Council presses PG&E and pauses tree plantings after crews find shallow gas line under Main Street sidewalks

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 frustrated that project sequencing left the community without mature trees for the city's 150th celebration. Multiple speakers asked whether the city or contractor had called 811/PG&E before cutting trees and whether utility maps were accurate.

Leech read an emailed assessment from Gelotti Construction area manager André Liarlay saying that, after marking and potholing, "the trees could not have been saved. No mismanagement for what I saw. Just everyone trying to come up with the best solution and dealing with constraints from every side." The email — entered into the public record — helped explain contractor reasoning, but residents continued to press for stronger process and clearer sequencing.

Council members expressed sympathy for business disruption, concern for public safety and for losing mature trees, and a desire to preserve the $1.2M federal/state grant that funds the project. "If PG&E can move a service line with no cost to the city, that might be the best long-term fix," Mayor Doring said; council asked staff to open formal discussions with PG&E about relocation timelines and costs.

Because the grant and contractor mobilization impose schedule and cost constraints, staff recommended several interim measures: (1) delay planting trees in affected pits until the PG&E question is resolved; (2) proceed with non-tree demolition and concrete work where contractors can safely work (for example, the west side of Main Street); (3) consider temporary planters or small groundcover in tree wells that cannot accommodate large boxes due to shallow utilities; and (4) ask PG&E whether relocation by directional drilling is feasible within an acceptable schedule and whether the utility would absorb relocation costs in specific circumstances.

Council direction and next steps

Council unanimously instructed staff to: (a) contact PG&E immediately to determine whether the service can be relocated and on what timeline; (b) explore interim plantings (planters or smaller stock) and maintenance implications; and (c) review whether work can continue on parts of the project that do not present utility conflicts so the contractor remains mobilized and grant obligations are preserved. Staff said the project grant has been extended in the past but that further delays could jeopardize funding if not managed carefully.

What to watch next

The council asked staff to return with a short factual report on PG&E's position, projected costs and schedule for relocation (if available), and options for temporary plantings or phased construction. Residents requested a clearer chronology of when utility markings and potholing were done relative to tree removal; councilors said they want a transparent sequence of events.

Ending

The council closed public comment after two hours of exchange and agreed to reconvene consideration of tree-planting specifics when staff reports back on PG&E's response and the contractor's sequencing constraints.