Armstrong & Brooks Consulting Engineers
1350 East Chase Drive ~ Corona, CA. ~ 92881 Mail To: P.O. Box 78088 ~ Corona, CA. ~ 92877 Ph. (951) 372-8400 ~ Fax (951) 372-8430
J.N. 121.2011
March 2, 2023
City of Corona
City Clerk
400 South Vicentia Ave., Suite 115
Corona, California 92882
Attn: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
Re: PWGR2022-0032: Undergrounding of Existing Utilities Waiver Request 1500 West Chase Drive (APN:112-320-004) is located southeast of the centerline intersection of Mangular Avenue and West Chase Drive. The project proposes to construct one single-family residence on a currently undeveloped property. The property is surrounded by existing single-family residential properties and is an in-fill project.
Currently, there exists overhead electrical lines running to the north and south through the western edge of the property with an existing power pole situated along the property frontage in the public right-of-way and another located inside the southerly neighboring property.
Per CMC 15.60.060, Armstrong & Brooks Consulting Engineers is requesting a waiver to the condition being imposed on the project that requires power lines that distribute less than 33KV to be underground. As shown on the attached exhibit, approximately 215 feet of electrical conduit would need to be installed to underground the electrical lines between these two existing power poles. The cost of undergrounding the overhead electrical lines is estimated to cost approximately $500 per linear foot with a total cost of approximately $110,000. The cost of satisfying this condition would make the project unviable financially for the property owners and would critically harm their prospects of constructing a home for their family.
In addition, the main purpose of undergrounding overhead utilities is to improve the sightline quality of the general public. Undergrounding the overhead electrical lines that run through the subject property would not significantly improve the sightline of the community; particularly from the surrounding streets of Foothill Boulevard and Chase Armstrong & Brooks
Consulting Engineers
Civil Engineering - Water Resources - Surveying
Armstrong & Brooks Consulting Engineers
1350 East Chase Drive ~ Corona, CA. ~ 92881 Mail To: P.O. Box 78088 ~ Corona, CA. ~ 92877 Ph. (951) 372-8400 ~ Fax (951) 372-8430
Drive. The undergrounding of the overhead electrical lines within the subject property will not result in the removal of these two existing power poles. The existing power pole along the project’s frontage on Chase Drive would still remain in place and would not improve the current sightline of Chase Drive or Mangular Avenue. The existing power pole inside the southerly property would also remain and the sightline along Foothill Boulevard would remain unchanged.
By waiving the undergrounding of utilities requirement for this project, the Pappalardo family will be able to develop this existing vacant lot into a property that reflects the spirit and aesthetic of both their local neighborhood and the City of Corona at large.
Should you need additional information, please contact me at your earliest convenience for further discussion.
Sincerely,
Joshua Groenheim
Assistant Engineer