9B
Date: March 25, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Craig Bilezerian, Public Works Director
By: Shin Furukawa, Deputy Public Works Director/ City Engineer | [email protected]
Subject: Public Works – Conduct Public Hearing, Approve Engineer’s Report and Adopt RESOLUTION Establishing Underground Utility District No. 21. Expenditure: None.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of the Public Works Director that City Council:
1. Conduct a public hearing to determine whether public necessity, health, safety or welfare requires the removal of poles, overhead wires, associated overhead structures and the underground installation of wires and facilities for supplying electric, communication or similar services in Underground Utility District (UUD) No. 21 – Madrona Ave from Civic Center Dr to Torrance Blvd; and
2. Approve the Engineer’s Report; and
3. Adopt a RESOLUTION establishing UUD No. 21.
FUNDING
None required.
DISCUSSION
At the January 14, 2025 City Council meeting, staff presented several corridors for Your Honorable Body’s consideration for the establishment of Torrance UUD No. 21. Your Honorable Body identified Madrona Ave from Civic Center Dr to Torrance Blvd as the recommended alternative, and set 6:30 p.m. on March 25, 2025 as the time and date for the public hearing for the proposed UUD No. 21. Notices of the public hearing were mailed to adjacent property owners, businesses and utility companies of the proposed UUD No. 21. The Notice was also published on March 4, 2025 in the Daily Breeze.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has mandated in the Rule 20 Tariff that Rule 20A projects must meet one or more of the following public interest criteria:
1. Eliminate an unusually heavy concentration of overhead power lines
2. Involve a street with a high volume of traffic
1 City Council
March 25, 2025
4 2
9 3. Benefit a civic or public recreation area of unusual scenic interest
4. Be listed as an arterial street or major collector as defined in the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research guidelines
The proposed UUD No. 21 on Madrona Ave from Civic Center Dr to Torrance Blvd meets all of these criteria.
The following reasons are also applicable to the City Council’s selection of this proposed district:
• The proposed undergrounding is adjacent to the Civic Center and will complement the aesthetics of the redesigned Civic Center Master Plan; and • The rough order of magnitude (ROM) cost as estimated by Southern California Edison to underground existing overhead facilities in this corridor is within the City’s current Rule 20A work credit balance of $3,893,306.00, meaning that it is anticipated that the City would not need to contribute any local funds towards the undergrounding effort.
Other items to note with the proposed underground utility district are as follows:
1. No utility poles outside the described UUD boundaries will be removed.
2. Establishment of the UUD will prohibit future installation of overhead facilities within the District. All new utilities shall be installed underground.
3. Any other franchise utilities leasing space on the existing power poles must also underground their facilities. Other franchise utilities in the area were notified of the proposed District. Crown Castle indicated they have existing facilities on the poles within the proposed District. Frontier, Verizon, and Extenet confirmed that they do not have facilities on the poles within the proposed District. We are awaiting determinations from the remaining franchise utilities.
Pursuant to Section 77.1.41 of the Torrance Municipal Code, the following are exceptions to the undergrounding requirements of the District:
1. Any municipal facilities or equipment installed under the supervision and to the satisfaction of the Public Works Director;
2. Poles or electroliers used exclusively for streetlighting;
3. Overhead wires (exclusive of supporting structures) crossing any portion of the District within which overhead wires have been prohibited, or connecting to buildings on the perimeter of the District, when such wires originate in an area from which poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures are not prohibited;
4. Poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures used for the transmission of electric energy at nominal voltages in excess of 34,500 volts;
5. Overhead wires attached to the exterior surface of a building by means of a bracket or other fixture and extending from one location on the building to another location on the same building or to an adjacent building without crossing any public street;
6. Antenna, associated equipment and supporting structures, used by a utility for furnishing communication services;
7. Equipment appurtenant to underground facilities, such as surface-mounted transformers, pedestal-mounted terminal boxes and meter cabinets, vent pipes and ducts; and 2 City Council
March 25, 2025
4 2
9 8. Temporary poles, overhead wires and associated structures used or to be used in conjunction with construction projects.
