Subject:     KING ROAD UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICT

 

COUNCIL DISTRICT:   7   

 

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

Conduct the Public Hearing and at its conclusion approve an ordinance establishing an Underground Utility District at King Road, from Story Road to Marsh Street.  CEQA: Exempt.

 

BACKGROUND

 

In June 1989, the City Council adopted an ordinance establishing the In-Lieu Utility Undergrounding Fee Program (Rule 20B).  The City recognized a need to implement an equitable and expedient process of requiring undergrounding of existing utilities associated with new construction by private developers.  Under Rule 20B, the Public Agency requesting the undergrounding provides the majority of the funding for the project.

 

The City of San José Redevelopment Agency (RDA) has requested the Public Works  Department’s participation in a Rule 20B undergrounding utility project in conjunction with their King/Story Road Street and Sidewalk Improvement Project.  Under Rule 20B, when an underground utility district is created, the requesting agency provides substructure, conduits, and utility boxes and the participating utilities (PG&E, Pacific Bell, AT&T Cable Services) provide credit theat their own cost all required transformers, meters, wires and cables.

 

The proposed Underground Utility District is not included in the current 2000/2001 – 2005/2006 In‑Lieu Fee Underground Utility Program Workplan because no In-Lieu Fee funds will be expended on this project.  RDA will fund this undergrounding project on King Road, from Story Road to Marsh Street. 

 

The RDA’s King/Story Road Street and Sidewalk Improvement Project includes roadway widening, realignment changes, sidewalk and storm drain improvements, and streetlighting revisions along King Road from Lido Way to Marsh Street.  Additionally, the RDA’s project will include traffic signal modification at King and Story Road, a mid-block pedestrian crossing on King Road north of Story Road, and landscape improvements along the project boundary.

 

On May 15, 2001, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 70345, setting a Public Hearing on June 12, 2001 at 1:30 p.m.

 

ANALYSIS

 

The provisions and the procedures to establish Underground Utility Districts are defined by the San José Municipal Code.  It is necessary that the City Council conduct a public hearing and adopts an ordinance establishing the area as an Underground Utility District.  The proposed District meets the following Municipal Code criteria for establishment:

 

·        Such removal and replacement underground will eliminate, and such prohibition will avoid, an unusually heavy concentration of poles and overhead wires within said area;

·        The public streets or rights‑of‑way within said area are extensively used by the general public and carry a heavy volume of pedestrian or vehicular traffic.

 

Establishment of the proposed District, as shown on Attachment A, will require the conversion of approximately 840 linear feet of aerial facilities to underground facilities along King Road from Story Road to Marsh Street.  Three properties adjacent to the proposed district are currently provided overhead service from the facilities to be removed.  One of three properties, a small business, can have its service point relocated outside the District at no cost to the property owner.  The remaining two properties, also small businesses, will be required, by the ordinance establishing the District, to complete the electrical conversion work necessary to receive service from the new underground system. The electrical conversion work for these two properties will be funded and coordinated by RDA.

 

The undergrounding of existing utilities and removal of utility poles will allow for successful roadway widening and improvements along King Road from Lido Way to Marsh Street.  This project provides for undergrounding and removal of poles that otherwise would have been relocated to accommodate roadway improvements.

 

This undergrounding project will utilize approximately $250,000 of the RDA’s funds.  Also, the additional cost for electrical service conversion, depending on service requirements, could vary from $2,000 to $10,000 per service entrance.

 

A schedule for establishment and implementation of the proposed Underground Utility District is presented in Attachment B.

 

PUBLIC OUTREACH

 

On May 16, 2001, notices of the public hearing were mailed to all owners of property adjacent to the proposed District.  To date, no written or verbal protests regarding the proposed District have been received by the City Clerk’s Office or the Department of Public Works.

 

COORDINATION

 

The establishment of this District and the proposed project schedule have been coordinated with PG&E, Pacific Bell, AT&T Cable Services and the Redevelopment Agency.  The required resolution to set the public hearing has been reviewed by the City Attorney's Office.

 

COST IMPLICATIONS

 

1.         COST OF RECOMMENDATION:  None

 

2.                  COST OF PROJECT (ESTIMATED)                                                                $325,000

 

a.       COST TO UTILITIES

            Pacific Gas & Electric Company                                                                  30,000

            Pacific Bell Rule 32 Cost                                                                             30,000

            AT&T Cable Services Cost                                                                         10,000

 

b.      COST TO REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (Fund 450)                                 250,000

 

c.   PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, ADMINISTRATION

      AND CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION (Fund 450)                                        5,000

 

                 TOTAL PROJECT COST                                                                             $325,000

 

3.                  SOURCE OF FUNDING:  Fund 450, Redevelopment Agency Improvements

                                                                   

4.                  ESTIMATED START DATE OF CONSTRUCTION:  July, 2001

 

5.                  ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE OF CONSTRUCTION:  October, 2001

 

BUDGET REFERENCE

 

Fund:                          450 Redevelopment Agency Improvements

Appn:                         5320

RC:                             450-57109883

Amount:                      $65,000*

Budget Document:       Appropriation Ordinance 26141, as amended on 11/28/00, Section 20.05, Page 5, Item #N.3

 

*  The Redevelopment Agency will amend the PSM (PSM #221) upon the award of the contract.

 

CEQA

 

Exempt.

 

 

RAJEEV BATRA

Acting Director, Public Works Department

 

 


ATTACHMENT B

 

UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICT AT

KING ROAD/LIDO WAY

 

Establishment Schedule

 

May 15, 2001                       City Council adopts a resolution setting a time and place for a Public Hearing.

 

May 16, 2001                       Director of Public Works mails a notice of Public Hearing to all adjacent property owners.

 

May 28, 2001                       Director of Public Works transmits a report of comments and/or protests received for consideration at the Public Hearing.

 

June 12, 2001                       City Council conducts a Public Hearing and at its conclusion approves an Ordinance establishing an Underground Utility District at King Road from Story Road to Marsh Street.

 

Project Implementation Schedule

 

 

January 2001                         Utility companies began design of substructure, conduit, vaults, electric and cable facilities.

 

July 2001                              Construction starts

 

December 2001                    Utility companies complete connections and remove overhead wires and poles.