Supervisor Daley introduces ordinance to speed utility undergrounding, targets holdouts

Supervisor Daley introduced an ordinance May 8 aimed at accelerating the city—s long‑running utility undergrounding program by allowing the city to declare noncooperative property owners a public nuisance and place conversion costs on their property tax bills.

Daley said roughly 42 miles were designated decades ago under a settlement and that 23 miles have been completed. He told the board more than 8,000 properties are in the program and that "approximately 3,000 have not fully converted their electrical service." Daley estimated "probably no more than 300 properties" are refusing to proceed and are delaying projects.

Under the ordinance as described in Daley—s introduction, the Department of Public Works (DPW) would work with PG&E to complete the required conversions. Where a property owner refuses to permit the necessary work, a PG&E contractor could install conduit on the face of the building and remove overhead wiring; the city would pay up front and then place the associated costs on the property—s tax bill. DPW would use a revolving fund to finance the work and recover costs through subsequent tax collections.

Daley said the ordinance will declare noncompliant properties a public nuisance and rely on the public works code for authority to place costs on tax bills. "Experience has shown that cost recovery from liens is slow and problematic," Daley said during his explanation, describing the revolving fund concept.

The introduction did not include a final vote at the meeting; Daley said the goal is to remove remaining poles and overhead wires by summer 2008. The item was submitted for committee consideration as legislative introductions and further hearings were signaled.

No committee hearing or vote on the ordinance was reported on the record at the May 8 session.