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AGENDA MEMO
(09 - 17 - 03 AGENDA)
DATE:
September 12 , 2003
TO:
Bob Livingston
City Manager
FROM:
Gene R. Smallwood, P.E.
Director of Public Works
SUBJECT:
Discussion of private utilities on public rights - of - way.
Bac kground.
You are in receipt of a letter from Lev Prichard requesting that the City allow
him to bury his aerial utilities (electric, cable TV, and telephone) across the alley right - of - way
to his property. In a recent phone conversation, I informed Mr. Pric hard that the City's policy
for the public utilities is to provide aerial service for each customer to their home and/or
accessory structure or to a pole on private property, from which the service can be buried to
the structure. I explained that due to th e condition of the City's infrastructure, staff is required
to make emergency repairs (many times at night), without time to call for utility locates. We
do not want the liability of someone being seriously injured by coming into contact with
unmarked elec trical service lines. Additionally, the alley rights - of - way are very narrow, with
barely enough room for the public utilities.
I informed Mr. Prichard that a few residential services were allowed to be undergrounded
several years ago, however, after furthe r evaluation, staff changed the policy to only permit
aerial services on the City's right - of - way.
Discussion.
Staff recommends City Council support of the existing policy to require
private utility services to be aerial only to the property line.