The Riviera Association

Smart Meter Installation Update (May 2, 2012)

The California Public Utilities Commission has voted to require Southern California Edison (SCE) to provide an option to allow customers to retain their analog electricity meters rather than convert to smart meters.  To opt out of the smart meter program customers need to contact SCE at 800-810-2369. To opt out customers will be required to pay a one-time fee of $75 and a monthly service fee of $10; low-income customers will pay a one-time fee of $10 and a monthly service fee of $5.

Steve Newman, Streets & Utilities

Smart Meter Installation in Santa Barbara (Mar 29, 2012)

For residents unfamiliar with smart meters, Southern California Edison (SCE) is replacing your existing analog electric meter that is manually read bimonthly by a company representative with a digital smart meter. The new smart meter records your peak electric consumption each hour and transmits daily to a local collection station through a brief microwave transmission.

Smart meters have been used throughout the world in industrial and commercial applications for several decades. In recent years, they have been installed for residential use throughout Europe and are now quickly being adopted in the United States. To date, SCE has installed over 3 million units in its service area.

Customers will be charged for their electricity based on the time of day that they consume it. Utilities will charge higher rates in “peak” demand times of the day and lower rates in “off peak” times. Customers may have a choice between level billing or time-of-day billing.

Many residents and consumer organizations, such as Consumers Power Alliance (CPA), are strongly opposed to smart meters considering them an invasion of privacy and a health risk and have filed lawsuits attempting to block their installation.

Just recently, an Administrative Law Judge proposed an option for SCE customers to “opt out” of the smart meter program based on conditions similar to a plan adopted by Pacific Gas & Electric (PGE). Under this proposed plan, residents could elect to keep their existing analog meter by opting out of the smart meter program and paying a one-time fee of $75 and an additional monthly charge of $10.

Until there is a ruling on the proposed “opt out” program, customers may wish to delay installation by calling either SCE at 800.810.2369, or the installer, Corix Utilities, directly at 877.407.2317.

Steve Newman, Streets and Utilities, steven@rivieraassociation.com

City telephone contacts for urgent street / utility issues (Mar 22, 2012)

If you have urgent graffiti/pothole/sidewalk/street or utility issues please call the city hotlines listed below and they will respond within 24 hours.

• Graffiti 897-2513
• Storm Drains 564-5458
• Pothole & Sidewalk Repair 897-2630
• Street Signs 560-7569
• Sand Bags 564-5377
• Street Sweeping 897-1903
• Sewer Problems 564-5413
• Traffic Signals 564-5417
• Damaged Street Trees 564-5434
• Street Lights 564-5416
• Street Sweeping 897-1903
• Water mains, flooding 564-5413
• Water Conservation 564-5460

Parking on APS (May 10, 2010)

Please remember to park only in designated on Alameda Padre Serra.  RED Curbs indicate no parking permitted.  Thank you

Underground Utility Update – September 24, 2008 (Aug 24, 2008)

On Tuesday, September 23, the Santa Barbara City Council agenda included an Underground Utility Assessment District Program Level of Support Update. Riviera Association President Paul Cashman, and Board members Steve Kittell and Christine Oliver were present and spoke in support of continuing the program and requested that The Riviera Association be informed and included in UUAD discussions since Riviera residents have a particular interest in the improved views, and fire and evacuation safety undergrounding provides.

The Underground Utility Assessment District (UUAD) was established to help neighborhoods accomplish the undergrounding of overhead utilities. To help defray the high initial cost to prepare topographic surveys, preliminary designs and Engineer’s Reports, the UUAD Program provides the start-up costs through the City, funded by revenues received as part of the Southern California Edison Franchise Agreement. Utility Undergrounding Program revenues are approximately $380,000 to $390,000 per year.

Since the City funded start-up costs are only recovered by the City if the UUAD is ultimately formed by neighborhoods, Council desires to have strong neighborhood support to achieve Council approval. At the September meeting, Council heard neighborhood support threshold recommendations from John Ewasiuk, Principal Civil Engineer.
Currently, consistent with state mandate, the City of Santa Barbara requires 60% of property owners by area of land to accept an initial petition for a UUAD, and a majority weighted vote to consider final approval. The Engineers report outlines preliminary assessment costs per property based on benefit gained by undergrounding, thus the “weighted vote” majority. Under these guidelines, the City has accepted three UUAD resident petitions (Ferrelo Road, Eucalyptus Hill Road, and Chapala Street). Eight additional neighborhoods have interest in a UUAD, but have not yet submitted petitions. Also, six property owners on Mission Ridge Road recently completed a self-assessed undergrounding project.

Some other municipalities have established a “Neighborhood Level of Support” policy stricter than these minimum state guidelines. Council and staff discussion at the September 23 meeting revolved around 1) increasing to 80-90% property owner support requirements for both the petition and approval phases (simple or weighted majority), and 2) developing a policy for UUAD hardship situations. Opinions shared by City Council members indicate that the majority favored either maintaining the 60% majority requirement or increasing that percentage to no more than 65-70%. Council members voiced concerns that by requiring too high a majority, property owners might feel the process would be doomed from the start. City Attorney, Stephen Wiley, made several comments to Council regarding the legality of providing City funds for hardship cases, especially for individual lines to homes and new electrical panels, unless a repayment plan with interest would be involved. All Council members agreed that, if stricter majority requirements are instituted, it would not be fair to apply them to the UUAD program in neighborhoods already approved.

At the conclusion of the Agenda item, Council directed Mr. Ewasiuk and staff to come back with revised recommendations on the above two issues more in line with the 60-70% majority requirements Council supports and the City Attorney’s input on allowable hardship support.

Public comment on this Agenda Item consisted of support for the general UUAD program and members of the Chapala Street UUAD requesting exemption from any increased majority requirements. In addition, Riviera Association Board President and members spoke supporting the UUAD program, requesting permission for a survey to be conducted on the Riviera to help residents judge support for a UUAD in their neighborhood, and suggesting the City Council allocate funds for mediation to help neighbors resolve differences and successfully achieve undergrounding. Professional mediation decreases the likelihood of a UUAD dissolving after approval and consequently protects the City from the revenue loss when neighbor differences cannot be successfully resolved.

Christine Oliver
Board Member

Under-grounding of Utilities (Feb 19, 2008)

The Riviera Association has made a commitment to facilitate the under-grounding of utilities on the Riviera. Montecito attempted to do this several years ago for the entire community and it failed. Our approach is to encourage neighbors to form small groups to underground in their areas. This effort has already begun with 4 separate projects. Utilities are being undergrounded by approximately 6 homes on Mission Ridge just north of the El Encanto. There are 17 homes involved in undergrounding on Ferrelo Road. Another effort on Arbolado involves 15 homes. And another on Roble Lane involves 17 homes. Keep in mind the City has now designated someone to help coordinate the process including the determination of how the costs should be allocated among homeowner. Also, there are various options to pay for the undergrounding, including spreading the cost over 30 years. Please contact Jules Bender, 805-882-2107, if you would like to discuss further.

The link below will direct you to the City’s Engineering Division Web Page where information pertinent to the Utility Undergrounding Process in Santa Barbara can be found. http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/Government/Departments/PW/Engineering_Division.htm

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