HomeMy WebLinkAbout12. UUD 22 Set Hrg
AGENDA MEMO
DATE:
July 12, 2011
TO:
Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Office of the City Manager
By: John Oskoui, P.E., Director of Public Works
SUBJECT: UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICT (NO. 22) ON BELLFLOWER
BOULEVARD FROM DALEN STREET TO APPROXIMATELY 900 FEET
NORTH OF IMPERIAL HIGHWAY
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council:
ADOPT A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY
1.
DECLARING ITS INTENTION TO MODIFY THE BOUNDARIES OF
UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICT NO. 22 FROM ALONG THE WEST SIDE
OF BELLFLOWER BOULEVARD FROM THE I-105 FREEWAY TO
APPROXIMATELY 900 FEET NORTH OF IMPERIAL HIGHWAY TO THE
WEST SIDE OF BELLFLOWER BOULEVARD FROM DALEN STREET TO
APPROXIMATELY 90O FEET NORTH OF IMPERIAL HIGHWAYAND
CAUSING ALL SPECIFIED UTILITIES THEREIN TO BE RELOCATED
UNDERGROUND
; and
2. Set July 26, 2011 as the public hearing date in accordance with Sections 7501
and 7502 of the Downey Municipal Code and direct the Director of Public Works
to prepare and file an Engineers Report on the establishment of such district.
BACKGROUND:
Over the past several years, the City Council has established various Undergrounding
Districts for Bellflower Boulevard, Lakewood Boulevard, and other arterial highways
within the City in accordance with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)
Rule 20A, 20B, and 20C guidelines. Rule 20A projects are paid for by Southern
California Edison (SCE) utilizing a set aside portion of the utility rate money collected
from all rate payers. Rule 20B projects are directly funded by the applicant (City) and
are subsidized by SCE at an amount equal to the cost of an equivalent overhead
electrical system plus the cost of removing the existing overhead electrical system.
Rule 20C projects are entirely funded by the applicant.
The City is proposing to construct additional turn lanes at the intersection of Bellflower
Boulevard at Imperial Highway, including additional left turn lanes in the northbound and
southbound directions as well as exclusive right-turn lanes in the eastbound,
southbound and northbound directions, in order to enhance the operational efficiency of
this intersection and to accommodate future traffic volume growth. This project will
CITY OF DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA
Mayor and Members of the City Council
Bellflower Boulevard – Underground Utility District
July 12, 2011
Page 2
require the widening of Bellflower Boulevard along the west side from the north side of
Dalen Street to the northerly end of the Kaiser Permanente medical facility to provide
the necessary street width for the additional left and right-turn lanes. In order to
accommodate widening of Bellflower Boulevard within these limits, the existing utility
poles and overhead utility conductors and cables will need to be either removed and
relocated, or be undergrounded. It has been the City’s policy to underground overhead
utilities along major roadways, therefore, it is desirable to underground the existing
overhead utilities at this location.
In January 2010, the City officially established Underground Utility District No. 22 (UUD
No. 22) along the west side of Bellflower Boulevard between the I-105 Freeway and a
point approximately 900 feet north of Imperial Highway.An Engineer’s Report was
completed at the time in support of UUD No. 22. However, due to a limitation on
funding for this effort, staff has since re-evaluated the boundaries of UUD No. 22 and
determined that the cost of the utility undergrounding at this location can be reduced
considerably if the southerly boundary of the district were relocated further north to the
north side of Dalen Street to coincide with the southern limit of the Bellflower Boulevard
at Imperial Highway intersection improvement project. Staff has updated the Engineer’s
Report to reflect the revised boundaries of UUD No. 22, as proposed, and is now ready
to officially amend the boundaries of the district through the a noticed public hearing and
adoption of a resolution, as required.
It is anticipated that Rule 20B funds will be used for the design and construction of UUD
No. 22 along the west side of Bellflower Boulevard from Dalen Street to approximately
900 feet north of Imperial Highway. While the City is finalizing the design plans for the
Bellflower Boulevard at Imperial Highway Intersection Improvement Project, now would
be the opportune time to initiate an underground utility district to facilitate this project. It
is important for the undergrounding effort to precede the intersection improvement
effort, as this would minimize construction conflicts and preserve new pavement and
concrete surfaces in the area.
