Tiburon Council requires Mar West residents to post one-third of design costs to advance undergrounding plan

The Tiburon Town Council voted unanimously to require property owners proposing the Mar West utility undergrounding assessment district to provide subscription deposits equal to one-third of the preliminary design cost, council members said after a lengthy discussion about cost, safety and precedent.

Staff presented a revised estimate for preliminary work — civil design, utility design and advisory services — totaling $165,760 and said the figure differed from the written staff report due to a recently identified discrepancy. The civil design quote alone was listed at $79,200. Town staff told the council the subscription deposit would fund biddable construction documents and the final engineer’s report; if the district later forms and bonds are issued, the town would be reimbursed for any funds it advanced.

Why it matters: Undergrounding overhead utility lines removes visible wiring, reduces fire and…