UUW - Denied - 2012CITY of CAMPBELL
Community Development Department
July 26, 2012
J Scott & Janet Mattison
287 N. Milton Avenue
Campbell, CA 95008
Re: Underground Utility Waiver -File No: PLN2012-121
287 N. Milton Avenue
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Mattison:
Please be advised that the Interim Community Development Director has reviewed your request
to permit overhead utility services in conjunction with the substantial remodel and addition to an
existing single-family residence on the above-referenced property in lieu of the requirement to
underground utilities. To summarize, your request is based on a determination from PG&E
Project T/lanager Catherine Only that the closest utility pole to your residence is not suitable for
undergrounding. In addition, Ms. Only mentioned the need to coordinate multiple residences to
facilitate undergrounding which may take a significant amount of time. Consequently, Ms. Only
provided a letter recommending that you pursue an underground utility waiver with the City.
The Interim Community Development Director reviewed correspondence from PG&E, dated
May 11, 2012, explaining the difficulty of providing underground utility service from the closest
pole to subject property. Subsequent discussions with PG&E's Service Planning Supervisor
Danny Miller have found that there is an opportunity to install underground service to multiple
residences with only one riser required on the utility pole and an underground line splitter. As
such, the previous determination by the PG&E was in error due to the fact that a viable
alternative exists that would allow compliance with the City's underground utility regulations.
Therefore, pursuant to Campbell Municipal Code (CMC) Section 21.18.140 (Undergrounding of
Utilities), your request has been denied for the following reasons:
The CMC requires all electric, telecommunications, and cable television lines that serve new
development or a property approved for a substantial remodel to be installed underground.
The Community Development Director has determined that an addition of fifty percent or
more of the existing dwelling square-footage constitutes a substantial remodel. A building
permit application for a major remodel of the existing 1,491 square foot residence, and
construction of 750 square foot addition (in addition to the construction of a new 538 square
PLN2012-121 287 N. Milton Avenue
Underground Utility Waiver
Page 2 of 2
foot detached accessory structure) was submitted on June 3, 2011 (BLD2011-451). The
proposed 750 square foot addition and the major remodel effectively creates a new residence
utilizing portions of the existing structure and constitutes a substantial investment to the
property triggering the need to underground utilities.
2. CMC § 21.18.140 (D) allows the Community Development Director the ability to waive the
requirements of undergrounding utilities when topographical, soil, or other conditions make
underground installation unreasonable or impractical. There are no unique topographical
conditions associated with the property or its surroundings that would restrict the ability to
underground utilities.
During the Director's meeting with Supervisor Miller PG&E's initial letter about your property
was discussed. The Director felt that the letter could be found misleading as it simply directed
the property owner to file an underground utility waiver without outlining the viable alternatives
available that would allow the utilities to be placed underground. As such, the Director has
authorized a partial refund of your application fees totaling $500.00 due to the fact that the lack
of providing alternatives may have influenced your decision to file the waiver. You will receive
the refund in approximately three weeks.
If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at (408) 866-2142 or via
email at stevep(a~cit oy fcanipbell.com .
Sincerely,
Steve Prosser
Associate Planner
cc: Paul Kermoyan, Interim Community Development Director
Bill Bruckart, Building Official
Danny Miller, PGE Service Planning Supervisor