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BUSINESS CALENDAR <br /> <br />MOTION: McGuigan <br /> <br />VOTE: AYES: <br /> NOES: <br /> <br /> ABSENT: <br /> <br /> SECOND: Christy <br /> <br />Bist, Christy, Lutz, McGuigan, Pulido <br />None <br /> <br />Franklin, Moreno <br /> <br />WORK STUDY SESSION <br /> <br />WS.A. TRENCH CUT FEES <br /> <br />Public Works Agency Executive Director Jim Ross introduced the session by briefing <br />the Council on staffs actions since 1996 regarding levy of a fee to recover the cost of <br />damages to streets from trench cuts. He explained when the fee was first proposed, <br />the primary concerns were the authority of the City to impose such a fee and the <br />validity of damages. Noting those issues had been resolved, Ross stated enactment <br />of the fee was now a policy issue. He indicated the fee was intended to encourage <br />utility providers to coordinate their trench cuts with the City's repaving schedule, as <br />well as to recover damage costs over and above normal street "wear and tear." <br /> <br />City Engineer George AIvarez presented "Save Our City Streets," a slide presentation <br />detailing the investment in public streets, utility trench permit statistics, projected <br />revenues from the proposed fee, and benefits that would accrue to the City from a <br />coordinated street excavation program. Dr. M.Y. Shahin, an asphalt pavement <br />consulting engineer, discussed the results of studies conducted in a number of cities to <br />evaluate and quantify the effects of trenching and utility patching on the service life of <br />streets. Shahin noted that the research clearly demonstrated utility cut patching <br />decreases asphalt pavement life. <br /> <br />Ross, Alvarez, and Shahin responded to Councilmember questions regarding trench <br />cuts that included, but were not limited to: <br /> <br />extent of the area damaged by a trench cut; <br />impact of "quality" versus "poor" repairs on pavement life; <br />the possibility that imposition of the fee would deter needed cuts; <br />increase in trench cut activity by telecommunication companies; <br />how costs are apportioned when more than one utility is involved; <br />transfer of damage costs by the utilities to the consumer; and <br />partial versus full recovery of damages. <br /> <br />Desi Reyes commented on the poor quality of patch repairs and the need for better <br />coordination of road work. <br /> <br />CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 56 FEBRUARY 16, 1999 <br /> <br /> <br />