The attached Engineer’s Report contains a rough order of magnitude (ROM) cost estimate of $3,650,000 for the District, along with a proposed construction schedule. The City’s current Rule 20A work credit balance is $3,893,306.00, which is approximately $243,300 higher than the ROM cost estimate.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution
2. Location Map
3. City Council Item of January 15, 2025
4. Notice of Public Hearing
5. Proof of Publication
6. Engineer’s Report
3 ATTACHMENT 1
4 5
6 MARICOPA ST
TORRANCE BLVD
CIVICCENTER DR
2025-01-15-15-08.mxd
´
FIGURE
1 Proposed Underground
Utility District No. 21
City of T
orrance
Proposed Underground Utility District No. 21
Madrona Ave from Civic Center Dr. to south of T
orrance Blvd
MADRONA AVE
7 EXHIBIT A
CITY OF TORRANCE
PROPOSED UNDERGROUND DISTRICT NO. 21
Madrona Avenue
The full width of Madrona Avenue right-of-way, from the south side of Civic Center Drive to 145’ south of the centerline of Torrance Boulevard.
8 MARICOPA ST
TORRANCE BLVD
CIVICCENTER DR
2025-01-15-15-08.mxd
´
ATTACHMENT 2
Proposed Underground
Utility District No. 21
City of T
orrance
Proposed Underground Utility District No. 21
Madrona Ave from Civic Center Dr. to south of T
orrance Blvd
MADRONA AVE
9 2
3 0
Date: January 14, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Craig Bilezerian, Public Works Director
By: Shin Furukawa, Deputy Public Works Director / City Engineer [email protected]
Subject: Public Works – Identify Location of Underground Utility District No. 21 and Set Hearing Date. Expenditure: None.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of the Public Works Director that City Council:
1. Identify the location of Underground Utility District No. 21 to remove existing poles, overhead wires, associated overhead structures and to underground wires and facilities that provide electric, communication and similar services within the proposed district; and
2. Set a date of March 25, 2025 for a public hearing regarding proposed Underground Utility District No. 21; and
3. Direct staff to notify all property owners, businesses and utility companies affected by the proposed district.
FUNDING
None Required.
DISCUSSION
In 1967, the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) issued decision No. D.73078 requiring electrical utilities to budget funds to convert overhead electrical systems to underground systems.
These funds, known as Rule 20A funds, were collected and set aside by Southern California Edison (SCE) on a formula basis for use by various agencies within their service area.
On June 13, 2023, the CPUC issued a Phase 2 Decision D.23-06-008 that discontinued the Rule 20A program. Furthermore, any Rule 20A funds that have not been allocated to an agency with an active Rule 20A project will be deemed forfeited on June 1, 2025. Since 1969, the City of Torrance has established 21 Utility Underground Districts (UUDs) including UUD Nos. 1 through 20, including UUD Nos. 18A and 18B (Attachment 1). In 2011, the City established UUD No. 18A which encompassed Hawthorne Blvd from Del Amo Blvd to 186th St. As design of UUD No. 18A progressed, it was determined that estimated costs were significantly higher than available Rule 20A funds.
10G
1 10
ATTACHMENT 3
2 3
0 City Council
January 14, 2025
This was due to the size and extent of existing transmission facilities within UUD No. 18A, which are significantly more expensive to underground than smaller distribution facilities. Furthermore, Hawthorne Blvd’s designation as a State Highway added Caltrans permitting requirements which further increased costs. Staff elected to suspend proceedings on UUD No. 18A and consider other more cost-effective alternatives.
UUD No. 18A is now considered inactive by Southern California Edison (SCE) due to the lack of activity during the last several years, leaving a balance of undesignated Rule 20A funds. As such, the City currently has a Rule 20A allocation balance of $3,893,306 that is subject to forfeiture unless designated to a new, viable alternative UUD.
Rule 20A projects must meet one or more of the following public interest criteria:
Eliminate an unusually heavy concentration of overhead power lines Involve a street with a high volume of traffic
Benefit a civic or public recreation area of unusual scenic interest Be listed as an arterial street or major collector as defined in the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research guidelines
Staff has identified four suggested corridors (Attachment 2) for City Council’s consideration that meet the above criteria. These corridors encompass high-visibility roadways that would most benefit from undergrounding of overhead utilities, as they will provide scenic and safety enhancements of areas that benefit public interest:
1. Madrona Ave: Adjacent to the Torrance Civic Center which is currently under consideration for a Master-Planned redevelopment.
