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Council presses PG&E and pauses tree plantings after crews find shallow gas line under Main Street sidewalks
Summary
After contractors removed mature trees for a funded Main Street sidewalk project, staff and residents discovered a shallow PG&E service line under the tree root balls. Council directed staff to contact PG&E, explore interim options (smaller trees, planters, or delayed plantings) and try to preserve grant funding while the utility question is resolved.
Mayor Paul Jameson Doring opened a contentious discussion after Assistant City Manager Joe Leech told the council that Underground Service Alert markings and contractor potholing had revealed a gas service main running directly beneath tree root balls on Main Street, between Adams and Pine.
"The contractor potholed in various locations and determined the depth of the existing pipe — it's between a foot and a half and 2½ feet," Leech said, describing why crews could not grind tree stumps deep enough to install the larger boxed trees the project called for. The discovery upended the planned planting of 48-inch boxed trees and forced staff to re-evaluate whether to plant smaller 24-inch boxes, relocate wells, use planters, or postpone plantings.
Residents and business owners packed the council chamber and pressed staff and council members for answers. Longtime resident Anthony Mcclli told the council: "I raised $40,000... it's a free gift to the city," and said he was…
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