Crescent City reintroduces underground-utility district ordinance to pursue Pacific Power Rule 20 credits

The Crescent City City Council reintroduced an ordinance to update municipal code chapter 12.28 to allow the city to create an underground utilities district and use California Public Utilities Commission Rule 20 work credits for a proposed Front Street project.

Staff explained the ordinance removes a prior requirement that the city provide an estimate of project costs at introduction because Pacific Power and contractors may not have estimates ready within the city’s timeline. The Rule 20 program provides work credits based on a formula and requires a community to have an active project defined by June 8 to preserve available credits; staff said the city currently has $393,942 in work credits and noted Del Norte County has $2,406,655 that could be transferred if the county approves.

The staff report identified the Front Street gateway and the CDBG-funded road and sidewalk work as the primary project candidates and said using credits could allow lateral service lines to be installed to meters so property owners would not bear the cost. Staff said the tentative calendar includes returning the ordinance for adoption at the next council meeting, notifying property owners on April 21, holding a hearing on May 5 to create the district, and presenting a Pacific Power agreement by May 19 to make the project active before the June 8 deadline.

Council members asked about county coordination and whether a project could be identified in time; staff emphasized the June 8 deadline and said the council can tailor the district boundary once cost estimates arrive. The ordinance was reintroduced by motion and will return for adoption at a future meeting.