2. Crenshaw Blvd: Adjacent to the Mary K. Giordano Regional Transit Center
3. 190th St: Several development projects along this corridor are currently being planned
4. Hawthorne Blvd: General commercial area with average traffic counts over 60,000 vehicles per day
The following Table 1 describes the limits of each suggested corridor, the existing SCE overhead facilities along each corridor, and a rough order of magnitude (ROM) cost for design and construction as developed by SCE:
Table 1 – Suggested Corridors for UUD No. 21
Option Corridor Limits Exiting
Facilities ROM Cost
1 Madrona Ave Civic Center Dr to Torrance Blvd Transmission & Distribution $3,650,000
1A Madrona Ave Civic Center Dr to Carson St Transmission & Distribution $16,000,000
2 Crenshaw Blvd Del Amo Blvd to Dominquez St Transmission & Distribution $4,350,000
3 190th St Van Ness Ave to Western Ave Transmission
& Distribution $9,250,000
4 Hawthorne Blvd Del Amo Blvd to 186th St Transmission & Distribution
$15,555,000
2 11
2 3
0 City Council
January 14, 2025
The ROM costs shown in Table 1 are provided in 2026 dollars and include an estimated accuracy variance of approximately 40%. The ROM estimate will be updated and refined with greater accuracy following completion of SCE’s final engineering design of the selected UUD.
For the suggested corridors where the ROM estimates exceed the City’s allocation balance, the City may consider the following alternatives:
1. Reduce the limits of the selected UUD to fit within the available allocation balance; OR
2. Split the selected UUD corridor into concurrent Rule 20A and Rule 20B projects. The Rule 20A funds would pay for the Rule 20A project and the City would pay for the Rule 20B project from local funds; OR
3. Underground only the distribution lines or only the transmission lines within the selected UUD. However, this would mean existing poles would remain standing.; OR
4. Identify an alternate corridor
Staff is recommending alternative 1 from the above alternatives and specifically Option 1 - Madrona Ave from Civic Center Dr to Torrance Blvd from Table 1 for UUD No. 21 because it can be constructed with the City’s current Rule 20A allocation balance (Attachment 3) and because of concurrent efforts of the Civic Center Master Plan.
Staff does not recommend consideration of the other corridors, which would require reducing project limits; require a significant financial contribution from the City; or require existing power poles to remain because the transmission and distribution lines share common poles.
Following selection of a UUD corridor, in conformance with Section 20 of Article 1, Chapter 7, Division 7 of the Torrance Municipal Code, the City Council must now set a time and date for a public hearing to ascertain whether or not public necessity, health, safety or welfare requires the removal of poles, overhead wires and associated overhead structures within the proposed UUD and the underground installation of wires and facilities for supplying electric communication or similar or associated service. Establishment of the UUD will prohibit future installation of overhead facilities within the District.
The Public Works Director will order the preparation and transmission of an Engineer’s Report to the City Council at the time of the public hearing. The report will describe the boundaries of the district, the work to be undertaken, the extent of participation of the affected utility companies, estimated total costs to the City and any additional information required.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Location Map of Existing UUDs
2. Location Map of Suggested Corridors for UUD No. 21
3. SCE ROM Letter for Madrona Ave Option (Option 1)
3 12
REDONDO BEACH BLVD
VAN NESS AVE
WESTERN AVE
ARLINGTON AVE
MAPLE AVE
CRENSHAW BLVD
PRAIRIE AVE
HAWTHORNE BLVD
CRENSHAW BLVD
ANZA AVE
ARTESIA BLVD
182ND ST
CARSON ST
LOMITA BLVD
PACIFIC COAST HWY
235TH ST
TORRANCE BLVD
NOT TO SCALE
CABRILLO AVE
ANZA AVE
SEPULVEDA BLVD
SKYPARK DR
190TH ST
CALLE MAYOR
DES BLVD
PALOS
VER
DEL AMO BLVD
HAWTHORNE BLVD
PALOS
DEL AMO BLVD
VERDES BLVD
MADRONA AVE
CITY OF TORRANCE
UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICTS
1 2
10 17
5 6
18B
12 11
9 4
14 7
20 16
18A
19 13
3 15
8 ON HOLD / CANCELED
UNDER
CONSTRUCTION
LEGEND:
COMPLETED DISTRICT
DISTRICT NUMBER
99 UGUTDIST.dwg 11/15/2018
ATTACHMENT 1
4 13
ATTACHMENT 1
Dominguez Channel
I-405
SEPULVEDA BLVD
ARTESIA BLVD
W
ESTERN AVE
LOMITA BLVD
VAN NESS AVE
CRENSHAW
BLVD
PRAIRIE
AVE
190TH ST
CABRILLO AVE
ARLINGTON
AVE
ANZA
AVE
M
APLE AVE
M
ADRONA
AVE
CARSON ST
HAW
THORNE BLVD
REDONDO BEACH BLVD
PALOS VERDES BLVD
182ND ST
TORRANCE BLVD
DEL AMO BLVD
CITY OF TORRANCE
UTILITY UNDERGROUND DISTRICT OPTIONS
Hawthorne Blvd
(Del Amo Blvd to 186th St)
Madrona Ave
(Torrance Blvd to Carson St)
