Laguna Beach is set to move forward with another utility undergrounding project after an overwhelming majority of property owners in the 90-parcel district voted in favor of it.
An underground utility assessment district will be formed in a neighborhood in the northern part of Laguna Beach, largely concentrated along Fairview Street and La Brea Street, between Cliff Drive to the south and Hillcrest Drive to the north.
Following the vote Tuesday, the Laguna Beach City Council awarded a contract to Hot Line Construction, Inc. in the amount of $2,807,414, the lowest among five bids the city received in May. The same firm has also worked on other undergrounding projects in the city, including Crestview Drive, Diamond Street and Woods Cove.
Affected property owners will be notified that a lien will be placed on their property to cover the cost of the improvements, unless their assessment is paid during a 30-day cash collection period. They will also have an opportunity to apply for an assessment deferment loan program.
A view looking east on La Brea Street from Coast Highway in northern Laguna Beach.
(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)
Work on the project, which will remove 29 utility poles and 3,500 linear feet of overhead power lines, could begin in May or June, subject to the receipt of bond proceeds.
A weighted majority of the assessments associated with each parcel was required for the project to advance. After calling for the submission of outstanding ballots, city staff tallied the votes, returning to council chambers to report that 59 of 74 valid ballots cast supported the project.
The weighted percentage of the assessments favoring of the project came in at 82.3%, with the cumulative assessment amount coming in at $2,933,314. The amount of assessments associated with the “no” votes was $633,105, or 17.7%.
“I think this has got to be the highest percentage [of votes for a utility undergrounding project] that I’ve seen in all the years,” Councilman Bob Whalen said following a city staff presentation of the results.
A view looking south off La Brea Street in northern Laguna Beach.
(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)
Council members declared their intention to form the district during an Oct. 28 meeting. Ballots were then sent out to impacted property owners.
The city plans to put up $949,160 in support of the project, leaving a remainder of approximately $2.7 million in its wildfire mitigation and fire safety fund.