All right.

Good afternoon, everyone.

Welcome to the environment committee meeting of June eighteenth, twenty twenty six.

Our committee liaison Sarah Jordan will provide information and instruction for the public to participate in today's meeting.

Sarah, please proceed.

Members of the public who wish to provide testimony via a call-in or internet-based service option must enter the virtual queue within five minutes after the conclusion of in-person public testimony or before the virtual speaking queue is exhausted, whichever occurs first.

This will allow for better meeting management between the two platforms and ensure the committee is able to manage and conduct city business.

We appreciate the public's cooperation chair all right thank you Sarah I will now call the environment committee meeting of June 18th 2026 to order Sarah if you'd please call the role Vice Chair Campbell Council President Lacaba Chair Ilo Rivera present also attending the meeting today is City Attorney Representative Dominic Gugliamo Mayoral Representative Randy Wilde and IBA representative Jordan Moore and if you're in person please complete a speaker slip located at the at the entrance of the committee room and place it in the speaker slip box at the table at the front of the room please do so in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management members of the public can also join the webinar by computer tablet or smartphone by accessing the link which is listed online in the preamble language of the agenda on the city's webpage to join the Zoom webinar by telephone please 1669 2545252 inputting webinar ID 1607 three two nine six three eight pound this information is also available on the agenda and will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each agenda item please note that if you're watching via City TV 24 or online there may be delay please participate via the audio on your phone and mute your computer and TV when it is your turn to speak.

If you wish to speak to a particular item please wait for that item to be called and then raise your hand to speak by tapping the raise your hand icon if you're a zoom participant or if you are a phone participant by selecting star nine on your phone.

If you raise your hand during a non-comment period your hand will be lowered chair.

All right thank you so we Sarah we've got a quorum let's move to non-agenda public comment uh do we have any non-agenda public comment today yes we've received three speaker slips here in the committee room and we currently have three hands raised and per will put point 2.7 non-agenda public comment is an opportunity for members of the public to comment on items that are not on the agenda but are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the committee and each speaker will have two minutes to provide their non-agenda public comment we will begin with allegedly Audra.

Please approach the lectern and you will be followed by Joy Sanyata and Maximilian Schmidt.

I would like to bring to your attention uh something that's happening in Rancho San Diego in the uh Cajon School District with the mosquito infestation um in the schools there's been dozens of reports um evidently because of the condensation from the AC above these children's heads there are um their breeding and there's a lot of children and teachers that are sick and um I just would like to bring this to our attention because um there has been a release of 64 million mosquitoes from Google um and they are Bill Gates mosquitoes.

There's evidently they are doing it because this is what they say is that it's to kill other mosquitoes but it's a concern when these are being released and there's an infestation in schools and kids are getting sick so I think that you guys need to take heed and look into making sure that the schools in San Diego are not going to be having this type of an infestation where it's going to put children and teachers at risk of getting sick.

Who knows what uh you know illness can potentially come especially from mosquitoes that we don't really know you know when they're geoengineered we're not really sure uh the effects of that it kind of comes uh as you know they're being released and then um there's gonna have to be mitigation that it comes at some point um when people find out exactly what um potentially could be being transmitted um but I think it would be hoove you guys to uh make sure that the schools here are not going to face that same kind of um uh you know infestation and I don't know what would need to be done necessarily but you know potentially keeping an eye on the ceilings and making sure that there isn't moisture um which is a perfect uh place for them to breed um so please uh protect the children in San Diego City thank you maximilian oh excuse me I'm sorry the Joy San Yata you are next million you will be after joy good afternoon this is part two from yesterday and it's it's very different than I thought it would be and it's too long a story to tell you how I got to this.

So here we go.

So first of all, two thank yous.

Thank you to Chief Wall for teaching me about unless proven otherwise.

And thank you to Terry Figaroa Figaroa.

She's the one who wrote the article that I love so much in the Union Tribune is dated in May 27th of 2026.

The two of these people, these two people help me resolve my hating the hated.

Now I have love.

For Caleb Vasquez.

I have love for him.

Only Caleb, only Caleb, can tell us his story of what happened the year that preceded the mosque attack.

Like each of us, his story is sacred and very personal.

Now I hold in my heart all five, all five of the people who died that tragic day.

Let us hold our dear ones close in our hearts.

For life is fragile.

In the mist, it's fragile.

In the mystery of its power, it's fragile in the mystery of its power.

I say those words and I still don't get them yet, but I do believe in them.

Thank you for listening and a big love to all of you.

Thank you, Maximilian.

Hi, uh, my name is Max.

I'm just uh your average Joe from Ohio, and I used to be um mentally confused or mentally abused.