Madrona Ave
(Civic Center Dr to Torrance Blvd)
Crenshaw Blvd
(Del Amo Blvd to Dominguez St)
190th St
(Van Ness Ave to Western Ave)
´
ATTACHMENT 2
5 14
1 September 23, 2024
Shin Furukawa, PE
Deputy Public Works Director
City Engineer
Public Works Department
CITY OF TORRANCE
TORRANCE CITY HALL
3031 Torrance Boulevard
Torrance, CA 90503
Subject: Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) Cost Estimate
City of Torrance Rule 20A Undergrounding Project
Madrona Avenue – Torrance Boulevard to Civic Center Drive Transmission and Distribution Conversion
Dear Shin,
Rule 20A Project Management has reviewed the Rule 20A project in the City of Torrance:
Madrona Avenue – Torrance Boulevard to Civic Center Drive. The Rough Order of Magnitude cost estimate for the project is $3,650,000, expressed in 2026 dollars. The estimated trench footage for the project is 1,870 feet and includes all mainline trenching as well as crossings and service laterals. The cost of the project is escalated to the year 2026, which is the earliest anticipated year that construction would be scheduled and includes an estimated accuracy variance of approximately 40%. This assumes all the other utilities involved in the project can complete their design and prepare construction documents in the same timeframe as SCE has estimated. Should the City and SCE agree to proceed with the Rule 20A project, the scope of work and SCE estimated cost for the project can be updated and with greater accuracy following the completion of SCE’s final engineering design.
City of Torrance has enough allocations to proceed with this project.
SCE’s ability to proceed with this project is dependent upon the annual CPUC approved budget for the Rule 20A Program, which provides for the availability of capital funding and resources for Rule 20A projects. Funding levels for the Rule 20A Program may directly impact future allocations, that ended in 2022, and the anticipated year of construction for this proposed project.
The ROM estimate is based on the following assumptions:
• SCE has an available budget to proceed with the project. • The City of Torrance has accumulated an adequate allocation balance for the project. • The City of Torrance has established an underground utility district by resolution or ordinance for this project and/or area.
• City of Torrance will allow and provide for the granting of easement(s) to SCE for trench installation within the project boundary, as necessary.
ATTACHMENT 3
6 15
2 Additional terms and conditions assumed in the ROM estimate are outlined in the attached Rule 20A General Conditions Policy document, which further defines the responsibilities of SCE and the City of Torrance to ensure the success of this project.
Please communicate the current ROM estimate and the information included regarding allocations and assumptions to the appropriate City staff.
Thank you for your assistance in this matter and should you have any questions please feel free to call me directly.
Sincerely,
Robert Ciccarelli
Robert Ciccarelli
Electrical Transmission and/or Distribution
Rule 20 Project Manager
Metro West Region
cc:
Elias Bermudez, Senior Manager New Development Planning Talisa Lee, SCE Rule 20 Project Management
Project Files
7 16
C I T Y O F T O R R A N C E
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
20500 MADRONA AVENUE | TORRANCE, CA 90503 | PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TorranceCA.Gov/PublicWorks | TorranceCA.Gov/Apps | TorranceCA.Gov/WhyTorrance Distribution Date: 3/4/2025 Establishment of Underground Utility District No. 21
Madrona Avenue from Civic Center Drive to South of Torrance Boulevard
Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.
LeRoy J. Jackson Council Chambers
3031 Torrance Boulevard
The City of Torrance invites you to attend a public
hearing to determine whether the public’s
necessity, health, safety or welfare requires the
removal of poles, overhead wires, associated
overhead structures, and the underground
installation of wires and facilities for supplying
electric, communication, or similar service within
the deisgnated area. The investigation does not
identify aerial feeds to local residences. The
hearing will take place during a regularly
scheduled City Council meeting.
On January 14, 2025, the City Council set a Public
Hearing for Tuesday, March 25, 2025 regarding
the proposed Undergound Utility District No. 21:
Madrona Avenue from Civic Center Drive to south
of Torrance Boulevard. If established, future installation of overhead utility facilities, i.e. electrical and communication, will be prohibited within the district.
If you would like to convey your views on the matter, you may submit comments in writing to [email protected] by 5:30 p.m. on Monday, March 24, 2025.
