WHEREAS, formation of an UUD will help improve the flow of vehicular and pedestrian traffic as well as the general appearance of Grove Street; and WHEREAS, property owners’ and/or utility customers’ wishing to continue utility services are required to participating in the conversion of their utility services consistent with City of Healdsburg requirements and California Public Utility Commission tariffs; and WHEREAS, the conversion of overhead electric utility facilities to undergrounding is subject to a categorical exemption from the California Environment Quality Act ("CEQA"), pursuant to Section 15302(d) of the CEQA Guidelines.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Healdsburg does hereby:
1. Find that the conversion of overhead electric utility distribution system facilities to underground including connection to existing overhead electric utility distribution lines where the surface is restored to the condition existing prior to the undergrounding is categorically exempt from CEQA under Section 15302(d).
2. Establish an Underground Utility District (UUD) along Grove Street from Grant Street North to Dry Creek Road.
3. Direct staff to use City funds to install service conduits, as needed, on each property impacted by the UUD notwithstanding any obligations of property owners to the contrary in Healdsburg Municipal Code chapter 13.24.
4. That all existing overhead utility facilities within the defined boundaries, with the exceptions allowed per Healdsburg Municipal Code, must be removed and/or replaced with underground utility facilities on or before June 30, 2025.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Healdsburg this 4
th day of March 2024, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers: ( )
NOES: Councilmembers: ( )
ABSENT: Councilmembers: ( )
ABSTAINING: Councilmembers: ( )
SO ORDERED: ATTEST:
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Packet Pg. 101 Attachment: Resolution (4357 : Formation of the Grove Street UUD) Resolution No. -2024
____________________________________ ____________________________________ David Hagele, Mayor Raina Allan, City Clerk
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Packet Pg. 102 Attachment: Resolution (4357 : Formation of the Grove Street UUD)
MARCH AVENUE
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Packet Pg. 103 Attachment: Grove Street UUD Project Area (4357 : Formation of the Grove Street UUD)
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Packet Pg. 105 Attachment: Grove Street UUD Project Area (4357 : Formation of the Grove Street UUD)
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Attachment: Public Comment (4357 : Formation of the Grove Street UUD) Raina Allan
From:
Sent:
To:
Cc:
Subject:
Attachments:
From: William Adams
Terry Crowley
Wednesday, February 28, 2024 11 :OS AM
Samantha Zutler (Forwarding)
Raina Allan
FW: [EXTERNAL] - Additional public comment to City Council for 3/4/24 Grove St UUD hearing and proposed Resolution
Public Comment for 2/20/24 Healdsburg City Counsel hearing re Grove Street Underground Utilities District
Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2024 10:47 AM
To: Ronald Edwards <[email protected]>; David Hagele <[email protected]>; Chris Herrod <[email protected]>; Evelyn Mitchell <[email protected]>; Jeff Kay <[email protected]>; Terry Crowley <[email protected]>
Cc: Remy Cantoadams
Subject: [EXTERNAL] - Additional public comment to City Council for 3/4/24 Grove St UUD hearing and proposed Resolution
[CAUTION:] This email originated from outside your organization. Exercise caution when opening attachments or clicking links, especially from unknown senders.
Healdsburg City Council members, City Manager, and Utilities Department team - I am one of the owners of-Grove Street. I previously sent my attached public comment on February 15, 2024, concerning the pending City Council hearing on the Grove Street Underground Utilities District (UUD), which has been continued until Monday, March 4, 2024. This additional public comment addresses an apparent contradiction between the staff report and requirements of the Healdsburg Municipal Code chapter 13.24; and proposes additional language to resolve this contradiction to include in the draft Council Resolution establishing the Grove Street UUD.