Um, some call it mind control via um telepathy and people who are telepathic.

There's no technology involved.

And um just want to say I figured out some things that I thought can maybe help people.

Um, one mind control revolves uh around the person disassociating and being made paranoid to the point that they disassociate for comfort, and you can actually help someone by having them hold their um chin completely still and look straight ahead because mind control victims are constantly moving their their neck back and forth, and the people around them constantly have stiff necks and um to and stand still to make the person uncomfortable.

But anyway, I wanted to also draw awareness to the owl, the bird that's the symbol of Freemasonry.

Um that bird actually represents mind control because it turns its head so much and its head can actually um turn all the way around, just like a mind control victim's neck is constantly moving.

And I also wanted to um share some mantras.

Oh, yeah, and when you hold the when the person holds their chin, tell them to look ex directly ahead.

And if they look directly ahead and their eyes blur, they could be a mind control victim and unaware of it.

So this is actually a test for people who maybe don't know if they're a mind control victim or not.

The test to do it is hold your head completely still, don't move your neck like an owl and look straight ahead.

And while you look straight ahead, see if your vision gets blurry, and if you if you cannot do that for 30 seconds without your vision getting blurry or feeling nervous, then you are a mind control victim and unaware of it.

And some mantras that can help people are Area 51 Nevada, uh prayers about forgiveness, um, prayers to relieve suicidal idea ideation, and um area 51 nevada actually gets your mind stimulating and thinking if you repeat that mantra.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That concludes testimony here in the committee room.

So I'll begin the five-minute timer for those in the virtual queue to indicate if they wish to provide non-agenda public comment.

We currently have seven hands up, and we will begin with Madison.

Please unmute and begin.

Hello, good afternoon.

I would like to talk about an environmental impact of tobacco and vape waste on our communities, waterways, and wildlife.

Cigarette butts are the most littered item in the world, and they are commonly found throughout San Diego, in parks, along streets, near storm drains, and on our beaches.

Many people don't realize that cigarette filters are made of plastic.

Rather than biodegrading, they break down into microplastics while also releasing toxic chemicals such as nicotine, arsenic, and lead into the environment.

Studies have shown that even a single cigarette butt can contaminate large amounts of water, harming fish and other aquatic life.

E-cigarettes create an additional environmental challenge.

Disposable vapes and e-cigarette devices contain plastics, heavy metals, and lithium batteries.

When improperly discarded, they can leak hazardous material into soil and water waste, contribute to landfill waste, and create fire risks within waste management systems.

These products are increasingly common, yet there are a few convenient options for proper disposal or recycling.

As San Diego continues its environmental stewardship, I encourage the committee to consider the growing impact of tobacco and vape waste.

Public education, improved collection and disposal programs, and policies that hold manufacturers accountable for the environmental costs of their products are practical steps that can help reduce this pollution stream.

Protecting our beaches, bays, wildlife, and neighborhoods requires attention to both large and small sources of pollution.

Tobacco and vape waste may seem minor, but collectively they represent a significant and preventable environmental burden.

Thank you for your time and your commitment to protecting San Diego's environment.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Becky Rapp.

Please unmute and begin.

Good afternoon.

My name is Becky Rapp, and with summer here, I had the privilege last week to spend time with my kids at the beach and enjoy our beautiful coastline.

But I was shocked by how many people I observed smoking and vaping.

Our beaches are filled with visitors from around the country and around the world.

What message are we sending when people see smoking and vaping occurring openly on our beaches?

San Diego should be known for clean beaches, clean air, and environmental responsibility, not tobacco and vape litter scattered across our sand and near our waterways.

But this pollution isn't coming solely from tourists.

A recent San Diego State University study conducted in Pacific Beach found that cigarette butts made up 87% of all tobacco product waste collected near storm drains that discharged into Mission Bay wetlands.

It's important to also know that the research was conducted during the off-season between December and March when visitor when visitor numbers are much lower.

Researchers estimated that approximately 80 new cigarette butts are discarded every day in the study area, demonstrating that this is an ongoing local problem, not just a seasonal tourism issue.

The study also found that cleanup efforts alone are not enough.

Cigarette butts quickly returned after collection, and researchers estimated that cleanups would need to occur every other day to substantially reduce pollution levels.

As we enter one of the busiest beach seasons of the year, I urge this environmental committee to focus on stronger enforcement of existing smoking and litter laws at our beaches, bays, and parks.

More visible enforcement, public education, and compliance efforts can help prevent this pollution.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Terry Ann Skelly, please unmute and begin.

I'm a parent of three adult sons and a planning group member.

My planning group had a presentation regarding fire safety from the county's fire safe council.

