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Home My WebLink About08/14/2006 Blue Sheet Subdivision Requirements Modifications TOWN COUNCIL MEETING INFORMATION TOWN OF MARANA MEETING DATE: August 14, 2006 AGENDA ITEM: J. 1 TO: MAYOR AND COUNCIL FROM: Frank Cassidy, Town Attorney SUBJECT: Resolution No. 2006-128: Relating to development; modifying the subdivision requirements by providing that certain overhead elec- tric facilities need not be undergrounded in the vicinity of the Rancho Marana 154 development project, the Continental Reserve development project and the Ironwood Reserve develop- ment project DISCUSSION Section 06.08.01 of the Marana Land Development Code (LDC) authorizes the Town Council to modify the subdivision standards to the extent the Council deems appropriate to the public inter- est. LDC Section 06.03.02 (L) requires electrical transmission lines carrying less than 69 Kvof power to be undergrounded before subdivision streets are surfaced. This requirement is reiter- ated in the preliminary plat requirements found at LDC Section 06.02.02 (B) 6(b). The purpose of this item is to request that the Council exercise its authority to modify the subdivision re- quirements to allow certain overhead electrical utilities to remain above ground. RANCHO MARANA 154 PROJECT Existing overhead electric facilities along Barnett Road, Sandario Road, and Moore Road adja- cent to the Rancho Marana 154 development project are located in areas that are anticipated to be affected by future regional roadway and drainage projects. Because these regional roadway and drainage projects are still in conceptual design, the most beneficial permanent underground loca- tion of the affected overhead electrical facilities is not yet known. Consequently, if these over- head electric facilities are undergrounded in connection with adjacent residential development at this time, they may need to be relocated again when the regional roadway and drainage facilities are eventually constructed. This would result in unnecessary costs since underground utility re- locations are more expensive than above-ground to underground relocations. It would also place underground electric facilities in an area where major improvements are to be constructed in the future, creating a potential safety hazard for construction workers. For these reasons, staff rec- ommends that the overhead electric facilities located in Barnett Road, Sandario Road, and Moore Road in the vicinity of the Rancho Marana 154 development project be permitted to remain above ground and not be required to be undergrounded in connection with the development of Rancho Marana 154. {00002487.DOC /} FJC/cds 8/8/06 CONTINENTAL RESERVE/IRONWOOD RESERVE PROJECTS The Western Area Power Authority (WAPA) and the EI Paso Natural Gas Company (EPNG) have major transmission easements that cross the Continental Reserve and Ironwood Reserve development project sites. Overhead electric facilities are located on easements adjacent to the W AP A easement and the EPNG easement. The overhead electric lines located adjacent to the W AP A easement have consistently been left as above-ground facilities during the development of adjacent residential subdivisions. Although there appears to be no record of a formal determi- nation that would allow these lines to remain above-ground, staff believes that a formal modifi- cation of the subdivision standards to allow them to remain above ground is appropriate. These overhead electric facilities are immediately adjacent to high-voltage overhead W AP A lines that run through the area. The overhead electric facilities located adjacent to the EPNG easement have been undergrounded at various locations through Continental Reserve and north of Ironwood Reserve. However, it appears that in the past couple of years, the various builders and Town staff reviewers have sometimes failed to provide for undergrounding of the overhead electric facilities prior to the construction of subdivision streets. Now that all other subdivision improvements, including sub- division streets, have been completed, undergrounding the facilities after the fact would result in disruption of traffic, pavement cuts, and excessive neighborhood noise intrusion. The Town's utility undergrounding provisions were designed to be implemented early in the subdivision con- struction process, to eliminate these various conflicts. Now that the undergrounding has been missed along the EPNG easement, staff believes that the most logical approach is to allow the facilities to remain in their overhead condition. If the Town Council chooses not to modify the requirements, additional research will be needed to identify the party responsible for the undergrounding and to arrange for the undergrounding to occur. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of Resolution No. 2006-128, allowing certain overhead electrical facilities in the Rancho Marana 154, Continental Reserve, and Ironwood Reserve development projects to remain above ground. SUGGESTED MOTION I move to adopt Resolution No. 2006-128. {00002487.DOC I} -2- FJC/cds 8/8/06 MARANA RESOLUTION NO. 2006-128 RELATING TO DEVELOPMENT; MODIFYING THE SUBDIVISION REQUIREMENTS BY PROVIDING THAT CERTAIN OVERHEAD ELECTRIC FACILITIES NEED NOT BE UNDERGROUND ED IN THE VICINITY OF THE RANCHO MARANA 154 DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, THE CONTINENTAL RESERVE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AND THE IRONWOOD RESERVE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. WHEREAS, Marana Land Development Code Sections 06.02.02 (B) 6(b) and 06.03.02 (L) require underground electrical transmission lines carrying less than 69 Kv to be located underground in connection with the subdivision development process; and WHEREAS, Town staff has recommended that certain existing overhead electric facilities be permitted to remain above ground; and WHEREAS, Marana Land Development Code Section 06.08.01 authorizes the Town Council to modify the subdivision standards to the extent it deems appropriate to the public interest; and WHEREAS, the Town Council deems the modifications set forth in this resolution to be appropriate to the public interest. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF MARANA, ARIZONA, as follows: SECTION 1. Existing overhead electric facilities in the following locations need not be placed underground to the extent they have not previously been undergrounded: a. In or adjacent to Barnett Road, Sandario Road, and Moore Road in the vicinity of the Rancho Marana 154 development project. b. Adjacent to the Western Area Power Authority easement that traverses the Continental Reserve development project. c. Adjacent to the El Paso Natural Gas Pipeline easement that traverses the Continental Reserve and Ironwood Reserve development projects. {00002488.DOC /} FJC/cds 8/8/06 SECTION 2. The Town Manager is authorized to take such actions as may be necessary to carry out the terms of this resolution. PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF MARANA, ARIZONA, this 14th day of August, 2006. Mayor Ed Honea ATTEST: Jocelyn C. Bronson, Town Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: Frank Cassidy, Town Attorney {00002488.DOC /} - 2 -