Title
a. Approve and authorize the Director of Public Works to sign Electric Agreement No. 1167198 with PG&E in the amount of $7,017.91 to convert five existing street lights from HPS to LED in the community of Las Lomas;
b. Approve and authorize the Director of Public Works to sign Electric Agreement No. 1168827 with PG&E in the amount of $9,814.51for installation of thirty nine new streetlights in the community of Las Lomas (Phase 1 of three phases);
c. Authorize payment to PG&E of the indicated amounts; and
d. Authorize the Director of Public Works to approve and sign future Electric Agreements with PG&E of this nature for the second and third phases of the Las Lomas Street Light Project at an estimated cost not to exceed $10,000 per phase.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Approve and authorize the Director of Public Works to sign Electric Agreement No. 1167198 with PG&E in the amount of $7,017.91 to convert five existing street lights from HPS to LED in the community of Las Lomas;
b. Approve and authorize the Director of Public Works to sign Electric Agreement No. 1168827 with PG&E in the amount of $9,814.51for installation of thirty nine new streetlights in the community of Las Lomas (Phase 1 of three phases);
c. Authorize payment to PG&E of the indicated amounts; and
d. Authorize the Director of Public Works to approve and sign future Electric Agreements with PG&E of this nature for the second and third phases of the Las Lomas Street Light Project at an estimated cost not to exceed $10,000 per phase.
SUMMARY:
The recommended actions will enable PG&E to implement the first phase of a three-phase program to ultimately install 112 new street lights where no lights currently exist in the unincorporated community of Las Lomas in northern Monterey County.
DISCUSSION:
The County proposes to fund and install a total of 112 new street lights on existing power poles located in the public rights-of-way of County roads within the community of Las Lomas.
On July 25, 2013 an on-line Application for Street Light Service was submitted to PG&E to initiate the design and implementation of the proposed project. On August 28, 2013 additional detailed information (pole number, address, and photograph of each pole) was submitted to PG&E in support of the application. On September 19, 2013 PG&E submitted an invoice for an advance payment of $10,000 to initiate the engineering design of the project. Payment was made to PG&E on October 30, 2013. PG&E is continuing to bill against this deposit as it completes the engineering.
On January 8, 2014 PG&E submitted proposed Electric Agreement No. 1167198 for signature and payment of $7,017.91 to convert the five existing street lights in Las Lomas from high pressure sodium (HPS) fixtures to light-emitting diode (LED) fixtures, and to convert the accounts from the private residential customers to the County. PG&E requested the County to sign the agreement and remit the payment within ninety days of that date.
The project has been determined to be categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because the installation of streetlights on existing utility poles within the existing public right-of-way of County roads constitutes minor alteration to existing public utilities, which is exempted by CEQA Section 5304(b).
The project has further been determined to be exempt from the California Coastal Act because the installation of streetlights on existing utility poles within the existing public right-of-way of County roads falls under Section 20.70.120(R) of Title 20 (Exemptions from Coastal Development Permits) as a safety improvement on a public road.
PG&E proposes to install the 112 new street lights in three phases. On February 10, 2014 PG&E submitted proposed Electric Agreement No. 1168827 for signature and payment of $9,814.51 to install the first phase of thirty nine (39) of the proposed. PG&E requested the County to sign the agreement and remit the payment within ninety days of that date.
PG&E will submit similar proposed Electric Agreements for the second and third phases of the project in the coming months.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
PG&E will install the street lights. Staff is working with the community to determine the best mechanism for the community to finance the cost to operate and maintain the proposed street lights. Options include the possible formation of a new lighting assessment district, or inclusion of this service into the Pajaro/Sunny Mesa Community Services District. A benefit/cost analysis of these options is under preparation and should be completed during Fiscal Year 2014/15.
FINANCING:
There is no impact to the General Fund as a result of this action. The Board of Supervisors approved adding this effort as a Capital Project under Fund 404 as part of the adoption of the
FY 2013-14 Budget in the amount of $800,000. There are sufficient appropriations available in Fund 404-3000-8174 to fund this Project 1722 estimated at $800,000.
PG&E states the service cost to operate and maintain the street lights will be approximately $3.50 per month per light ($42.00 per year per light). Therefore, until institutional arrangements are completed for the community to assume payment of the operation and maintenance costs of the street lights, the annual cost to operate these first 44 new lights will be approximately $1,848 per year, which will be paid from the project budget. The costs incurred by the County for maintenance, benefit/cost analysis, and establishment of a mechanism to fund ongoing maintenance will be recovered if and when such a mechanism is adopted (i.e. Community Services District or annexation to Pajaro Sunny Mesa CSD).
Prepared by: G.H. Nichols, P.E., Civil Engineer, (831) 755-5386
Approved by:
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Robert K. Murdoch, P.E., Director of Public Works
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Benny J. Young, RMA Director
Dated: May 21, 2014
Attachments: Agreement No. 1167198; Agreement No. 1168827; Las Lomas Location Map (Attachments on file with the Clerk of the Board)