My planning group is concerned about tobacco and marijuana smoking and vaping on our hiking trails and small sidewalks that connect the neighborhoods in the area.

Marijuana and tobacco products are discarded out on the trails and sidewalks, creating a hazard for fires.

And legally, vaping products are considered toxic wastes.

We need much better signage in those areas where they are smoke-free and vape-free.

I am hoping the city departments that would be responsible for this for the signage could do so.

And now would be the time to prohibit smoking and vaping in all public places in our city, and the environment commission is the place for this policy to originate.

The goal of Americans for non-smokers' rights, the 40-year-old premier public health nonprofit organization, is to create a smoke-free, vape-free generation of Americans that rejects tobacco and marijuana use and that are savvy to tobacco and marijuana industry tactics.

This committee and the city could signal their understanding that the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the land we enjoy are precious by bringing forward a smoke-free and vape-free public places ordinance, like so many other cities throughout our county.

Thank you for hearing my concerns this afternoon.

Thank you for your comment.

The five-minute timer has exhausted with four hands remaining in the queue.

We will take no other callers beyond these four hands raised.

Peggy Walker, please unmute and begin.

Hello.

As an environmental advocate, I found a recent study about the environmental risks of the cannabis industry deeply concerning.

Indoor cannabis production generates greenhouse gas emissions with a carbon intensity that rivals the most energy hungry manufacturing processes on the planet.

Because the city is considering marijuana expansion, I wondered if this committee is aware of this and other environmental challenges and the lack of regulations to mandate improvement.

Energy consumption is the largest environmental concern with cannabis production, which is overwhelmingly concentrated in energy-intensive indoor cultivation.

It poses water consumption issues.

Cultivation of this waterthirsty plant creates a significant resource conflict in water-stressed California and our region.

And pesticides remain problematic, or outdoor growths present challenges of drift to neighboring properties and to waterways, heavy use of fungicides and meticides in indoor growths present both environmental and health concerns.

These complicated issues to serve more than a superficial glance, considering long-term environmental stewardship as a city priority.

A model that fails to address sustainable environmental practices should be a critical consideration before allowing the expansion of this market.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Blair Beekman, please unmute and begin.

Hi, thank you.

Blair Beekman.

And to look for a better principled AOPR vendor.

Do we do this or do we do we simply give up the AOPR vendor process altogether and work out new data collection arrangements with Ubiqua?

Uh the official owners of newer SDO SDAOPRs.

And from this, we should be working in something of a yearly review process and how to create a small reduction of unnecessary or redundant surveillance technology and ALPR use from local San Diego neighborhoods each year, with more thoughtful strategic and efficient tech placement planned each year.

This will not overly limit or much take away from the current use of surveillance tech within San Diego neighborhood public safety concerns.

But it will also develop consistent responsible yearly reduction of unnecessary surveillance tech and to work towards more clear ideas of better principle, more responsible community tech use, more clear oversight.

I feel this can be good consensus building and compromise for everyone in San Diego and has ways to develop step-by-step process towards our more sustainable, responsible San Diego future with tech.

I've often been describing for months now how both the city of Oakland and the County of Alameda are creating good examples of an 18-month process of full community input and best practices to leave flock for a new uh better principled AOPR vendor.

A final reminder that is my understanding that former San Diego councilperson Monica Montgomery Step has always spoken that the numbers of new ALPR purchases for San Diego neighborhoods a few years ago could eventually be reduced.

And to conclude I simply feel we need an open accountable full community conversation about STPD procedures and guidelines within the future of AOPR use in real time.

Thanks for your time um I'll have new ways to say this in the coming weeks uh thanks for your time and patience for a good meeting today.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Judy Strang, please unmute and begin.

Good afternoon environment committee.

Can you hear me okay?

We can hear you please proceed.

Thank you.

But I'm at my work environment it's always uh a little difficult.

I recently had a conversation with a student uh an elementary school student that surprised me first of all he was able to articulate very clearly the health problem he had and I'm assuming that's because one of his parents is a doctor but he has asthma and he has a very extreme reaction to smoke and to vape and he explained to me why it was and he asked me if I knew the difference between how tobacco smoke was or smelled if you will inhaled and uh marijuana smoke I and I said yes you can tell the difference he said well marijuana smoke he's educating me you know it smells like a skunk.

And I said yes he it's pretty noticeable and he was talking about his very difficult experience to be in an environment where that occurred because it caused him not to be able to breathe but thank goodness he knows clearly how to use this inhaler.

I went home and did some research and I found out that for 10% of the population they actually have a very strong allergic reaction to marijuana smoke and vape.