Staff Report
In the staff report prepared by Utilities Director Terry Crowley dated February 20, 2024, the second paragraph of the Discussion/ Analysis section on page two reads as follows:
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Packet Pg. 107 Attachment: Public Comment (4357 : Formation of the Grove Street UUD)
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Attachment: Public Comment (4357 : Formation of the Grove Street UUD)
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Attachment: Public Comment (4357 : Formation of the Grove Street UUD)
CITY OF HEALDSBURG
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE: March 4, 2024
SUBJECT: Formation of an Underground Utility District Along Healdsburg Ave from the City's Northern Most Boundary to Sunnyvale Drive
PREPARED BY: Terry Crowley, Utilities Director
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE(S):
Maintain and Improve Infrastructure and Facilities
Maintain and Enhance Public Health and Safety
Provide Resident-Driven Community Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Adopt a Resolution establishing an Underground Utility District (UUD) along Healdsburg Avenue from Boxheart Drive South to Sunnyvale Drive.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT/OUTREACH:
This Public Hearing was noticed in both the Healdsburg Tribune and the Press Democrat and letters were mailed to city utility customers and property owners within the proposed underground utility district boundaries.
BACKGROUND:
Recently the City was awarded grant funding to construct the Healdsburg Ave Street Improvements spanning from the northern most portion of Healdsburg to the intersection of Powell and Healdsburg Avenue. These improvements are currently under design construction planned for calendar year 2026. Ahead of the street improvements, City staff are planning to replace aging water and wastewater pipelines as well as contemplating placing existing overhead utility lines underground, including facilities owned by Pacific Gas & Electric, AT&T, Comcast, City owned electric facilities, and Sonic, along sections of Healdsburg Avenue.
Under Healdsburg Municipal Code Section 13.24, the City Council may, after consulting with other affected utilities and conducting a public hearing, find that the public's necessity, health, safety or welfare requires the removal of poles, overhead wires, and associated overhead structures within designated areas of the city and thus the installation of underground facilities for supplying electric, communication, or similarly associated services through the formation of underground utility districts. Once an underground utility district is formed, no installation of
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overhead facilities will be allowed within the district boundaries other than the exceptions as described within Healdsburg Municipal Code Section 13.24. The purpose of forming such underground districts is to eliminate unusually heavy concentrations of overhead facilities upon streets and thoroughfares that carry heavy volumes of pedestrian or vehicular traffic and/or to improve the aesthetics of civic streets or areas of scenic interest. Final determination to form underground utility districts is at the sole discretion of the Healdsburg City Council.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
In conjunction with planned street improvements along Healdsburg Avenue, staff is recommending that an UUD be formed along Healdsburg Avenue from Boxheart Drive south to Sunnyvale Drive. The area proposed for undergrounding is shown in the attachment to this staff report but generally includes all parcels facing Healdsburg Avenue within the described section.
This section of Healdsburg Avenue serves both pedestrian and vehicular traffic and is congested with overhead facilities. The formation of an UUD will replace the overhead facilities with underground facilities helping to improve the flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic as well as the general appearance of Healdsburg Avenue. Additionally, the proposed undergrounding will remove overhead powerlines within portions of the California Public Utility Commissions High Fire Threat Zone, lessening the risk of utility caused wildfires and Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS).
In forming an UUD, any person occupying properties within the UUD and desiring to continue to receive electric, communication, and/or similar services must facilitate all necessary facility changes on their premises to continue receiving these utility services. For properties not already served by underground utilities, this requires property owners to facilitate the installation of underground conduits and service conversions (weather-heads) to allow the installation of new underground utility services. Since the work of undergrounding must be tightly coordinated with planned water and wastewater pipeline replacements as well as the final street improvements, staff is recommending the City install service conduits as needed. This approach has been used in past undergrounding projects and helps ensure construction schedules are maintained and is less impactful to existing utility customers. All services that require conversion will be subject to the applicable codes, rules, regulations, and tariffs of the City and other respective utilities.
While completing the work, City staff plan to convert any remaining PG&E electric customers within the UUD to City electric services. This process will follow PG&E’s tariff for Transferred Municipal Departing Load. City staff will coordinate between PG&E and existing PG&E customers to complete the transfer from PG&E to City Electric. In most cases this requires a short half-day or full-day power outage to complete the conversion. All customers converted to City electric will be required to establish utility accounts with the City prior to conversion.
Prior to this Council meeting, all property owners and city utility customers were notified of the Public Hearing to discuss establishment of the underground utility district. If Council chooses to establish the UUD each property owner will again be informed by letter of the Council’s action and expected timeline for the project. Additionally, City staff have been and continue to work with affected utilities within the boundaries of the proposed UUD.
If the UUD is established, all overhead utilities will be required to be removed on or before
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March 30, 2026. This deadline is consistent with the current project schedule of the Healdsburg Ave Improvement Project and is necessary to avoid delays in the street improvement work.
