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Cityside Fiber outlines privately funded, 10‑gig network for Rancho Santa Margarita; council presses details on schedule and street impacts
Summary
Cityside Fiber presented plans for a privately funded, CPCN‑licensed all‑fiber network offering up to 10 Gbps. Council focused on construction technique (microtrenching), coordination with the city’s 7‑year CIP and slurry‑seal schedule, street repairs, permit requirements, pricing, and timeline (zone 1 expected Jan–mid‑2026).
Representatives of Cityside Fiber told the Rancho Santa Margarita City Council on Nov. 12 that they plan to build an all‑fiber network across the city, offering symmetric speeds up to 10 gigabits per second. Pat Thomas, director of government relations for Cityside Fiber, said the company is privately funded, holds a California Public Utilities Commission certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN), and intends to start construction in January 2026 in the first deployment zones.
Company representatives described a phased build that would coordinate mainline construction with the city’s road‑maintenance program. The company said one microtrenching machine can cut about 1,000 linear feet per day and that typical construction for a zone is about six months. Cityside proposed initial residential service tiers including a 1 Gbps plan at $80/month, 2 Gbps at $95/month and a 5 Gbps plan at $195/month. Company presenters said homeowners would not pay an installation fee; the provider would perform the lateral connection from the right‑of‑way to the home as part of the service.
City staff and council members pressed Cityside on impacts and timing. Questions centered on whether microtrenching would produce visible patches of new asphalt, coordination with the city’s slurry‑seal and overlay schedule, the city’s encroachment‑permit process, and the risk that, if slurry and overlay projects occur after Cityside’s work, there could be a lag of months to years before final surface restoration. City staff confirmed any work in the public right‑of‑way requires an encroachment permit and city plan review; the city attorney also noted that state law preempts local regulation of entities with PUC authorization, but cities control timing, place and manner via permitting.
On construction impacts, Cityside representatives said the company restores an 18‑inch strip of asphalt over each microtrench and coordinates work to align with the city's CIP; staff said slurry‑seal overlays might follow Cityside work by 2–3 years in some neighborhoods. Cityside also offered community outreach commitments — door hangers, mailers, social media and HOA coordination — and said they are available for town halls.
Council members expressed overall support for increased broadband choice while urging careful communication and coordination with residents, police and fire for access during construction, and consistency with the city’s long‑term street maintenance plan.
Next steps: Cityside will submit improvement plans for plan check and apply for encroachment permits; staff will review plans against city standards and provide inspection during construction. No council action was required at the meeting; the item was received and filed.
