AgdaPkt 2012-02-06 - Laserfiche WebLink

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6.5.A. - Page 1 RE PO RT To the Honorable Mayor and City Council From the Cit Mana er February 6, 2012 SUBJECT Middlefield Road Underground Utility District 2011-1-Adopt Ordinance RECOMMENDATION Waive second reading and adopt Ordinance establishing Middlefield Road Underground Utility District 2011-1 BACKGROUND Annually, PG&E undergrounds approximately 30 miles of overhead electric facilities within their service area under an electric tariff filed with the California Public Utilities Commission. For municipal projects, this program is referred to as PGE's Rule 20A. Other utility companies such as AT&T, Comcast and Astound also have similar programs and generally follow Rule 20A provisions. The cost for the undergrounding is paid by rate payers through future electric rates. To qualify, public agencies, after consultation with PG&E and holding a public hearing, must find that the undergrounding is in the public's interest based on one or more of the following reasons: • Undergrounding will avoid or eliminate an unusually heavy concentration of overhead electric facilities. • The street or road or right-of-way is extensively used by the general public and carries a heavy volume of pedestrian or vehicular traffic. • The 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. • The street or road or right-of-way is considered an arterial street or major collector as defined in the Governor's Office of Planning and Research General Plan Guidelines. In Redwood City, previously formed underground utility districts (UUD) include Chestnut Street, portions of James Avenue, portions of Roosevelt Avenue, portions of Marshall Street, and portions of Middlefield Road (Theatreway). ANALYSIS Middlefield Road is a major thoroughfare that connects mid-Peninsula cities to Redwood City. The corridor is laden with existing overhead communications and