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP:
Undergrounding of overhead utilities improves area aesthetics and reduces the need to trim or remove trees located around power lines. Additionally, undergrounding of overhead powerlines reduces the risk of utility caused wildfires and the carbon emissions associated with those wildfires.
ALTERNATIVES:
As an alternative the City Council could choose not to form the UUD and provide further direction to staff. Choosing this alternative would leave the overhead utilities in place, impacting the aesthetics of the area and planned street improvements. Additionally, not forming the district would leave overhead powerlines within the City’s WUI, limiting progress toward reducing the risk of utility caused wildfires.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The underground project on Healdsburg Avenue is currently estimated to cost the City approximately $4.5 million dollars. The Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Budget includes $220,000 for initial planning and design costs. The establishment of the UUD is the first step towards developing agreements with the various investor-owned utilities that will define the scope of the trenching work and the contribution amounts from each utility. The communication utilities will contribute funds towards the project based on their share of the joint trenching costs, cost to install new underground communication cables, and the cost to remove old overhead facilities.
However, PG&E will underground their lines under the Rule 20B tariff. PG&E’s Rule 20B requires the City to pay PG&E to install the underground cable, provides the City a credit for a new equivalent overhead line, and PG&E will pay to remove their old overhead facilities.
Estimates for the utility contributions were included in the current estimated total project costs.
No additional appropriations are required currently as the establishment of the underground utility district does not inherently incur costs. Staff will return to the council for approval of each agreement with the various utilities and reassess the project budget at that time.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
Any underground installation of utilities performed within the UUD will result in the surface of the existing street and/or sidewalk being restored to at least the condition existing prior to the work. Based on surface restoration, the formation of the UDD, and the subsequent undergrounding of utilities, is exempt from further CEQA review pursuant to section 15302(d).
ATTACHMENT(S):
Resolution
Healdsburg Ave Undergrounding Project Area
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CITY OF HEALDSBURG
RESOLUTION NO. - 2024
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
HEALDSBURG ESTABLISHING AN UNDERGROUND
UTILITY DISTRICT ALONG HEALDSBURG AVENUE FROM
BOXHEART DRIVE SOUTH TO SUNNYVALE DRIVE
WHEREAS, under to Healdsburg Municipal code section 13.24, the City Council can hold a public hearing to ascertain the feasibility of forming underground utility districts (UUD); and WHEREAS, the establishment of a UUD is within the sole discretion of the City Council; and
WHEREAS, prior to this public hearing City staff and engaged with the investor-owned utilities of Pacific Gas & Electric, AT&T, Comcast, and Sonic to coordinate the work of undergrounding overhead lines; and
WHEREAS, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has authorized electric and telecommunication utilities to convert overhead utility lines and facilities to underground facilities pursuant to Electric Rule 20 and Telecommunication Rule 32; and WHEREAS, factors that the City Council can consider in determining whether to establish a UUD include the following:
1. Such undergrounding will avoid or eliminate an unusually heavy concentration of aerial facilities.
2. Said street, or road or right-of-way is in an area extensively used by the general public and carries a heavy volume of pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
3. Said street, road or right-of-way adjoins or passes through a civic area or public recreation area or an area of unusual scenic interest to the general public; and WHEREAS, a public hearing has been called to discuss the formation of the UUD and all affected property owners have been contacted prior to the hearing; and WHEREAS, once established the existing overhead utility facilities must be removed and all future installations of overhead facilities is strictly prohibited with the exceptions listed within Healdsburg’s Municipal Code; and
WHEREAS, existing property owners will be required to convert their existing service entrances to accept service from underground utility facilities in accordance with all applicable standards, codes, and individual utility requirements; and WHEREAS, the area that subject to the proposed UUD serves both pedestrian and vehicular traffic and is currently heavily congested with overhead facilities; and
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Packet Pg. 113 Attachment: Resolution (4358 : Formation of Healdsburg Ave North UUD) Resolution No. -2024
Page2
WHEREAS, formation of an UUD will help improve the flow of vehicular and pedestrian traffic as well as the general appearance of Healdsburg Avenue; and WHEREAS, property owners’ and/or utility customers’ wishing to continue utility services are required to participating in the conversion of their utility services consistent with City of Healdsburg requirements and California Public Utility Commission tariffs; and WHEREAS, the conversion of overhead electric utility facilities to undergrounding is subject to a categorical exemption from the California Environment Quality Act ("CEQA"), pursuant to Section 15302(d) of the CEQA Guidelines.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Healdsburg does hereby:
1. Find that the conversion of overhead electric utility distribution system facilities to underground including connection to existing overhead electric utility distribution lines where the surface is restored to the condition existing prior to the undergrounding is categorically exempt from CEQA under Section 15302(d).