And we're talking about 10% another large percentage as you can imagine are extremely uncomforted by marijuana smoke and vape.

And this situation isn't decreasing in problems for our children regarding asthma and inhaling smoke and vape be it tobacco or marijuana you've heard several people introduce the concept of a smoke free bake free public place policy that could begin with the environmental committee environmental committee and I'd like to add my voice of support for that after listening to his very careful explanation of his health issues and his understanding of what smoke and vape can do to him and other children think it's time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And the final caller in our queue today is Hector please unmute and begin.

Alright this is a good thing for the environment San Diego with El Niño coming in uh this winter it's gonna hit us with a lot of water.

I was in Beijing like five years ago in February and we got there to the hotel and all night it started snowing and it covered the whole ground about a foot and a half in the morning and there were thirty thousand ja Chinese guys with old brooms, shovels and rickshaw things like wheelbarrels and they cleared the whole city out before dark.

It was amazing there were people everywhere.

Uh they had no snow plows but they did the job all these Chinese guys thousands of them and a huge cities like 10 million people and cleared out the city.

We should do the same in our riverbeds instead of doing millions of dollars on backhoes get everybody out there on a Saturday and start taking all the rocks out, put them in a city bin, take all the sand out with shovels and buckets like Home Depot put it in the city dumpster we could sell the sand and everyone can bring out their own dumpsters for the green dumpsters and the trash dumpsters, the actual people that live there and fill those things up with the trash and the greenery, and then uh the city can dump it there, take it with their trucks, and everyone's cool at the end of the day.

And then we'll do that every week and until the channels are clear.

We can even use labor from the the the um food stamp program.

They have to work four hours a week or 20 hours a week.

We can use now, or just the actual people that live around there or other people, just call for volunteers and get the job done.

Learn how to do it, it will save the city millions, and we can open up more uh libraries and different fun things for the kids to do.

Thanks for your time.

Thank you.

And chair, this concludes non-agenda public comment this afternoon.

All right, thank you.

Uh, thank you to everyone who uh shared comment.

Do we have any committee mayor city attorney or independent budget analyst comments?

Hearing none, any requests for continuance?

All right, let's move to our agenda for today, beginning with the consent agenda.

Do we have any requests to pull any items?

No requests to pull.

Let's uh move forward with public comments there.

Thank you, Chair.

The public comment period for the consent agenda is now open.

The consent agenda includes items number one through six.

Item one is the approval of the committee minutes of May 21st, 2026.

Item two, sixth amendment to extend and to increase expenditure authority for the cooperative procurement contract between the city of San Diego and Rarig Pacific company for waste carts, recycling carts, cart parts, bins, and related products and services.

Item number three, authorization to execute a contract with North Star Chemical Incorporated for bulk delivery of sodium hydroxide 50% to the North City Pure Water Facility.

Item number four, authorization to execute a contract with North Star Chemical Incorporated for bulk delivery of sulfuric acid 93% to the North City Pure Water Facility.

Item number five, authorization to execute a sole source contract with rotor controls incorporated to provide as needed technical services repairs and parts at public utilities department facilities, and item number six, authorization to execute a contract with Aztec landscaping incorporated to provide landscape maintenance services at public utilities department water and wastewater facilities.

Each speaker will have one minute with a maximum of three minutes to speak to all six items on the consent agenda.

We've received three slips here in the committee room.

So we will begin with allegedly Audra, you have indicated you wish to speak to all six items.

So I will place three minutes on the clock for you to manage.

Yes, and everything has to do with everything.

So, you know, as we talk about affordable utilities and just anything that has to do with the water or you know, power, things like that, but especially the water and and repairs that need to be done to pipes and things, um, these are going to, you know, when we're putting in chemicals like lye and um sulfuric acid that are extremely corrosive.

In fact, people use lye to dissolve bodies, um, you know, it's it destroys tissue, so it's like there's no way for you to actually completely take it out and remove it from the water that you are removing solids from.

And I find it interesting that you would use something to dissolve the solid into the water when if you could do some kind of, you know, straining it out.

I mean, I just find that interesting that we're gonna use a chemical to do that.

Then we need another chemical to get that out.

And again, there's no way to be able to excrete all of those from the water, and if it's corrosive to a solid like a body, it destroys tissue, then it's going to be corrosive to the pipes.

Um, and so you're going to need to do more repairs.

And um, you know, when we are, I mean, there's also things like pharmaceuticals and human remains that are in the water that I don't feel like you guys would be able to fully remove, especially when people are, you know, having abortions and they are they're flushing fetuses into the toilet.

I'm just saying that that goes into the water.

And so, how are you able to remove those types of things and all of the pharmaceutical drugs that go in there?

