DATE:
May 7, 2025, and May 21, 2025
05
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
NOTICED PUBLIC HEARING:
SET A HEARING FOR MAY 21, 2025:
Title
ADOPT A RESOLUTION AND ORDINANCE FOR THE FORMATION OF THE UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICT (UUD) FOR BONITA ROAD PHASE 4 IN THE COMMUNITY OF SWEETWATER AND RELATED CEQA FINDING (5/7/25 - FIRST READING; 05/21/25 - SECOND READING AND ADOPTION) (DISTRICT: 1)
Body
OVERVIEW
The County of San Diego's (County) Department of Public Works (DPW) has worked with utility companies, including San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E), for over 50 years to enhance community aesthetics, improve public safety, and increase utility reliability through utility undergrounding. In 1967, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) established the Electric Tariff Rule 20A Program (20A Program), which requires investor-owned utilities to set aside funds in the form of credits to underground their utility lines in areas that meet specific public interest criteria, such as major thoroughfares, scenic corridors, and locations with significant public benefit. In response to the 20A Program, the Board of Supervisors (Board) established Board Policy J-17 (J-17) Undergrounding of Existing Overhead Utility Facilities in 1970. The policy outlines the process for managing undergrounding projects and establishing an Underground Utilities Advisory Committee (UUAC). The UUAC includes DPW staff and representatives from SDG&E, AT&T, and other telecommunication companies. The UUAC reviews projects that meet the criteria for undergrounding, coordinates plans and construction of these projects and develops a long-range plan for undergrounding in the unincorporated area.
After the UUAC has recommended a project, the next step is to form an Underground Utility District (UUD). A UUD is a designated area created by ordinance that requires all current and future utility facilities to be located underground. Undergrounding offers numerous benefits to the local commu...
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