2000-01-03 - Laserfiche WebLink

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267 Street from 8~h Street to Ridge/Mctntire be studied for possible undergrounding. Ms. Mueller said there is currently $489,752 in the City's undergrounding account. Mr. Caravati asked why there is a cost savings if the City takes over the undergrounding and what are the staff implications, and Ms. Mueller said that City staff would do ail the coordination and Virginia Power would only design and pull the lines. Ms. Mueller said that additional staff would be necessary in Engineering. Mr. Toscano said that if Council selects West Main Street, with a preliminary estimate of $3 million, would additional funds have to be appropriated, and Ms. Mueller said they would or there could be a combination of City funding and a surcharge. Responding to a question from Mr. Toscano about including undergrounding in the site plan process, Ms. Mueller said that staff need to look into the matter further, both practically and legally. Ms. Mueller requested that Council ask the City Attorney and Director of Neighborhood Services to pursue further the issue of including undergrounding in the site plan process; select West Main Street between 8th Street and Ridge/Mclntire to pursue for undergrounding; and have staff look at taking over the undergrounding process. Mr. O'Connell asked for feedback from Council on the utility surcharge. Ms. Daugherty said she is opposed to the utility surcharge as it is too high. Ms. Daugherty said she would support designating the West Main Street area as a priority for undergrounding and fund it over the next five to six years in the Capital budget. Ms. Daugherty said she feels an undergrounding plan is needed for the larger community. Ms. Richards agr~d that the surcharge is too burdensorne and would like staff to develop other funding options. Ms. Richards said she would like to know what the additional cost would be for including undergrounding in the site plan process. Ms. Richards said she agrees with staff taking over the process, if Council decides to move forward. Mr. Toscano said he is not enthused about the surcharge, and asked if it could be reduced to recover part of the cost. Ms. Mueller said that it could not be reduced since the tariff, as currently written, is meant to recover Virginia Power's cost, but noted that this amount would be reduced if the City takes over the process. Ms. Mueller added that the surcharge would need to be approved by the State Corporation Commission. Responding to a question from Ms. Richards, Ms. Mueller said that Virginia Power says there is no savings in undergrounding because of the added cost to go underground for maintenance. Ms. Richards asked if staff could predict if the technology of undergrounding will improve in the future that could bring the cost down, and Ms. Mueller said that it will probably improve, but not in the short-tenn. Mr. Caravati asked if all costs ofundergrounding, in localities where it was part of the site plan process, were borne by the developer, and Ms. Mueller said it varied from community to community. Mr. Caravati said he is a little hesitant to designate West Main Street as a higher priority than certain areas downtown. Mr. Toscano clarified that staffis asking Council to spend $8,000 to $9,000 to see what it would cost to underground utilities on 'West Main Street. Mr. Toscano said he does not want to designate a priority tonight and thinks we should first determine what the cost would be. Mr. Toscano said that he thinks the City should be in a position to move on undergrounding in conjunction with development projects as they occur.