Title
Recommendation to Accept Update on the Status of the Underground Utility District (UUD) Program. (Alameda Municipal Power)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jill Keimach, City Manager
Re: Recommendation to Accept Update on the Status of the Underground Utility District Program
BACKGROUND
This is an information only report. No action by the City Council is required. The purpose of this report is to inform the City Council, through Exhibits 1 and 2, of the current status of the Underground Utility District (UUD) Program.
On March 3, 2015 the City Council approved the redesigned Underground Utility District Policy. Alameda Municipal Power (AMP) is the lead City Department for implementing the Policy. The UUD Program has a five step process:
1. District Nominating Board (DNB) recommends a set of UUDs for Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) consideration.
2. TAC reviews the DNB’s list of nominated UUDs and selects 1-4 for City Council consideration.
3. TAC presents 1-4 proposed UUD(s) at a Town Hall meeting and collects feedback.
4. Following the Town Hall meeting, a District Selection Survey (DSS) is mailed to all customers in the proposed UUD(s) and, based on survey feedback, the TAC recommends a prioritized UUD list to the City Council for approval.
5. City Council Approval/Disapproval.
On April 5, 2016, the City Council appointed four members from the public and one member from Public Works to the DNB. The selected members from the public resided in different parts of the city (west end, east end, Bay Farm Island).
District Nomination Board Members
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• Jerry Serventi (Chair) |
• Fred Hoffman |
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• Chris Buckley |
• Patricia Petersen |
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• Laurie Kozisek (Public Works) |
|
DISCUSSION
The District Nomination Board met seven times between June 30, 2016 and December 8, 2016. All meetings were public meetings and meeting minutes and other materials are posted to AMP’s webpage.
DNB members considered all areas of Alameda and identified those areas that best met the criteria in the UUD Policy. An initial list of 53 areas to consider was developed by the DNB members. Staff and the DNB members collected data on the areas being considered and eventually reduced the list to 14.
A scorecard was developed to measure how well each area matched the UUD program criteria. A copy of the scorecard is attached as Exhibit 1.
The 14 areas were scored and based on the scorecard results, the DNB recommends the following areas be forwarded to the Technical Advisory Committee for consideration.
District Nomination Board Recommended List of UUDs
1. Otis Drive - High to Broadway and south of Otis Drive including Broadway, Pearl St., Versailles Ave., Mound St., Waterton St. and Court St.
2. Webster St. - all crossings - Central Avenue to Pacific Avenue including Eagle Avenue - West of Constitution Way
3. Broadway (Buena Vista to Clement)
4. Broadway - (La Jolla to Encinal)
5. Central Avenue - Eighth St. to Webster including Garden way
6. Fernside from Encinal to High Street, including lines on Lincoln Park access road
7. Park Street - San Jose to Otis
Throughout the process there was minimal interest from members of the public expressed via social media, email/in-person inquiries, and attendance at DNB meetings. All public input seemed to be in support of the undergrounding program with the exception of one individual who wanted all undergrounding work near Webster Street postponed.
The members of the DNB were extremely dedicated to the goal of the DNB and worked very well together and with staff.
The next step in the process is to convene a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), which will solidify the recommendations, collect public feedback, and present a list of proposed UUDs to the City Council for approval. The TAC is led by an AMP project manager and membership of the committee includes at least one member of Public Works and each of the participating utilities.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The funds for this activity are appropriated in the Alameda Municipal Power Budget for Underground Utility District Fund (UUDF).
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
Alameda Municipal Code section 19-4 (Underground Districts); Underground Utility Policy.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to SEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3).
RECOMMENDATION
Accept update from Alameda Municipal Power on the status of the Underground Utility District Program.
Respectfully submitted,
Nicolas Procos, General Manager Alameda Municipal Power
By,
Gary S. Spenik, Interim Engineering Supervisor Alameda Municipal Power
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Elena Adair, Finance Director
Exhibit:
1. UUD Scorecard
cc: Public Utilities Board