DISCUSSION:
Over the past several months, the City has been working with SCE and other utility
companies (Verizon, XO Communications, Time Warner Cable) with the assistance of a
utility consultant in assessing the extent of the undergrounding work. SCE has initiated
the design phase of the undergrounding project and currently the project is on schedule
for an estimated completion date of August 2012. In order to keep the undergrounding
effort on schedule, the City is proposing to manage the portion of the project involving
Mayor and Members of the City Council
Bellflower Boulevard – Underground Utility District
July 12, 2011
Page 3
the installation of the underground infrastructure (i.e., conduit ducts, vaults, handholes,
etc.) as a City Public Works project. The installation of underground cables and
removal of existing overhead cables and utility poles will be the responsibility of SCE
and the other applicable utilities.
Per Section 7501 of the DMC, the City Council may call public hearings to ascertain
whether the public necessity, health, safety or welfare requires the undergrounding of
overhead utilities. Through this Council action, said public hearing for modifying the
boundaries of Underground Utility District No.22, will be set for the meeting of July 26,
2011. The Department of Public Works will be notifying the affected property owners of
the July 26, 2011 public hearing and has updated the Engineer’s Report to reflect the
revised boundaries of UUD No. 22, as proposed. The Engineer’s Report will be made
available for review and comment prior to the hearing.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
In accordance with the CPUC Rule 20B guidelines, rate funds are allowed to subsidize
the cost of the undergrounding. The subsidy includes an amount equal to the cost of an
equivalent overhead electrical system plus the cost of removing the existing overhead
system. The remaining cost shall be paid for by the City. Since Rule 20B guidelines
only apply to SCE, all other utilities agencies are responsible for undergrounding their
respective facilities at their own expense.
Based on a preliminary estimate, the cost of undergrounding the utilities at this location
is estimated at $815,000, with the City’s portion yet to be determined. A detailed
preliminary estimate of cost is included in the Engineer’s Report.The City’s Fiscal Year
2011-12 Capital Improvement Program includes the Bellflower Boulevard at Imperial
Highway Improvement Project (Account No. 26-16605) which will be utilized to cover
the City’s cost of undergrounding the existing overhead utilities within UUD No. 22.
Attachments:
Resolution
Engineer’s Report
S:\AgendaMemosCC2011\07-12-11\UUD22
RESOLUTION NO. ______
ADOPT A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY
DECLARING ITS INTENTION TO MODIFY THE BOUNDARIES OF
UNDERGROUNDING UTILITY DISTRICT No. 22 FROM ALONG THE WEST SIDE
OF BELLFLOWER BOULEVARD FROM THE I-105 FREEWAY TO
APPROXIMATELY 900 FEET NORTH OF IMPERIAL HIGHWAY TO THE WEST
SIDE OF BELLFLOWER BOULEVARD FROM DALEN STREET TO
APPROXIMATELY 900 FEET NORTH OF IMPERIAL HIGHWAY AND CAUSING
ALL SPECIFIED UTILITIES THEREIN TO BE RELOCATED UNDERGROUND.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1.
That the public interest and convenience require, and that it is the
intention of the City Council of the City of Downey to amend the boundaries of Underground
Utility District No. 22 and to order the removal of poles with their related overhead wires and
assorted overhead structures along the west side of Bellflower Boulevard from Dalen Street to
approximately 900 feet north of Imperial Highway, all in accordance with the provisions of
Chapter 5, Article VII, of the Downey Municipal Code and California Public Utilities Commission
(CPUC) Rule 20B.
SECTION 2.
All work contemplated by this Resolution of Intention shall be done in
accordance with the provisions of Chapter 5, containing Sections 7500 through 7510 of Article
VII of the Downey Municipal Code and the CPUC Rule 20B guidelines. Under Rule 20B
guidelines, rate funds are allowed to subsidize the cost of the undergrounding. The subsidy
includes an amount equal to the cost of an equivalent overhead electrical system plus the cost
of removing the existing overhead system. The remaining cost shall be paid for by the City.
SECTION 3.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 7501 of the Downey Municipal
Code, the City Council of the City of Downey hereby sets the hour of 7:30 p.m., on July 26,
2011, as the time, and the Council Chamber at 11111 Brookshire Avenue, Downey, California,
as the place for the hearing of protests in relation to the proposed revision to the District
boundaries.
SECTION 4.
The interim City Clerk shall give notice of said hearing in the manner
provided in Section 7501 of the Downey Municipal Code.
SECTION 5.
The interim City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this resolution.
RESOLUTION NO.
PAGE 2
APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS
_______ day of ____________, 2011.
_____________________________
LUIS H. MARQUEZ, Mayor
ATTEST:
JOYCE E. DOYLE, Interim City Clerk
I HEREBY CERTIFY
that the foregoing Resolution was adopted by the City Council of
the City of Downey at a regular meeting held on the _______ day of ____________________,
2011, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: Council Members:
NOES: Council Member:
ABSENT: Council Member:
ABSTAIN: Council Member:
JOYCE E. DOYLE, Interim City Clerk
.
