12-21-2010 - Southern California Edison Request to Perform Work on Sunset Avenue Currently Under Moratorium70
City of West Covina
Memorandum
TO: Andrew G. Pasmant, City Manager
and City Council .
FROM: Shannon A. Yauchzee, Director/City Engineer
Public Works Department
AGENDA
ITEM NO. 12
DATE December 21, 2010
SUBJECT: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON REQUEST TO PERFORM 'WORK
ON SUNSET AVENUE CURRENTLY UNDER MORATORIUM
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council approve Southern California Edison`s request to perform
work on Sunset Avenue from Fairgrove Avenue to Starburst Drive, and from Durness Street to
Cameron Avenue, that is currently under moratorium until 2013 and authorize the Public Works
Director/City Engineer to issue a permit under the City's Municipal Code emergency provision.
DISCUSSION:
Southern California Edison (SCE) has proposed to install a new distribution circuit called
"Westfield 12kV." The circuit is essential to meet the forecasted 2011 demand and the recent
new load growth resulting from the addition of the Best Buy store and other retail and restaurant
facilities. As the electrical demand at Westfield Mall continues to increase, SCE is required to
build a new circuit to provide reliable service to Westfield Mall and the surrounding residential
area.
Without the installation of this new circuit, SCE cannot ensure uninterrupted service during the
2011 hot summer months when electrical demand is at its peak. Furthermore, SCE is regulated
under the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) to meet load -forecast and demand that is
mandated by the Federal Legislature. Currently, there are no ties or circuitry around the area to
provide service for buildings such as Westfield Mall and the ' surrounding commercial and
residential areas, and no reasonable means of providing service exists.
The Municipal Code, Section 19-73 "Street Cut Moratorium On Newly Paved Streets," has a
provision allowing the City Council to authorize work in moratorium streets if deemed to be in
the best interest of the general public. (See Exhibit A.)
The two sections of Sunset Avenue that are impacted by this work are Fairgrove Avenue to
Starburst Drive and Durness Street to Cameron Avenue. The section from Starburst to Durness
has empty conduits that can be utilized for the new conductors. In the sections where new
conduits are to be installed, extra conduits for possible future use will be installed. Trenching
will be predominantly in the northbound parking lane and occasionally in the No. 2 lane to avoid
existing utilities and concrete bus pads. SCE has been advised and agreed to perform the
required paving repairs as outlined in the Municipal Code. Paving repairs in moratorium streets
will include grinding and resurfacing of full lane widths, thus eliminating paving seams in the
wheel path of vehicles. In this case, the new paving would be primarily in the No. 2 lane and the
northbound parking lanes. Sunset Avenue was last paved in February 2010 and is under
moratorium until March 1, 2013.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Approve the . request and direct staff to issue a permit under the Municipal Code
emergency provision
2. Reject the request and direct SCE to go another route or wait until January 2013 to do this
work. This would delay the project by up to two years and risk outages to the business
district especially if the summer months are unusually hot.
0
IR
Andrew G. Pasmant, City Manager
And City Council
Page 2 — December 21, 2010
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
Prepared by: Dave Nichols
Public Works Project Supervisor
Attachments: Exhibit A — Municipal Section Code
Exhibit B — Map
I Al '1�
Reviewed/Approved b : Shannon A. Yauchzee
Director/City Engineer
ZAAGENDA - 2010\SCE Sunset Moratorium 12-08-10 (3).doc
EXHIBIT A
Sec. 19-73. - Street cut moratorium on newly improved streets.
(a) For streets, alleys, and public places that were reconstructed or overlaid; the
following shall apply:
(1) No non -emergency street cuts will be permitted for a period of three (3)
years from date of completion.
(2) In case of a justified emergency (i.e. gas leak, etc.) or where streets cuts
have been authorized by the public works director/city engineer (such as
in the case of a major development requiring sewer or other utilities)
within three (3) years following the completion of reconstruction or
overlaid project, the permittee will be required to grind one and one'
-half
(1'/2) inch of existing asphalt, curb to curb and repave the surface for a
distance of at least twenty-five (25) feet (for a traverse street cut) and up
to one (1) lane width (for. a longitudinal street cut) beyond each side of
the trench using a properly licensed contractor.
(b) For streets, alleys, and public places that were slurry sealed, the following
shall apply:
(1) No non -emergency street cuts will be permitted for a period of two (2)
. years from date of completion.
(2) In case of a justified emergency or where street cuts have been
authorized by the public works director/city engineer within two (2) years
following the completion of slurry sealed, the permittee will apply a Type
II slurry using a licensed road slurry contractor over the surface, curb to
curb, for a distance of at least twenty-five (25) feet (for a traverse street
cut) and up to one (1) lane width (for a longitudinal, street cut) beyond
each side of the trench. Utilities shall determine alternate methods of
making necessary repair work to avoid excavating in newly improved
streets, alleys, and public places.
(c) Emergencies (exceptions) are defined as follows:
(1) An emergency that endangers life or property.
(2) Interruption of essential utility service.
(3) Work that is mandated by the city, state, or federal legislature.
(4) Service for buildings where no other reasonable means of providing
service exists.
(5) Other situations deemed by the city council to be in the best interest of
the general public.
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