For questions, plea se contact:
Shin Furukawa, City Engineer (310) 781-6900
CI TY CO U N CI L
Mayor George K. Chen
Mike Griffiths Bridgett Lewis
Jon Kaji Aurelio Mattucci
Sharon Kalani Asam Sheikh
Rebecca Poirier Tim Goodrich
City Clerk City Treasurer
Aram Chaparyan
City Manager
Patrick Q. Sullivan
City Attorney
Location Map
17 ATTACHMENT 4
Notice of Public Hearing - UUD No. 21 (Shin) - Page 2 of 2 ATTACHMENT 5
18 UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICT NO.
21 MADRONA AVENUE
CIVIC CENTER DRIVE TO
SOUTH OF
TORRANCE BOULEVARD
ENGINEER’S REPORT
March 25, 2025
Shin Furukawa
, P.E.
City Engineer
ATTACHMENT 6
19 UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICT NO.
21 MADRONA AVENUE
(
Civic Center Drive
to
South of
Torrance
Boulevard
)
ENGINEER’S REPORT
INTRODUCTION
The Engineer
’
s report provides detailed information about the
proposed
district including
its purpose, boundaries, scope of work,
cost estimates
to establish the district, costs to
affected properties and duration of the conversion of the ov erhead facilities to an
underground system.
PURPOSE OF THE UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICT
The purpose of
UUD No. 21
is to create uniformity along this section of
Madrona
Avenue
from
Civic Center Drive
to
south of
Torrance Boulevard
by removing all exi
sting
poles; overhead wires,
associated overhead facili
ties and replacing them with
underground wires and facilities for supplying electric, communication, and similar service
s
. Establishment of the District will prohibit future installation of
overhead
facilities within the designated
area.
LOCATION & BOUNDARIES
Und
erground Utility District No.
21 extends along
Madrona Avenue
between
Civic
Center Drive
to
south of
Torrance Boulevard
.
Attached
Figure 1 and E
xhibit A provide
a
map and legal description of the District boundar
y
.
UTILITIES AND CUSTOMER SERVICES
All wooden poles
and overhead infrastructures
will be
removed
and replaced with an
underground distribution system
within the
District
boundar
y
. The proposed
underground distribution system will be located on the
east
side of
Madrona Avenue
.
Crown Castle
has
indicated they have existing facilities on the poles within the proposed District.
They will be required to underground their existing facilities within the district through a joint trenching agreement. These facilities will be placed underground at the same time that Southern California Edison places theirs. F rontier, Verizon, and Extenet
confirmed that they do not have facilities on the poles within the proposed District.
The
City is currently waiting for responses from the remaining utility companies.
COST ESTIMATE AND FINANCING
The
cost estimate from Southe
rn California Edison Company to
replace overhead with
underground distribution facilities
within the proposed d
istrict is $
3,650,000, expressed
20 in 2026 dollars. However, the actual cost for this work will be based on construction bids received for the undergrounding work. This amount is available in the City’s accrued Rule 20A allocation balance, as well as monies accrued by Development Impact Fees for Undergrounding Utilities, if needed.
The City of Torrance is the legal owner of the property along the east side of Madrona Avenue adjacent to the proposed underground utility district and there are approximately 1,870 feet of existing overhead utilities along the east side of Madrona Avenue. Within this segment of Madrona Avenue, there are several existing buildings owned by the City that will be required to convert the electric service panels. The project will fund the required conversion of the service connections of the affected buildings to accept underground service.
Properties along the west side of the proposed Madrona Avenue Underground Utility District are privately owned and have no overhead utilities on Madrona Ave as they are served from the west side of their properties . The existing wooden streetlight poles on the west side of Madrona Ave will be removed and replaced with Marbelite streetlight poles.
CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE
Southern California Edison Company will commence design of the replacement of overhead facilities following establishment of the District. The following is a tentative schedule for this project:
Start construction of underground facilities December 2026 Complete underground installation June 2028
Removal of poles and overhead facilities June 2028
Electrical work March 2029
Attachments: Figure 1 Underground Utility District No.21 map Exhibit A Legal Description
21 MARICOPA ST
TORRANCE BLVD
CIVICCENTER DR
2025-01-15-15-08.mxd
´
FIGURE
1 Proposed Underground
Utility District No. 21
City of T
orrance
Proposed Underground Utility District No. 21
Madrona Ave from Civic Center Dr. to south of T
orrance Blvd
MADRONA AVE
22 EXHIBIT A
CITY OF TORRANCE
PROPOSED UNDERGROUND DISTRICT NO. 21
Madrona Avenue
The full width of Madrona Avenue right
-
of
-
way, from the south side of Civic Center Drive to
145
’ south
of the centerline of Torrance Boulevard.
23