.
.
11111 Brookshire Avenue
.
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P.O. Box 7016
.
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Downey, CA 90241-7016
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City of Downey
Engineer’s Report
..........
Revised Bellflower Boulevard
Underground Utility District #22
From ~ Dalen St. and Bellflower Blvd.
to ~900’ N/O Imperial Highway
Prepared by:
Utility Resource Networks
For the City of Downey
April 20, 2011
ENGINEER’S REPORT
UNDERGROUND UTILITIES RULE 20B
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I.Summary.........................................................................................1
II.Background.....................................................................................1
III.Utility Coordination........................................................................1
IV.Private Property Impacts.................................................................3
V.Construction Cost Estimate............................................................3
VI.ConstructionSchedule....................................................................4
VII.Boundary Maps...............................................................................4
APPENDIX
Table 1 – Utility Agencies
Table 2 – List of Properties Impacted by Underground Utility
Rule 20b
Preliminary Cost Estimate
i
Engineer’s Report
Underground Utilities Rule 20b Project Overview
1.SUMMARY
In May 2009 Utility Resource Networks (URN), was contracted by KFM Engineering on
behalf of the City of Downey to prepare exhibits and a cost estimate depicting what
would be required for the removal of poles, overhead lines, and associated overhead
structures on Bellflower Blvd. from Dalen St. to approximately 900’ north of Imperial
Hwy. This work is associated as a Rule 20b project with the exception of CIAC taxes and
will be paid for by the City.
2. BACKGROUND
Bellflower Boulevard is a regional route extensively used by both residents and
commuters carrying a heavy volume of vehicular as well as pedestrian traffic. One of the
main north/south corridors through Downey, Bellflower Boulevard is a signature
thoroughfare that is strongly identified with the City of Downey. Bellflower Boulevard is
currently burdened with an unusually heavy concentration of overhead facilities, which
detract from the overall appearance of the City. A key element to beautifying the corridor
and to accommodate the future Bellflower Blvd Street Improvement project, is to
underground all overhead utility lines, within the city ROW.
In addition to improving the City’s physical appearance by removing the visual blight
caused by these above ground facilities, the undergrounding will decrease the heavy
concentration of obstacles within the public right-of-way subject to impact by vehicles.
Utility undergrounding will add to the free and safe movement of pedestrians outside of
the vehicular travel way. Further, the undergrounding will improve the reliability of the
utility services by removing the potential for loss of service due to wire separation and/or
damage to supporting structures as a result of traffic accidents, fire, earthquakes, winds,
storms or other acts of God.
3.UTILITY COORDINATION
There are numerous existing overhead utilities, all on wood poles along Bellflower
Boulevard, which will be undergrounded as part of Rule 20b project. Per field
investigations by URN Staff, the following utility agencies are impacted by this Rule
20b: Southern California Edison Company (electrical distribution), Verizon (telephone)
and Time Warner Cable (telecommunications), formerly Comcast Cable and XO
Communications.
Each impacted utility will thoroughly survey and document their existing facilities and
prepare construction plans reflecting the proposed undergrounding of their facilities.
Through coordination with URN and the City, the Utility Companies will submit plans
1
for review. Based on the City comments and on the terms set forth for the Rule 20b
resolution, revisions to the utility plans may be required. Once the utility invoices and
contracts are executed and construction documents, plans and specifications, are
completed and approved by the City, the Cities designated utility contractor will apply for
a City permit prior to the start of construction. Furthermore, the City will be responsible
for the installation of all infrastructure, which may include conduit, manholes, vaults,
pull-boxes etc. based on the Utility Companies plans and specifications. The Utility
Companies will be responsible for all conduit tie-ins, cabling, splicing, cutting over
electric and communications lines to meet the deadlines as set in Section VI,
Construction Schedule. Third party easement documents that may be required, will be
prepared by the appropriate utility company, and the City will be responsible for
coordination and obtaining approvals and signatures by the appropriate property owners.
All easement documents must be executed before any utility cabling and energizing can
commence. This does not include the placement of infrastructure within the ROW as
defined per the resolution.
After the undergrounding of facilities is complete, it is the responsibility of the Utility
Companies to remove all overhead facilities, which includes poles, overheard wires,
conductors, cables, strand, and other associated hardware within the boundary limits of
the Rule 20b project.
Based on preliminary field investigations and research of existing overhead utilities, the
following is the approximate lengths of the proposed undergrounding per utility.
