Title
Transportation Department recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chairman to sign the Grant Easement from the County to AT&T for an exclusive easement for the relocation of utilities.
Body
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost:
There is no fiscal impact and no net cost to the County General Fund associated with this agenda item.
Background:
The Department of Transportation (DOT) and AT&T design staff have coordinated the planning and design efforts for the relocation of AT&T facilities in conflict with the US Hwy. 50/Missouri Flat IC Phase 1B project. In this relocation planning, multiple options were considered. DOT and AT&T design staff concluded that the most cost effective method for both the County and AT&T is to relocate portions of AT&T's facilities from their existing underground location within Caltrans right of way, to an existing overhead pole line outside of Caltrans right of way. In order to facilitate this alternative, AT&T must place an expensive remote terminal (RT ) conversion cabinet in an easement to be granted exclusively to AT&T by the County. The County's share of relocation cost for this alternative is estimated to be approximately $112,000 and is reflected in the Utility Relocation Agreement and Joint Use Agreement (URA/JUA; refer to Legistar #09-0190).
If the preferred alternative noted above were not to be utilized, AT&T and DOT have identified two other alternatives and the additional costs associated therewith. The second alternative would relocate AT&T facilities overhead (OH) without an RT conversion, necessitating the replacement of the existing AT&T pole line with an added cost to the County of approximately $50,000, for a total cost of $162,000 ($112,000 cost under the URA/JUA + $50,000 OH cost = $162,000). The third alternative would relocate AT&T facilities underground (UG) outside of the Caltrans Right-of-way at an additional cost to the County of approximately $250,000, for a total cost of $362,000 ($112,000 cost under the URA/JUA + $250,000 UG cost = $362,000). Therefore, the cost savings to the County in choosing the preferred alternative is considered to be adequate compensation by AT&T to the County for the value of the exclusive easement, which is approximately 436 square feet in size. The Grant of Easement, and the legal description, and depiction of the easement area are attached hereto.
Reason for Recommendation:
The creation of this exclusive easement to AT&T on County-owned property is necessary in order to accommodate the relocation of utilities for the US Hwy. 50/Missouri Flat IC Project, including the installation of a specialized RT cabinet, and is the preferred alternative generating the most cost savings to the County.
Action to be taken following Board approval:
1) Chairman of the Board to sign the Grant of Easement.
2) Clerk of the Board to coordinate with DOT and the County Surveyor's Office to arrange the concurrent recording of the Grant of Easement, with the Resolution Establishing a Road Easement and Public Utility Easement on County-Owned Property (Legistar Item # 09-0471).
District/Supervisor:District III / James R. Sweeney
Contact:James W. Ware, P.E., Director of Transportation
Concurrences: County Counsel