TO:Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
ATTENTION:Ryan Smoot, City Manager
FROM:Len Gorecki, Assistant City Manager / Director of Public Works SUBJECT:Consideration and possible action to consider an appeal of the underground utility line requirement for the property located at 15503 Cornuta Avenue.
DATE:July 13, 2026
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The applicant, Mr. Richard Weldin, submitted a waiver application to waive the requirement to underground existing overhead utility lines at 15503 Cornuta Avenue.
The waiver request was denied as it did not meet any of the allowable general exemptions listed under § 13.28.020 of the Bellflower Municipal Code (“BMC”). The applicant has requested that the City Council consider his waiver request based on § 13.28.020(B) of the BMC which gives authority to the City Council to waive the requirement. The applicant has paid the non-refundable waiver appeal fee in the amount of $599.00.
RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL
1) Consider the appeal submitted by the applicant to waive the requirement to underground the existing overhead utility lines at 15503 Cornuta Avenue and determine whether to reverse, affirm or modify the requirement established by Bellflower Municipal Code Chapter 13.28; or
2) Alternatively, discuss and take other action related to this item.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Applicant paid a $599.00 non-refundable appeal fee.
DISCUSSION
On December 21, 2023, the City received an application for a new detached ADU project located at 15503 Cornuta Avenue. The application was submitted by ADU Resource Center on behalf of the property owner, Mr. Richard Weldin. The project valuation was $90,000. Due to the project valuation amount, the application was forwarded to the Public Works Department for review to determine if any public right-of-way improvements, including the undergrounding of overhead utility lines, were required pursuant to the BMC.
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Staff Report – Appeal of Requirement to Underground Overhead Utility Lines at 15503 Cornuta Avenue.
July 13, 2026
DISCUSSION – Continued
Public Works staff received the application, inspected the location to assess the current conditions and created the Public Works Checklist document on January 2, 2024. The completed checklist was transmitted back to the Planning Department with the following comments/conditions:
· Per § 12.08.020 of the BMC, there were no required improvements for sidewalk, driveway apron or curb and gutter.
· Per § 13.28.010 of the BMC, the applicant was required to underground the existing overhead utility lines as the valuation of the project is greater than $50,000.
On December 15, 2025, the Public Works Department received a waiver application from Mr. Richard Weldin, the property owner at 15503 Cornuta Avenue, requesting that the undergrounding requirement be waived as the cost to underground the existing utility lines would be greater than 20% of the total project valuation. The City responded in writing on December 22, 2025, denying the waiver request as it did not meet any of the general exemptions listed under § 13.28.020(A) of the BMC which is the section that governs the undergrounding of overhead utility lines. It was further explained that the 20% threshold standard only applies to public right-of-way improvements as established by § 12.08.020 of the BMC.
Following the denial of the waiver application, Mr. Weldin submitted the attached letter requesting a waiver of the underground requirement be considered by the City Council per § 13.28.020(B) of the BMC, which reads as follows:
“Special Exception. The City Council may waive or modify the requirements set forth in this chapter.”
The applicant has paid the non-refundable Waiver Appeal Fee and is requesting that City Council consider waiving the underground requirement associated with his building permit based on the special exception provision.
ATTACHMENTS
Appeal from Applicant (dated June 5, 2026) ................................................................... 3 Public Works Director Determination and Waiver Application ......................................... 5 Public Works Checklist for 15530 Cornuta Avenue ....................................................... 12 -2-
June 05, 2026
Dear Mr. Gorecki and Honorable Members of the Bellflower City Council, I am respectfully requesting that the City Council grant a waiver of the underground utility requirement for my Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) project located at 15503 Cornuta Avenue pursuant to City Ordinance No. 1037, Section 2(B), or any other applicable provision allowing for an exception.
My property consists of three separate residences located at 15505, 15503, and 15501 Cornuta Avenue, each with its own detached garage. Prior to construction of the ADU, the utility pole located at the street served two existing overhead electrical service drops. One set of wires supplied the front residence at 15505 Cornuta Avenue, and the second set supplied the middle residence at 15503 Cornuta Avenue. The rear residence at 15501 Cornuta Avenue receives electrical service from a separate pole located at the rear of the property.
The ADU was constructed in an open grassy area between the middle residence and the garage associated with the front residence. When the ADU was ready for electrical meter installation and all necessary approvals had been obtained, Southern California Edison informed us that the existing overhead service serving 15503 Cornuta Avenue did not maintain sufficient clearance from the ADU roof. Edison determined that the existing service would need to be relocated directly to the ADU and connected to a new two-gang electrical panel. From that panel, electrical service would then be routed underground to the existing residence at 15503 Cornuta Avenue.
This work was completed exactly as required by Edison. The installation was inspected and approved by the City inspector. Edison subsequently installed two electrical meters—one for the ADU and one for the existing residence—and energized both services. Importantly, Edison did not install any new overhead service wires. The same two overhead service drops that existed before construction of the ADU remain in place today. The only change was the relocation of one existing service connection as directed by Edison to maintain proper safety clearances.
For comparison, the neighboring property at 15421 Cornuta Avenue completed a garage conversion ADU project at approximately the same time as my project. That ADU is substantially similar in size and configuration to mine, consisting of a two-bedroom, one- bathroom unit of approximately 748 square feet. During that project, Edison installed an additional overhead service drop from the utility pole located at the street directly to the new ADU. As a result, the pole that previously served only the primary residence now serves both the main residence and the ADU through two separate overhead service drops. The project received final approval without any undergrounding requirement.
The circumstances at my property differ significantly. I did not add any new overhead utility wires. The number of overhead service drops serving my property remains exactly the same as before construction of the ADU. All electrical service modifications were completed in accordance with Edison's requirements and under City inspection and approval.
Additionally, nowhere on the City-approved plans was there any indication that existing utility lines would be required to be undergrounded. As a result, neither my contractor nor I were aware -3-
of this requirement during the construction process. Had this requirement been identified on the approved plans, we could have addressed it earlier in the project and avoided the delays that have followed. Instead, the issue was not brought to my attention until after construction had been completed and Public Works sign-off was requested. As a result, my ADU has been completed for approximately one year while I continue working to resolve this matter and obtain final project approval.
Given these unique circumstances, I respectfully request that the City Council grant a waiver of the underground utility requirement. The existing overhead utility configuration does not increase the number of overhead service drops serving the property, and all electrical work was performed in accordance with Southern California Edison requirements and City inspections. I believe these facts support consideration of a special exception under Ordinance No. 1037, Section 2(B).
I appreciate the City's consideration of this request and would be pleased to answer any questions from staff or the City Council. I am also available to meet at the property or provide any additional information that may assist in evaluating this request.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Richard Weldin, Property Owner
310-963-5894
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