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Officials report mixed responses to MLK Avenue undergrounding plan; staff working with FP&L to reduce easement needs
Summary
Staff updated the CRA on the Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue streetscape: 26 property easements were requested to underground utilities, 5 responses have been received (three opposed, two in favor), and staff are negotiating with FP&L and a new engineer to reduce required easements and address lighting questions.
City staff provided a verbal update on the Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue streetscape project, focusing on efforts to underground utilities and on property-owner easements.
Jamie D. Perkins said the city sent 26 easement-request letters to stakeholders along the MLK corridor to obtain access to place transformers and switch cabinets. Perkins described 20 of those easements as 10-by-10 transformer easements and two as 20-by-20 switch-cabinet easements. To date staff have received five responses: three opposed and two in favor.
Perkins said the city is following up with secondary contacts and working with FP&L and a new utility engineer to explore design changes that could reduce the number of easements required and increase resident buy-in. Commissioners raised concerns about how undergrounding would affect existing street lighting; Perkins said the design includes new street lighting and that going underground could allow installation of new fixtures as part of the project.
Commissioners urged continued outreach given the limited early response rate. Staff said they would continue negotiations with FP&L and review alternative locations and configurations to reduce impacts on property owners and expedite design.
