Resident seeks city help after Edison halts above‑ground meter plan for West Church Avenue build

Tony Rosa, a Ridgecrest resident, used the public‑comment period at the Jan. 15 council meeting to describe an ongoing dispute with Southern California Edison over electrical service for a home he is building at 313 West Church Avenue.

Rosa told councilmembers he received building permits in 2018–19 to build at the address and that Edison had initially approved an electrical release reflecting overhead service and a meter at the rear of the property. After he submitted the release, he said Edison informed him the Ridgecrest neighborhood in question requires underground electrical service and declined to honor the prior release. Rosa said he had spent months trying to get Edison to accept the release and that building‑department staff pointed him to a subdivision‑related undergrounding ordinance; Rosa said the ordinance language did not appear, in his reading, to apply to an individual historic lot and asked the city to instruct Edison to honor the previously issued release so he could finish the project.

City response: City manager Ron (last name not specified) said he would respond in his city‑manager comments and later told the council that the building department had reviewed the matter. He said city policy requires underground electrical service for new builds and that the correct procedural path for a resident who believes an exception is warranted is to request a variance or file an appeal with the planning commission. Ron stated staff had met with Rosa and provided guidance on available administrative remedies; Rosa said he had previously met with staff but did not pursue an appeal.

Rosa estimated he had invested substantial savings and said the delay had cost him money; city staff told the council they would follow up with the resident. No council action was taken during the meeting; staff said the resident would be given the process steps and that he could file for a variance or appeal if he wished.