And when we talk about putting these chemicals in here, I'm I'm like, okay, well, then we have data centers and or you know, lithium mining and things like that are requiring fresh water.

And when they go, like the data centers in certain areas that are coming out right now.

The people, the people when they turn on the water, it's like a black, uh, just very sludgy, almost like substance that comes out.

And so when they're taking our fresh water to go and use it, the runoff from that is is actually destroying and and the water that we're supposed to be drinking.

I understand that it's not happening right now, but the utilities um and the power is also something that's very concerning.

Like I was talking about before, Joe, and you were agreeing that it's concerning that you would want to keep on a data center over the people.

So making sure that a data center can stay on while the people don't have power, I feel is very egregious.

Again, like if we're giving fresh water to something else, when as human beings, we shouldn't be giving ourselves all of these toxic chemicals that we're putting in there.

So I mean, I just want you guys to really think about that.

Like, I mean, make that make sense that these things have priority over the people and and all of the things that are being brought in.

I mean, either that lithium mining, all of the data, it's it's detrimental to public health.

So let's not, you know, sacrifice the people for data.

Thank you.

Joyce and Yada, you've indicated you wish to speak to items two through six, so I will place three minutes on the clock for you to manage.

Thank you.

On number two, uh I'm gonna do a special shout out and sending love to Kirby Brady.

This is her item.

All right.

Uh so on number two, uh, the Sixth Amendment to Rare Egg uh Pacific uh with for waste recycling carts and all of that.

So under representation includes uh female and professional and laborers, Asian American Indian, and female in operative workers.

Uh it appears that they did their due diligence uh when they uh modified the pricing on these chemicals.

Uh and and so it uh I read all of that.

It look it looks pretty good.

And you know how I used to whine about the uh the chemicals in the past and the pricing.

So this fund funding will come from the solid waste management fund.

On number three, uh yes, on all of these, by the way.

So North Star Chemical Hydroxide.

This is for the North City uh pure water, which I really love.

I love, I'm really excited to be alive when that's going to be coming forward.

So on the EOC workforce agreement was submitted uh to LA County because they're they're they're called LA County employees.

So I don't get all that, but so be it.

Twenty-one employees under representation, African American and female in transportation, female in management and financial and operative workers.

Uh I think I'll skip that on number four.

Yes to executing the contact contract again.

This is North Star uh for sulfuric acid under the EOC.

We have underrepresentation, female in management and financial and operative workers, African American and female in transportation.

Again, the workforce, same procedure with the LA County employees.

On number five, yes to executing the contract with rote rotor uh controls, it's tech services, and you know I love tech services.

So under the EOC, we have underrepresentation and African American female in sales and professionals, Latino and ANE, science and computer, female and operative workers again.

I really love the EOC reports on these items.

It's just can you just see how much we're missing?

On the last one, then are my on the last one?

Yes.

So again, a yes, this is Aztec and Landscaping, EOC underrepresentation, Asian and females in sales, Asian and admin support, female in admin workers, African American, Asian, Native American, Pacific Highlanders, and female in laborers.

So uh anyway, I had a paragraph to go, but there you go.

Thank you so much.

Thank you for your concluding remark, Maximilian.

And you've also indicated you wish to speak to items one through six.

So I will place three minutes on the clock for you to manage to speak to those consent agenda items.

Um hi.

I just wanted to say that I love my First Amendment right, and that's um I use it in a very direct way, and I just wanted to uh let that be known first.

Um I just wanted to say that I um am opposed to item number one, the committee minutes, um, until the USA releases a public service announcement that people across the world need to hold their chin and keep it completely straight for a 15-minute timer so that they can have mental freedom because they may be a mind control victim and unaware, especially those living in communist countries.

And I'll simply call that holding your chin still for 15-minute test.

I want to say for item two, the Sixth Amendment to extend and to uh increase expenditure authority.

I wanted to say that I'm opposed to item two until the USA releases a public service announcement that people across the world need to hold their chin completely still for 15 minutes to see if they're a mind control victim.

For item number three, authorization to execute a contract with North Star Chemical.

I'm opposed to it until the USA releases a public service announcement that again people need to hold their chin completely still for 15 minutes to see if they're mind control victim.

And the USA can free give freedom to millions of people, especially those living in communist countries like Russia and China, to give true mental freedom and to fight communism.

I want to say for item four, I'm also opposed to it.

And for item five and six, I'm opposed to all three of those items until the USA works to fight communism abroad, works to even help those in the United States who may be mind control victims, maybe living in cults and not know it.

