TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to report back in 60 days on the feasibility of directing Public Works, and/or other City staff to conduct an audit of utility wires throughout the City to identify maintenance needs and violations, as well as safety concerns in order to better address these issues with the utility providers and the California Public Utilities Commission.
DISCUSSION
Throughout Long Beach you can see large collections of utility wires crisscrossing streets, alleys, and over residences. Often these wires are wrapped in bundles hanging from telephone poles, or tied to other wired. Sometimes these wires are tangled among tree branches, or appear in disrepair, and have been left unremoved when a previous business or residential tenant moved.
Violations of maintenance standards by the utility provider can cause safety concerns including increased risk of fire, high winds disconnecting poorly maintained wires, tree branches causing service interruptions, and downed power lines resulting in damage to private property. Additionally, utility wires that are not well maintained create visual blight throughout our city, and can contribute to the overall deterioration of a community.
Individual resident groups have begun conducting their own evaluations of wire issues like these, and have begun documenting these maintenance and safety concerns. With only volunteer time and expertise this effort is severely limited. However, this could be done more comprehensively if City departments were to conduct an audit of major and minor corridors, alleys, and other areas to assess the locations of maintenance issues and safety concerns with the goal of providing this information to the utility providers as well as the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact as a result of the recommended action.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,