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HEARING - Community Development Services, Department of Transportation, recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 042-2018 to create an Underground Utility District along Apache Avenue between Highway 50 and East San Bernardino Avenue in South Lake Tahoe. (Est. Time: 15 Min.)
FUNDING: Road Fund (13%) and TRPA Mitigation Funds (87%) (No Federal Funds). Funding is provided by Road Fund discretionary funds and Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Mitigation Funds. The underground utility relocation is funded through Electrical Rule 20A Underground Utility Funds (Liberty Utilities), and Telecommunication Rule 32A.1 Tariff Funds (AT&T).
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DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
HEARING - Community Development Services, Department of Transportation (Transportation) recommending the Board consider adoption of Resolution 042-2018 to create an Underground Utility District (UUD) along Apache Avenue between Highway 50 and East San Bernardino Avenue in South Lake Tahoe.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Transportation will be requesting the Board add the Apache Avenue Pedestrian Safety and Connectivity Project (Project) to the 2018 Capital Improvement Program in April 2018. This Project will propose both roadway, cyclist, and pedestrian improvements on Apache Avenue from Highway 50 to East San Bernardino Avenue. As part of the initial planning of this Project, the County consulted with Liberty Utilities (Liberty) and confirmed that reloacting the existing overhead utilities along Apache Avenue underground is in the general public interest under Rule 20A.
The scope of work for the proposed undergrounding project includes the removal of power poles along Apache Avenue within the aforementioned UUD boundaries. The existing overhead lines will be replaced and placed in underground conduits installed in the County's right-of-way. No road closures are anticipated for this work.
The cost to the utilities for the design and construction of the UUD facilities is available from the Electric Rule 20 and Telecommunications Rule 32 tariff programs. The program was developed in 1967 as an environmental initiative enabling overhead conversion projects in a consistent manner throughout California in public areas blighted by urban congestion. Under Rule 20A all planning, design, and construction work is performed by the participating utility and once completed, the utility is compensated based on the projects costs, which are covered using the local government's Rule 20A credits. The utilities then receive compensation for the credits through subsequent general rate case proceedings. As of November 17, 2017, the account balance of the Liberty Rule 20A program available to El Dorado County is $6,447,157.
Liberty is the trenching agent and is therefore responsible for using Rule 20A allocations to cover all project costs except County administrative costs. The County administrative costs will be performed by the County at an expected cost of less than $15,000 (per statute, these costs cannot be covered by Rule 20A funds). The County is also required to issue and waive the cost of an encroachment permit to complete the work. Liberty is responsible for obtaining easements or rights-of-way for the construction, which is planned for summer 2019. To meet this construction schedule, the utility companies have indicated that this Resolution for the proposed UUD must be adopted by April 2018.
All property owners affected by the proposed UUD were contacted via mail inviting them to attend a Public Meeting held February 6, 2018 at the California Conservation Corps building in Meyers, California. There was no opposition to the proposal.
ALTERNATIVES
Cancel the formation of the UUD and continue the planning of the Apache Avenue Pedestrian Safety and Connectivity Project.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the Resolution.
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
It is recommended that the Board approve this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The total estimated UUD costs would be paid for from Tariff Funds. The estimated $15,000 County share associated with Planning and Construction coordination of the UUD would be covered by a combination of Road Fund and Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Mitigation Funds. There is no Net County Cost associated with this item.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) The Clerk of the Board will obtain the Chair's signature on the original Resolution.
2) The Clerk of the Board will forward a copy of the executed Resolution to Patty Scott, CDS Transportation, Tahoe Engineering Unit for further processing.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Infrastructure
CONTACT
Rafael Martinez, Director
Community Development Services, Department of Transportation