There it is a simple test that I'm requesting the um San Diego City Council or the federal government or anyone to make a simple public service announcement that until the world's population of the entire world is told to hold their chin completely still for fifteen minutes, and then if their eyes start blinking rapidly, or if their vision blurs, they'll know that they are mind control victim, and many in communist countries can actually become aware they are mind control victim by the simple 15 minute test, and then after the 15 minute test, they need to practice holding their chin still to have true mental freedom.

I think this could start um people's revolutions in communist countries across the um across the world.

And I think this can even help people in America, and I think the USA knows about how mind control victims cannot stop moving their neck and have their head constantly on a swivel, and that they can have mental freedom if they are forced to do a 15-minute test to keep their chin completely still by holding it with their hand.

They may find out, oh my gosh, my vision blurred I when I did that 15 minute test, or oh my gosh, I started blinking rapidly during that 15 minutes test.

I'm a mind control victim and unaware, and then they can start to question their communist government.

Thank you.

That exhaust comment here in the committee room.

So I'll begin the five minute timer for all those in the virtual queue to indicate if they wish to provide comment on the consent agenda.

Thanks, Eric.

If I just really quickly could remind folks that the comments do need to be about what's on the consent agenda.

Thank you.

And I will begin with Blair Beekman.

If you can please unmute and indicate which item or items you'd wish to speak to.

Oh, hi, yeah.

Uh thank you, Blair Beekman.

Uh item one, the uh previous meeting minutes.

Right, one minute, please be please begin.

Yeah.

Hold on a sec, thank you.

Right out here.

Yeah, uh Blair Beekman.

I had to step outside of the library that I'm in.

So not make a lot of noise.

I wanted to be able to offer um uh you have wastewater items you were working on the consent on the previous meeting minutes.

You have wastewater items actually on the consent today.

Uh I mean uh smart water, I what's this name?

Pure water, please.

Very sorry about that.

The pure water system things.

Uh on both uh previous consent calendars and this consent calendar, uh, good luck with your pure water work.

I think you're finding ways to uh not so much aggrandize it and make it as the second coming of everything, but just give it its place that it can be helpful in some ways.

Certainly can be helpful with how we work with Mexico in the future.

Um good luck in in um in keeping uh uh a mellow approach in our future of pure water.

Thank you.

Thank you for your testimony.

Hector, please unmute and indicate which item or items you wish to speak to on the consent agenda.

Uh just one item, the trash can thing.

All right.

One minute, please begin.

I would like to admonish the young people, the young environmentalists out there that believe in climate change and all this other stuff.

The climate change from today to from yesterday, yesterday was bright and sunny, and now it's like foggy.

So the climate change climate change is measured in centuries, not uh decades.

It's measured in centuries.

So it was just the weather change, that's all it was.

But anyway, on the on the trash cans, recycle the existing trash cans instead of grinding them up and making the plastic fumes.

When they're recycle plastic like that, they create a bunch of dangers in the atmosphere, and they could have recycled the existing trash cans, sold into a Mesa, or just reuse them, reuse is better than recycling.

We really failed on that.

Instead of reusing them, we recycled them and glued the environment even more.

So that was kind of a weird thing.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

And Chair, this concludes testimony on consent agenda items one through six.

Alright, thank you so much.

Uh do we have any comments, questions or a motion on the consent items?

We've got a motion from Council President Lakaba.

A second from Vice Chair Campbell.

I don't see any other questions or comments.

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Uh the consent agenda passes unanimously.

And that brings us to item seven.

Our first discussion item, sir.

If you'd please introduce that item.

Thank you, Chair.

Item number seven, utilities, undergrounding program, utility poll, and overhead line exception requests.

And if you're watching on City TV or the live stream and you'd like to dial in to speak, please call 1669 2545252.

Inputting webinar ID 160 732 9638 pound chair.

All right, thank you, sir.

Uh, if our presenters would please introduce yourselves for the record and let us know how much time you'd like for your presentation.

Thank you, Chair Elo Rivera, Chelsea Clacius, Deputy Director in the Transportation Department with me is interim deputy director Jenny Reynolds.

We need seven minutes for this presentation.

Please proceed.

Thank you very much.

I'll pass it to Jenny.

Thank you, Chelsea.

Well, we've discussed last time.

I just want to do a quick big uh little background on what why we're here.

So in way of background, Statute 61.0508 that gives city council the authority to create an undergrounding district, much like the one pictured on the screen.

It is this authority that the UUP team worked with the utility owners and asked them to underground all polls and wires in the area.

Every single poll under this authority is required to be removed, except if city council grants a poll or line exception under statute 61.0512.

This allows city council to grant exceptions when an unusual circumstance exists as long as it's not detrimental to public health, safety, or the general welfare.

