Residents seek OK to fast-track utility undergrounding process
Less than a year after a similar debate was squelched in Newport Heights, neighbors are once again going toe to toe over a proposal to place utility lines underground.
Utility poles with power lines strung across have peppered Newport Heights for decades. Homeowners in the area known as District 114 — bordered by Tustin and Irvine avenues, 15th Street, and Cliff Drive — and the area known as District 114b — bounded by Riverside and Tustin avenues, 15th Street and Cliff Drive — have been collecting signatures in an attempt to establish an assessment district that pays to place the above-ground electric, phone and cable lines out of sight.
Typically, before the city can form an underground utility assessment district — the first step to starting the undergrounding process — at least 60% of the homeowners in that neighborhood must sign a form expressing interest.
If the quota is met, the city would then pay to get an estimate of the project’s cost from the utility companies and hold a neighborhood election. If 51% of the homeowners vote in favor, the project is approved, and all property owners must pay an equal amount of the cost.
However, project proponents are asking the City Council to consider lowering the threshold below 60% to allow them to move forward with the formal vote process now.
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The urgency stems in part because of a $4 million city sewer rehabilitation and concrete alley reconstruction project expected to move forward in the next year in Newport Heights.
Placing the utility lines underground at the same time other improvements are underway would likely save homeowners money because they wouldn’t have to tear up the alleys again and repave them after the lines are placed underground, proponents and city staff say.
So far, proponents within both districts have received support — in the form of signatures — from more than 50% of the contacted homeowners, according to a city staff report.
However, opponents argue the percentage is likely much lower because some neighbors who are not in favor of undergrounding signed documents without understanding their significance. Some residents who originally signed later rescinded their support.
The cost, which has been estimated at $20,000 to $25,000 per house — payable in installments — plus variable costs of $1,000 to $4,000 to hook up each home’s power lines to Southern California Edison — has been a point of contention. The cost could vary, if the project moves forward.
Diane Byers, a Newport Heights resident who opposes the effort, said beautification isn’t enough of a reason to ask homeowners to spend thousands.
“In today’s world that’s a lot of money,” she said. “There’s people in our neighborhood that can’t afford that.”
After more than an hour of passionate testimony from homeowners during a meeting earlier this month, the City Council voted to postpone the decision until its May 24 meeting.
Newport Heights resident Sara Delia urged council members during their meeting last week to approve lowering the signature threshold.
“When you come up PCH and onto Riverside Drive, you see all the wires and the street poles,” she said. “Just from a beautification standpoint, it would be absolutely lovely.”
Proponents have said placing utility lines underground will eliminate the potential hazard of downed power lines and could improve property values.
This isn’t the first time the idea has been floated in the Heights.
In June 2015, proponents of undergrounding the swath bounded by 15th Street, Tustin Avenue, Cliff Drive and Old Newport Boulevard, — District 118 — suspended their signature-collecting effort after a year for lack of support.
Proponents in District 114 were also collecting signatures at the time and continued to after District 118 stopped.
District 114b was created as a smaller spinoff from District 118 to continue the signature collection among 50 homes. The creation of another district was surprising to some residents who thought the issue was moot.
“You can imagine when you’re part of an area where it’s already been decided there are not enough signatures and then all the sudden you’re in another district ... it’s crazy,” Byers said.
Councilman Tony Petros, who represents the area, indicated he would not support lowering the threshold to jump start the undergrounding process.
He called for unity in the neighborhood, which he said has been torn apart by contentious debate among neighbors.
“This is something that I think someone else had mentioned it is tearing the heart of the Heights apart, and it grieves me,” he said during the council meeting. “If you really want to be a community then start acting like one.”
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Hannah Fry, hannah.fry@latimes.com
Twitter: @HannahFryTCN
