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<br />REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <br /> Date: 11/19/12 <br /> Item No.: 12.d <br />Department Approval City Manager Approval <br />Item Description: Approve Overhead Electric Undergrounding Policy <br />Page 1 of 1 <br />B ACKGROUND 1 <br />Staff discussed a draft Overhead Electric Underg rounding Policy with the City Council in July of 2 <br />this year. Staff had worked with the Public Works, Environment, and Transportation Commission 3 <br />to develop a policy on Overhead Electric Unde rgrounding. Property owners have occasionally 4 <br />asked for the overhead electric power lines to be undergrounded as a part of street reconstruction 5 <br />projects or to improve the aesthetics of a corridor. The City Council provided feedback on the 6 <br />draft policy to clarify the funding of projects langua ge to indicate some flexibility in how projects 7 <br />could be funded and the sharing of costs with adjacent communities on border corridors. 8 <br />A copy of the revised draft policy is attached. (Attachment A) 9 <br />P OLICY O BJECTIVE 10 <br />The City is committed to improve transportation corridors for all users and modes of 11 <br />transportation. Frequently conflicts exist when constructing facilities for all modes in crowded 12 <br />right of ways. Undergrounding of overhead lines helps to reduce the conflicts and improve safety. 13 <br /> F INANCIAL I MPACTS 14 <br />Undergrounding is a community cost for existing overhead electric lines under Public Utilities 15 <br />Commission rules. Community Requested Facilities Surcharge on electric utilities bills is 16 <br />available to the Council as a funding mechanism or there are other authorized funding 17 <br />mechanisms such as property tax levy, franchise fees, and assessments. 18 <br />S TAFF R ECOMMENDATION 19 <br />Staff is recommending approval of the draft policy as amended. 20 <br />R EQUESTED C OUNCIL A CTION 21 <br />Motion to approve the Overhead Electric Undergrounding Policy. 22 <br />Prepared by: Duane Schwartz, Public Works Director <br />Attachments: A: Draft Overhead Electric Undergrounding Policy