And as a reminder, we were here in April with two exceptions were granted as well.

So why are we here?

The UUP staff initiated the rollout of the municipal code enforcement for UUP project schedules.

Alongside this effort, UUP went under wonder when a review of existing projects to ensure alignment and compliance.

It was during this review that the quality management team, they're the team responsible for ensuring all projects meet city standards and are closed out promptly.

Identified several projects without the required approval from City Council to retain certain polls or overhead structures as mandated by the municipal code.

That brings us here today.

We are here, because there are 10 rule 28 projects with over 200 lines of data.

Rule 28 projects are particularly difficult projects because of their size and shape.

And as you'll learn, I'll go through that in a little bit more detail, and you'll kind of see that in the pictures.

But it's also important to know that for every line exception that we're asking for today, there is a adjacent project boundary that it will get picked up in.

So nothing that we're asked to be accepted will stay accepted permanently.

There are four current reasons utilities are asking for exceptions.

And I wanted to just make it clear that in this case, in every case, it's the utility partners who are asking for the exceptions, not the city itself.

They asked, and then also another point and point is that we did not accept all the requests that were made.

There were some requests that they came that we decided not to bring to council.

So we've only done this for a select few that make the most sense.

So the four current reasons utilities are asking for exceptions.

The most common request is the request we came with last time, which is poll and line support properties outside the boundary.

The second is there is a temporary feature property inside the boundary.

The third is that there's trenching that would require outside the boundary work.

And finally, in one case, there's a temporary legal constraint.

So I want to take a second just to review.

These are all the exception requests, a summary of them, and sorted by council district.

Just give you a second to look at that.

What I'm going to do since there are a lot of projects to go through is I'm going to go through them one by one and just show you the photos, and then I will make important points for the ones that require anything that feeds outside the boundary.

As you can see in this request, the vast majority are feeding outside the boundary, which is when the wires are inside the boundaries, but they're feeding properties that are outside the boundary district.

So we'll start with council district two.

Melesta Drive Beagle Street.

As you can see, it's a 20A project.

In every case, this pole and wire are serving properties outside the property ground undergrounding district.

And in every case, there is an undergrounding exception, we'll get incorporated to adjacent projects.

Same thing with detail B and C.

D and E, it's the same.

Those lines will be will stay, but anything feeding into those lines will be removed.

That's the only one in Council District 2 and Council District 3.

We have Lincoln Avenue, another 20A.

Again, this one is polls or over an overhead line serving property outside the boundary district.

And in every case, like I said before, they'll be picked up in an adjacent property.

As you can see in all the pictures, those lines will stay.

Same here, those lines will stay, but the lines feeding into those polls will be removed.

Same thing with these photos as well for Lincoln Avenue.

And these as well.

So the work around there, especially Cox Communication that has those lines that are feeding into the home, they don't want to do any work until the legal constraint is uplifted.

Again, this is a legal constraint with the utility owners, not with the city in general.

Moving on to the next one, how are Avenue Fade 1, another 20A?

Pull and overhead line serving outside the boundary.

As you can see in picture one and two, details B and C.

Howard Avenue phase two, another 20A.

In this case, the pull and overhead lines serve outside the boundaries, and there's also relocation of two lines that would require trenching to restore property outside the boundary.

And so I'll take a moment in detail D.

Those are the two lines that if we're if they didn't, if the exception wasn't requested, we would have to actually trench outside the property boundary.

We don't have authority to do that.

So we would have to grant get authority to do that to do this.

So we're asking for the exception, and we'll be picked up an adjacent property boundary.

These are all serving outside the boundary.

Again, serving outside the boundary.

And serving outside the boundary.

Council District 8.

This is 28th street.

Pull and overhead lines serving properties outside the property boundaries you can see in detail A and B these are lines that will be serving outside the property boundaries again lines that are feeding into those poles will be removed picture one and two same thing same thing here with detail D council district nine 31st street another 28 these are poll and overhead lines serving properties within and outside the property district so those lines will be will stay but feeding into those lines will be removed these lines are again being requested to be accepted because they're serving outside the property boundary same thing with these photos and with these 30 second phase 32nd street phase two there's one utility pole and one line that's being requested serving outside the boundary and a temporary overhead feed um for one of them and the other one is a temporary uh feed inside the property boundary so you'll see picture one it's hard to tell that there's actually lines feeding a trailer it's a temporary structure so they won't underground a temporary structure so once that becomes a permanent structure then they'll underground those lines there so that will happen.

