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Council delays decision on Idaho Power pole relocation at Eagle Regional Athletic Park to Nov. 25
Summary
Staff presented three options for relocating two Idaho Power poles that block the park's roadway: a $650,000 permanent undergrounding, a $250,000 partial interim A, and a $115,000 interim B option; council continued the item to Nov. 25 and asked staff to prepare engineering estimates, Idaho Power outreach and a capital plan modification.
City staff presented three options to address two Idaho Power poles that obstruct the final roadway alignment for the Eagle Regional Athletic Park. Nicole (planning staff) described the options and estimated costs: Option 1 (final underground conduit and new transformer/service) at an estimated $650,000; Option 2 (interim A, partial conduit/transformer work) at about $250,000; and Option 3 (interim B, reset two poles and maintain an overhead service) at about $115,000.
Nicole warned that Option 1 would create the largest budget shortfall (about $528,000 beyond current allocations), require off-site private easements and a longer engineering/construction timeline, and potentially conflict with phase-1 construction. Option 3 is the least expensive and fastest to implement but is an interim fix that may add sunk costs before a permanent underground solution. Council members debated whether to proceed with an interim repair or fund the full undergrounding now to avoid higher future costs. One councilor said, "I don't want to spend $115,000 just to do a temporary fix on a 30 feet gap of asphalt," and argued for pursuing the final option now.
Council directed staff to pursue conversations with Idaho Power about cost-sharing and to consult McElveen (the planned construction manager) for constructability and potential savings. Because engineering typically requires five to six weeks and paving/batch-plant schedules are seasonally constrained, the council voted to continue the item to the Nov. 25, 2025 meeting and include a capital plan modification so funding options can be evaluated.
Next steps: staff to obtain Idaho Power engineering estimates, identify any committed donations or funding, consult McElveen for constructability input, and prepare a capital-plan modification for the council packet on Nov. 25.