Utility Agency Approximate Length
SCE Distribution
1,580 linear feet
(Backbone)
SCE Distribution
436 linear feet
(Laterals)
Verizon
1,580 linear feet
(Backbone)
Verizon
450 linear feet
(Laterals)
XO Communications 1,535 linear feet
Time Warner Cable
1,580 linear feet
Fiber and COAX
NOTE!
Linear footage includes new cable for existing underground at Imperial Hwy
2
4. PRIVATE PROPERTY IMPACTS
As a result of the changes in scope and required undergrounding of existing overhead
facilities, a total of 10 properties will be affected by this Rule 20b project. Of those 10
properties, 1 is a residential property and 9 are commercial properties.
Table 2, attached in the Appendix, identifies all properties impacted by Rule 20b. The
property owners listed in Table 2 of this report, (except 9530 Imperial) were previously
notified in writing upon approval of the resolution in January 2010 in regards to this Rule
20b project. These property owners as well as the ones notified on the previous engineers
report will need to be sent new notices based on the change in the scope of this Rule 20b
project.
The existing services to the commercial properties along Bellflower Blvd. are currently
underground with the exception of 12741, 12749, 12757, and 12801 Bellflower Blvd,
in addition to 9454, and 9530 Imperial Hwy. It is anticipated that the overhead services to
these commercial buildings will remain, with the addition of 1 new riser pole to be placed
on private property, thus allowing all overhead facilities within the ROW as described on
the attached boundary map to be placed underground.
5.CONSTRUCTION COST ESTIMATES
COST TO UTILITY:
This project shall be established as a Rule 20B project. Under Rule 20B of the CPUC,
rate funds may be used to subsidize the underground project. The subsidy includes an
amount equal to the cost of an equivalent overhead electrical system, plus the cost of
removing the existing overhead electrical system. The remaining cost is to be paid by the
City of Downey.
Since Rule 20B only applies to SCE and Verizon, the other utility agencies may be
responsible to replace all overhead facilities, with underground facilities within the
designated Rule 20b boundary limits at their own expense based on negotiations with the
City of Downey
The existing diagrammatic exhibit for the proposed Rule 20b project will be modified in
conjunction with the change in scope of the Rule 20b project.
COST TO PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER
:
While the majority of the improvements will be done at no cost to affected private
property owners, utility easements may be required to underground utilities serving
private property – these are service laterals that connect private properties to the utility
system on Bellflower Boulevard. As stated in section 3 the utility agencies will provide
3
the needed private property easement documents, and the city will be responsible for the
coordination and execution of the necessary easements directly with the private property
owners.
6CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE
.
SCE has been paid the advance engineering fees and have initiated their base design
process, and once any additional advance engineering fees are paid, and upon receipt of
the SCE redline prelim the other utility companies will begin design for the underground
construction. All the utility agencies will submit construction documents to the City for
review and approval. Removal of all overhead facilities by the utility agencies will
commence after the completion of all underground connections.
The following is the proposed schedule for the completion of work associated with Rule
20b
Activity Completion Date
Underground substructure installation
TBD
by city contractor
Secure third party easements TBD
Underground cable completion and
TBD
activation by utility agencies
Removal of all poles, overhead wires
and other associated overhead August 15, 2012
structures
7. UNDERGROUND DISTRICT BOUNDARY MAP
Attached is a map illustrating the revised Rule 20b boundaries, within which, all
overhead facilities will be removed, and replaced with an underground system from
ROW to ROW.
4
APPENDIX
Table 1- List of Utility Agencies
Table 2 – List of Properties Impacted by Rule 20b
Preliminary Cost Estimate
Table 1
Utility Agencies
Utility Contact Person Address
Southern California Marquis Randolph 1924 Cashdan St.
EdisonCompton, CA 90220
Verizon Ernie Ybarra 12905 E. Los Nietos Rd.
Santa Fe Springs CA 90670
So Cal Gas Co. Kevin Quinn 701 N. Bullis Rd
Compton, CA 90221
Time Warner Gene Harrigan 14338 Lakewood Blvd,
CommunicationsBellflower, CA 90670
XOLee Arold 1924 Deere Avenue
CommunicationsSanta Ana, CA 92705
Table 2
List of Properties Impacted by Underground Rule 20b
Property
TypeAddress APN
Commercial 12351Bellflower Blvd
Commercial Park SiteBellflower Blvd
Commercial 9449Imperial Hwy Kaiser
Commercial 9454Imperial hwy Blvd
Commercial 9530Imperial Hwy
Commercial 12741Bellflower Blvd
Commercial 12749Bellflower Blvd
Commercial 12757Bellflower Blvd
Commercial 12807Bellflower Blvd
Residential 9603Cheddar
Total by Property Type
Residential 1
Commercial 9
Total10