HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Statement 1985/10/01 Item 6,6a COUNCIL AGENDA STATEMENT
Item 6 , 6a
Meeting Date 10/1/85
ITEM TITLE: Public Hearing to consider the request for a waiver of
undergrounding requirements at the Otay Landfill by Pacific
Lighting Energy Systems
Resolution /01/,1 Approving waiver from the provisions of
Section 15.32.050 of the Chula Vista Municipal Code
SUBMITTED BY: Director of Public Works/City Engineer
REVIEWED BY: City Manager J (4/5ths Vote: Yes No X )
Pacific Lighting Energy Systems (PLES) has proposed to build a methane
recovery/power generation plant within the County' s Otay Landfill site. It is
a Code requirement to place all on-site utilities underground at the time a
property is developed. PLES has made application to this department for a
waiver of this requirement. Section 15.32.070 states that such a request must
be considered by the City Council at a public hearing.
RECOMMENDATION:
1 . That Council hold the subject Public Hearing.
2. Adopt a resolution waiving City Code requirements for undergrounding.
BOARDS/COMMISSIONS RECOMMENDATION: No boards or commissions have acted on
this matter. However, the Redevelopment Agency has entered into an Owner
Participation Agreement with PLES. Item 6 of that agreement states that the
owner agrees to accept the conditions imposed by the Design Review Committee.
Item No. 7 in the Conditions of Approval states that the developer shall file
a request for deferral or waiver of utility undergrounding requirements.
DISCUSSION:
Pacific Lighting Energy Systems (PLES) is planning to construct a small
electric generation plant within the San Diego County's Otay Landfill . The
means by which the generator will run is by recovering the methane gas being
generated underground within the landfill site and running a combustion
engine/generator.
It is necessary to connect into SDG&E lines. It is proposed that the feeder
lines oland southerly to the pfee tbooth site,atr which t point north-west
they swi portion
the landfill n
l connect
into the existing SDG&E lines.
-ems
by th. C;'''' ;.'.:u;, :.I of
Chula Vista, California
Dated // ` :5"--
Page 2, Item 6 , 6a
Meeting Date 10/1/85
The Chula Vista Municipal Code, Section 15.32.050, requires that with any
structures valued at more than $20,000 being constructed on a site, the
utility services shall be undergrounded. Under the provisions of Section
15.32.070, PLES applied for a waiver of the requirement to place the telephone
and power lines underground. In its letter of request, PLES states the
following reasons for the waiver:
1 . Undergrounding the lines would create a hazard. The power lines are
12KV and would be subject to damage by heavy equipment working the
landfill operations.
2. The proposed power lines, if installed overhead, would not be visible
from any development in the area.
3. The cost of undergrounding approximately 1/2 mile of utility lines
would be prohibitive (approx. $90,000).
I believe that these reasons are valid. There is also a letter to the
Community Development Director from the County of San Diego expressing concern
over the possible undergrounding of utilities mentioning, in part, the
following:
1 . Major earthmoving f overhead would allow ow them to landfill
easily operation
seen,a thus e
utilities protected
from damage.
2. As the landfill phasing takes place, the utilities may have to be
relocated from time to time. The above-ground facilities would be
easier to move.
3. The hazard created by placing 12,000-volt lines in the vicinity of
underground gases such as methane should be avoided.
The City Code provides for the deferral of undergrounding requirements if all
of the following facts exist:
1 . That extraordinary conditions exist to the extent that enforcement of
this subsection would result in unnecessary hardship to the owner or
the utility company;
2. That uadeferral be detrimental to under
the rcumstances of the general
particuular r case,
welfare of the neighborhood.
PLES is required to participate in the undergrounding project in Maxwell Road,
south of the landfill in the amount of $11 ,200. So, although staff is
recommending waiver for the on-site utilities,
they are participating for
off-site utilities along the
underground bl i c the prAnoeestimate l es of roughly $90,000 was
given to PLES by SDG&E
FISCAL IMPACT: None.
JWH:nr/PB011
WPC 1657E