SCH Number 2018101037

Project Info

Title

City of San Diego Utilities Undergrounding Program

Description

The City of San Diego (City) Transportation Department is implementing the Utilities Undergrounding Program (Project) to systematically convert overhead utility lines, including power distribution lines, telephone lines, cable lines, and other communications lines, to underground within City limits. The overall Project is governed by the California Public Utilities Commission, Council Policy 600-08, and the San Diego Municipal Code. The City’s Utilities Undergrounding Program Master Plan (Master Plan), developed in 2003 and last updated in 2018, guides future work of the Project. The Master Plan is the governing document for how the Project will execute its future work. The Master Plan outlines the geographic boundary, estimated cost, and other parameters for future undergrounding projects to be implemented under the Project. The goals of the Master Plan are to align with Council Policy 600-08 for the Project, improve planning efficiency and accuracy, prioritize projects with the greatest public benefit, reduce neighborhood impact, and simplify public interface with the Project. The implementation of proposed activities would occur based on a prioritization system developed by the City and would be implemented as individual districts become ready for creation and as funding allows. The process to deliver an undergrounding project under the Project is a collaborative effort between the City and the utility companies that consists of a five-stage process: district creation, design, pre-construction activities, undergrounding construction, and post-undergrounding improvements. The City has addressed permitting and environmental compliance activities on a project-by-project basis to date. This Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR), prepared in conformance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and CEQA Guidelines (Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq. and 14 CCR Section 15000 et seq., respectively) is intended to programmatically address potential environmental impacts associated with undergrounding projects implemented under the Project. These impacts are analyzed to the extent feasible at this time; however, additional project-level CEQA analysis and/or new or amended permits may be required for undergrounding projects prior to implementation.

2 documents in project