preliminarily agreeing to fund the City’s costs associated with modifying public facilities that will receive underground service. These City costs are generally included within Council-approved capital improvement projects for streetlight conversion from wooden poles to permanent steel poles fed by underground service. Once the five-year plan is approved, staff will begin the UUD formation proceedings and PG&E will estimate the City’s share of costs to participate in the UUD. Staff will return to the Council to present an action item to form new UUD’s in situations where the UUD has not yet been formed.
After PG&E undergrounds the overhead facilities, the individual property owners must convert their electrical service panel boxes from overhead service to underground service. The cost for this work in the distant past has been the responsibility of the property owner. However, the City can and has made the cost of the conversion for each property owner a cost covered by the allocated funds from the Rule 20A. City policy is now and has historically been to utilize Rule 20A funds for the panel conversions. In the case of City facilities, this may entail conversion of electrical services for traffic signals and street lights. Due to the potential impact of these conversion costs on City operating budgets, staff has traditionally recommended the formation of UUD’s where the street lighting conversion cost can be funded through capital improvement projects. The major cost to the City could involve:
1. Removal of street lights from wooden poles.
2. Installation of new street lights.
3. Installation of new underground electrical circuits for the street lights and traffic signals.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
By the definition provided in the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15378 this item does not qualify as a “project” and is therefore exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act requirements
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented because approving the revised Five Year Underground Utility District Plan does not include a bid or an award of a construction or services contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
There will be no impact to the City’s General Fund. Rule 20A undergrounding costs are borne by the Commission program and do not flow through the City. City capital costs will be included in capital improvement projects through the annual budget process.
Attachments:
5 Year Plan 7/14 (Exhibit A)
5 Year Plan 10/13 (Exhibit B)
Vicinity Map (Exhibit C)