BACKGROUND:
The City owns various parcels of land throughout the City for various uses, such as, City parks, right of way areas, medians, landscape areas, other open space areas, and public buildings. In some instances, these parcels are leased or rented by private firms or individuals for other uses, such as residential and commercial uses and/or even for cell towers on City or adjacent property.
From time to time, the City is requested to grant utility easements over the City land to accommodate utility access to the above cited property examples, stormwater facilities, roadways and/or other uses.
In addition, the City is requested to approve minor changes in existing leases or agreements related to City properties to accommodate utilities and/or access improvements and upgrades.
DISCUSSION:
Referencing what is cited above, an example of such a request was Southern California Edison’s (SCE) requests for easements across a few City-owned corner park lots in the new Verano development area to support DH Horton’s completion of its tract. Another example is a recent request from SCE for an easement across a City parcel to provide power to a new cell tower on the same parcel.
Rather than take each one of these routine requests to City Council each time, it is recommended that to save Public Works Staff time (predominantly Engineering Division Staff) and the costs associated with processing these requests, the City Council authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute these routine easements and other documents, on behalf of the City Council.
If this request is approved, each such easement would first be reviewed by the Director of Public Works prior to recommending the City Manager execute and/or approve the document. In turn, the City Manager will update the City Council after each such easement, document or action is approved. If the matter is deemed to be more than routine or considered to be of some importance, a Staff Report will be prepared for City Council consideration at a regularly scheduled City Council meeting.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no significant impact on approving this item. The cost incurred in processing these requests by outside parties would be borne by the requestors and for internal projects the ministerial cost would be borne by the appropriate Departmental budget item for these actions.
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN: