REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on a Pole Contact Agreement with Level 3 Telecom, LP to Allow the Attachment of Facilities on City-Owned Poles
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Deliver and Enhance High Quality Efficient Services and Infrastructure
BACKGROUND
Through its Electric Utility, Silicon Valley Power (SVP), the City of Santa Clara (City) owns and maintains approximately 11,000 utility poles that are used to support SVP's overhead electric transmission and distribution equipment. California law requires that the City make appropriate space available on its poles for communication companies, such as Level 3 Telecom, LP to attach. In order to facilitate this requirement, the City requires that any company that wishes to attach to its poles sign a Pole Contact Agreement that sets forth the process and requirements that companies must abide by for attachment approval. Under the Pole Contact Agreement, all attachments and routes will be reviewed and approved by SVP staff.
DISCUSSION
Level 3 Telecom, LP is a wireline provider of telecommunication services licensed by the California Public Utilities Commission and previously held a Pole Contact Agreement. Since that time Level 3 Telecom, LP has continued to pay annual attachment fees for pole attachments while negotiating a replacement Pole Contact Agreement with the City. Level 3 Telecom, LP has agreed to the provisions of the City's Pole Contact Agreement for the next five (5) year to continue these services.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Staff recommends that the City Council determine that the action being considered is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to CEQA Guidelines (Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations) section 15303 (Class 3 - New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures), because the Pole Contact Agreement allows small telecommunication attachments to City electric poles.
FISCAL IMPACT
Payments over the term of the Pole Contact Agreement are aligne...
Click here for full text