DATE: March 12, 2024
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Director of Public Works
SUBJECT Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute Easement Deeds to Pacific Gas and Electric Company to Construct, Reconstruct, Maintain, Inspect, and Access Underground Electric, Communication and Gas Facilities for Public Utility Purposes On and Under a Portion of the City’s Land for La Vista Park.
RECOMMENDATION
That Council adopts a resolution (Attachment II) authorizing the City Manager to execute two Easement Deeds (Attachments III and IV) to Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to construct, reconstruct, use, maintain, inspect and access underground electric, gas and communication facilities for public utility purposes on and under a portion of the City owned parcel of land for La Vista Park.
SUMMARY
The City’s easement deeds will allow PG&E to install underground conduits and cables in vaults and surface mounted cabinets within a narrow (approximately six feet wide) strip of the City owned land for La Vista Park, generally along one side of a planned roadway to an under-construction La Vista Residential project at 720 Tennyson Road (Attachment V). This project will provide affordable residential housing and a school. Additionally, the proposed PG&E facilities in the requested easements can be extended later to the City’s La Vista Park.
BACKGROUND
The City’s easement grants will enable PG&E to extend its public utilities from its existing and newer underground network in Tennyson Road to the La Vista Residential Project being developed by Eden Housing and The Pacific Companies, to create 176 new affordable apartment homes as well as an approximately 36,000 square foot school that will serve up to 384 students from preschool through 6th grade.
This new community will provide Hayward’s expanding population with access to much needed affordable housing in the heart of the growing Mission Boulevard Corridor. The current design clusters the housing into two separate 5-story buildings on the site’s interior, allowing much of the hillside to become part of the future La Vista Park. One building will consist of only residential units while the other will also include an early education center on the ground floor The City has had an active role in the entitlements and design process of the CalTrans Parcel Group Three Development.
DISCUSSION
PG&E will design and install, at no cost to the City, its underground conduits and cables in vaults and surface mounted cabinets within the city granted easements to provide its public utility services to La Vista Residential development. Additionally, the City’s easement grants will provide PG&E reasonable access rights over its property to the easement area needed for inspection, maintenance and repairs to its public utility facilities.
City’s easement also grants PG&E rights, from time to time, to trim or to cut down trees and brush along each side of the easement area which may interfere with or be a hazard to the facilities installed therein or as may be necessary to comply with applicable state or federal regulations.
No building, structure or fence can be built over the easement area nor can there be any earth fills, excavation, drilling or storage of flammable substances to interfere with the maintenance and operation of PG&E’s utility facilities.
CEQA Compliance
City’s easement grants are for PG&E to extend its public utilities from its existing and newer underground network in Tennyson Road to La Vista Residential Project, currently under construction. This project was recently approved by the City with due public participation and CEQA review. The area in the vicinity of this project is already developed with housing or designated for a city park and open space.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
The City’s easement grants will enable PG&E to extend its public utilities for development of a currently undeveloped parcel of land in Hayward for affordable housing and school purposes. This development project will enhance the city’s property tax base and more importantly enhance the local economy.
FISCAL IMPACT
The two easements will encumber approximately 5,130 square feet of the City’s property. City’s easement grants will be voluntary, without any monetary compensation from PG&E. PG&E is not authorized to purchase any easement for its service extension to a single customer, even if the easement area may be used in the future to serve additional customers in the vicinity.
STRATEGIC ROADMAP
This agenda item supports the City’s Strategic Roadmap and its goals to Preserve, Produce and Protect housing for All, and Grow the Economy. This item also supports educational opportunities in and around Hayward.
SUSTAINABILITY FEATURES
There are no sustainability features associated with this item.
NEXT STEPS
If approved by Council, staff will provide the approved Resolution and the Easement Deeds executed by the City Manager to PG&E for filing with the Alameda County Clerk – Recorder’s Office.
Prepared by: Mo Sharma, Senior Civil Engineer
Reviewed by: Kathy Garcia, Deputy Director of Public Works Recommended by: Alex Ameri, Director of Public Works
Approved by:
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Kelly McAdoo, City Manager