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Home My WebLink About12A - UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICTREQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY: JULY 17, 2018 TITLE: APPROVED SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE TO ❑ As Recommended CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION E] E]n E]OOrrdinance on 1 Reading TO ESTABLISH AN UNDERGROUND ❑ Ordinance on 2nd Reading UTILITY DISTRICT ON WARNER AVENUE ❑ Implementing Resolution FROM MAIN STREET TO GRAND ❑ Set Public Hearing For AVENUE {STRATEGIC PLAN NO. 6, 1C, 1G CITY MKN4GER RECOMMENDED ACTION CONTINUED TO FILE NUMBER Adopt a resolution to set October 16, 2018, as the date for a public hearing to consider adoption of a resolution which would establish Warner Avenue from Main Street to Grand Avenue as Underground Utility District No. 37. DISCUSSION Warner Avenue is classified as an East-West Major Arterial in the City's General Plan Circulation Element and the County of Orange Master Plan of Arterial Highways. Improving the 1 -mile segment of Warner Avenue from Main Street to Grand Avenue has been a long-term priority project that is being constructed in two phases: Phase 1, Main Street to Oak Street; Phase 2, Oak Street to Grand Avenue (Exhibit 1). Improvements include installing raised medians, protected bike lanes, and buffered sidewalks; and widening from a four -lane roadway to a six - lane arterial, to address vehicle, pedestrian, and bike safety issues. Staff has identified a utility undergrounding project along Warner Avenue as a qualifying location eligible for allocations to the City through the California Overhead Conversion (Rule 20A) Program established by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). The estimated cost of the project is $6 million. The Rule 20A legislation is aimed at providing a financial program to facilitate undergrounding of overhead utilities. Under this program, all planning, design, and construction work is performed by the participating utility and, once completed, the utility is compensated by the CPUC. No City funds are required. However, before Rule 20A funds can be specifically allocated for the Warner Avenue project, the City must first establish a utility underground district (UUD) approved by the City Council. 12A-1 Set Public Hearing Date to Establish Underground Utility District No. 37 on Warner Avenue from Main to Grand July 17, 2018 Page 2 To establish a UUD, Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC) Section 37-2 requires that a public hearing be held to provide opportunity for public comment and to review the Engineer's Report for the project, which will include estimated project costs and time required to complete the project. A resolution would be presented at that time, should Council desire to approve the establishment of the UUD and move forward with the project. On May 14, 2018, the Public Works Agency presented to the Economic Development, Infrastructure, Budget and Technology Council Committee the plan and the process to establish Warner Avenue from Main Street to Grand Avenue as Underground Utility District No. 37. Also consistent with SAMC Section 37-2, this segment of Warner Avenue has been assessed as a location in which undergrounding utilities would provide substantial public benefit with enhancements to public health, safety, and welfare due to the removal of existing obstructions to pedestrian access. Additionally, timing the utility undergrounding effort to coincide with the planned street improvements will result in significant cost savings and will minimize disruption to adjacent residents. Considering the time needed to coordinate with multiple utility companies, staff recommends the City Council set a public hearing on October 16, 2018, to adopt a resolution establishing Underground Utility District No. 37 (Exhibit 2) to meet the provisions in SAMC Sections 37-2 and 37-3. Prior to the public hearing date, the City will coordinate with all overhead utilities involved to identify associated overhead equipment that will be moved underground within the underground district. STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT Approval of this item supports the City's efforts to meet Goal #6 - Community Facilities & Infrastructure, Objective #1 (establish and maintain a Community Investment Plan for all City assets), Strategy C (invest resources and technology to extend the service life of existing infrastructure to protect the City's investment and support a high quality of life standard), Strategy G (develop and implement the City's Capital Improvement Program in coordination with the Community Investment and Deferred Maintenance Plans). ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT There is no environmental impact associated with this action. 12A-2 Set Public Hearing Date to Establish Underground Utility District No. 37 on Warner Avenue from Main to Grand July 17, 2018 Page 3 FISCAL IMPACT The recommended actions have no fiscal impact to the City since the UUD would be directly paid for over time by Utility Undergrounding Program Rule 20A allocations to underground all overhead poles within the project segment owned by Southern California Edison. Other utility companies, including Charter Communications (Spectrum), Crown Castle, MPower Communications, and MCI (Verizon Business) will be responsible to pay for the cost of undergrounding their facilities. Fuad S. Sweiss, PE, PLS Executive Director Public Works Agency FSS/EWG/JG/KN Exhibits: 1. Location Map 2. Resolution 12A-3 12A-4 K 0 z O N > a W 0 Z a 0 0 r N r N W r N K a w W > W vA LEGEND: BOUNDARY AREA EXHIBIT 1 SANTA ANA WARNER AVENUE IMPROVEMENTS _ p■ W /� UTILITY UNDERGROUND DISTRICT FROM MAIN STREET TO GRAND AVENUE 12A-5 PAGE 1 OF 1 12A-6 jmf 7/11/18 RESOLUTION NO. 2018 -XXX A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA DECLARING ITS INTENTION TO ESTABLISH UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICT NO. 37, WARNER AVENUE FROM MAIN STREET TO GRAND AVENUE, AND CALLING A PUBLIC HEARING TO DETERMINE WHETHER SUCH DISTRICT SHALL BE FORMED BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The City Council of the City of Santa Ana hereby finds, determines and declares as follows: A. On recommendation from City staff, the City of Santa Ana intends to establish an Underground Utility District, to be known as Underground Utility District No. 37 and located along Warner Avenue from Main Street to Grand Avenue. B. Chapter 37 -of the Santa Ana Municipal Code describes the procedures for establishing an underground utility district when such a recommendation has been made. These procedures include the calling of a public hearing by the City Council to ascertain whether the public necessity, health, safety, or welfare requires the removal of overhead utilities within a designated area of the City and the underground installation thereof. C. If, after such public hearing the City Council finds that the public necessity, health, safety, or welfare requires such removal and underground installation within the designated area, the City Council shall declare by resolution the designated area an underground utility district and order such removal and underground installation. Section 2. A public hearing will be held on October 16, 2018 at 5:45 p.m. or as soon as possible thereafter, in the Santa Ana City Council Chambers, 22 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, California, to determine whether Underground Utility District No. 37 shall be formed. All persons interested may appear and be heard on this matter. Section 3. The Clerk of the Council shall notify by mail all affected property owners and utilities as shown on the last equalized assessment roll of the time and place of this hearing at least ten (10) days prior to the date thereof. Section 4. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the City Council, and the Clerk of the Council shall attest to and certify the vote adopting this Resolution. EXHIBIT 2 Resolutlon No. 2018 -XXX Page 1 of 2 12A-7 jmf 7/11/18 ADOPTED this _ day of 2018. Miguel A. Pulido Mayor APPROVED AS TO FORM: Sonia R. Carvalho, City Attorney By: %W. John M. Funk Assistant City Attorney AYES: Councilmembers NOES: Councilmembers ABSTAIN: Councilmembers NOT PRESENT: Councilmembers CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTATION AND ORIGINALITY I, Maria D. Huizar, Clerk of the Council, do hereby certify the attached Resolution No. 2018- to be the original resolution adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Ana on .2018. Date: Clerk of the Council City of Santa Ana 12A-8 Resolution No. 2018 -XXX Page 2 of 2