2. Establish an Underground Utility District (UUD) along Healdsburg Avenue from Boxheart Drive south to Sunnyvale Drive as illustrated in the attached map.
3. Direct staff to use City funds to install service conduits, as needed, on each property impacted by the UUD notwithstanding any obligations of property owners to the contrary in Healdsburg Municipal Code chapter 13.24.
4. That all existing overhead utility facilities within the defined boundaries, with the exceptions allowed per Healdsburg Municipal Code, must be removed and/or replaced with underground utility facilities on or before March 30, 2026.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Healdsburg this 4
th day of March 2024, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers: ( )
NOES: Councilmembers: ( )
ABSENT: Councilmembers: ( )
ABSTAINING: Councilmembers: ( )
SO ORDERED: ATTEST:
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Packet Pg. 114 Attachment: Resolution (4358 : Formation of Healdsburg Ave North UUD) Resolution No. -2024
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___________________________________ ___________________________________ David Hagele, Mayor Raina Allan, City Clerk
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Packet Pg. 116 Attachment: Healdsburg Ave Undergrounding Project Area (4358 : Formation of Healdsburg Ave North UUD)
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Packet Pg. 118 Attachment: Healdsburg Ave Undergrounding Project Area (4358 : Formation of Healdsburg Ave North UUD)
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CITY OF HEALDSBURG
CITY COUNCIL FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
(NOTE: The schedule is tentative and subject to change pending final publication and posting of the City Council meeting agenda) March 18, 2024 Employee Anniversaries – Berenice Garcia (30 years), Alexis Reynoso (5 years), Sal Sanchez (10 years) and Mark Yokoyama (5 Years)
Cesar Chavez Day Proclamation
National Surveyors Week Proclamation
Police Department Annual Update
Revisions to the Memorandum of Understanding with 421 Foss Street LLC (Duchamp Hotel) for the Foley Family Community Pavilion Project
Saggio Hills Park and Badger Park Design
Military Equipment Renewal
Memorandum of Understanding to be a member agency in the Russian River Reuse Collective (R3C) Housing Element Annual Progress Report
General Plan Annual Progress Report
Growth Management Ordinance Annual Report
Reeve Wines Requests for The BloodRoot Ramble on June 8, 2024 at the Healdsburg Community Center Agreement with DC Electric Group, Inc. and Development Group, Inc. for Public WiFi Implementation in Plaza Park
Home Energy Load Management Program
Bid Award Municipal Recycled Water Pipeline Project Construction and Inspection Services Present the financial study and rates structures for water and wastewater Initiate the Proposition 218 process for water and wastewater rate increases Update from Police Department on Public Safety Cameras
Housing Policy Polling Update
SB329 – City Council Compensation
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Packet Pg. 120 Attachment: Future Agenda Planning Sheet (4359 : Future Agenda Items - February 20, 2024) 2/28/2024 – Page 2
March 25, 2023
(Villa Annex) City Council Goal Setting
April 1, 2024 Sexual Assault Awareness Month Proclamation Week of the Young Child Proclamation
Reserve Firefighter of the Year
Fire Department Annual Update
Income-Qualified Multi-Family Energy Appliance Direct Install Program Public Art Grant Awards
General Plan Amendment – Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
Downtown Density Study Analysis
Sales Tax Capture and Leakage Analysis Presentation
April 15, 2024 Budget Development Update
2024 Utility Wildfire Mitigation Plan
Annual Water Supply Update
Healdsburg Tourism Improvement District Annual Update
(NOTE: The schedule is tentative and subject to change pending final publication and posting of the City Council meeting agenda)
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Packet Pg. 121 Attachment: Future Agenda Planning Sheet (4359 : Future Agenda Items - February 20, 2024)