And finally hilltop drive phase one serving overhead lines property outside the property district seminal phase two again one poll one line because of serving outside the property boundary and looking ahead so looking ahead we talked about this last time and we're gonna need to continue to do this that as properties come into our district creation mode we're going to walk them with that in mind so that we can have district creation make sure that we're making the property boundary the right one and excluding those that serve outside the property boundary we're also working on an SOP that we're gonna deliver to all the utility providers so that they are aware of our process as well and be able to do this seamlessly in the future we will have more of these come down but this was the bulk of the second ones that we mentioned last time we were here in April that were coming through these are all of the old ones that for projects that are a little bit older now we'll be seeing ones that are coming through the normal construction mode and with that if we're happy to answer any questions.

Alright thank you for the presentation let's move to public comment thank you chair we've received three slips here in the committee room so we will begin testimony with allegedly Audra each speaker will have two minutes.

Yes okay whatever um it's like I don't know why you guys can't just answer questions it's like it's transparent for the people um but it's interesting the way the government does stuff because you're like we have to create this and then you're like have outside boundaries that you can't go into but if you had plans to go into the entire city why wouldn't you find a way to just keep working towards that I mean and you know um there can be a lot of fraud waste and abuse in any of these programs that come forward um as far as contractors go and taking longer and just you know drawing out the process because that's how you know you can make more money in in um you know providing something and I feel like it's kind of like bike lanes like you have a requirement to provide them so that you can get the funding but it doesn't really matter if they go anywhere it's just a matter of actually implementing it.

And so I feel like is this kind of like the same thing as long as you implement it in sporadic places all over the place eventually maybe in like you know 50 years it'll all be underground I mean, and how long is that process like gonna be drawn out even potentially longer than that?

Because again, that's how you make money, and these things came forward because of fires.

I understand that, but these fires were not necessarily what people uh, you know, have been told, especially like the paradise fires, they wanted to put that fast speed train through there, and nobody wanted to sell their property, so they came and burnt it down, and it was actually more like a war zone.

Cars were flipped over, trees were burning from the inside out, and that's not from utilities, that's from a directed energy weapon, and in the Palisades, like, you know, they can use surges to go into the house.

I mean, when you see um, you know, brush and landscape that has been untouched, yet the fire has you know touched other things that you know it's just whatever.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Max Million Schmidt.

Hi, um, concerning the transportation department's overhead lines, PowerPoint, um include uh which are also known as power lines.

Uh one of the um bullet points was to ensure better data collection.

And I just wanted to say that when we're collecting data about power lines to think about how to um um make these projects better.

I just wanted to say um I wish we could collect data on the power lines that actually make static noise that could subconsciously make someone paranoid by um just being at a very strangely audible level, or maybe even being um too loud, or worse uh worst of all, possibly literally the static noise um changing pitch or tone synchronized to someone's body movements that they are unaware of that is going on and become subconsciously paranoid.

Um I wish that there was data collection on if any power lines and the static noise coming from them could be used for nefarious reasons to try to make someone paranoid, and then um I believe that if the person is in a paranoid state, they may not they may be unaware, but they also may be more impressionable, and then uh some may call this a mind control on a grand scale, and I believe that um when the person is more impressionable, um I believe there's a possibility that um once they become more impressionable by maybe power line projects that have um ulterior motives.

I believe the point of the power lines making uh someone possibly paranoid or even oddly hanging over someone's head to make them on the power line may actually be the most um terrifying thing for mind control victim to look at who's unaware that they're mind control victim.

But I just wanted to say that they may be um made to believe in socialist agendas when they're impressionable.

Thank you, Joyce and Yana.

Okay, so Max, thank you.

Because he he said something that was not on my notes about the collection of data.

And uh some of you know that I want to start adding qualitative data to our quantifiable data.

And so it would be interesting because there's so much going on with the collaboration and the outreach involving this happening, you know, with our our uh community members.

So, you know, what is the quality of the relationship?

Uh, what is the quality of the outreach?

So uh thank you, Max, because I I think that uh it's something that we can do better, and we can start adding this to a lot of our departments.

I hope that'll happen.

So uh this I just wanted to uh talk about this from a public standpoint.

When I sit down to look at this, I was really blown away.

I thought, oh my god, this is what happens in my community.

This is what's getting done when I'm out doing my little errands and things.

This is what's being done.

It's so huge, isn't it?

I mean, I tried to count the backup.

I lost track.

I I got 50 to 60 items in the backup, and the staff report is seven pages.

So thank you.

Uh and uh I like exceptions to the rule.

I really do.

So, you know, uh 10 projects, twenty-nine exceptions requests.

So uh this is good stuff, and uh, you know uh we can look at improvements, we can talk about things that aren't working and all that, and we need to do that.

But at the same time for me, there's so much I need to be appreciative of that that all these beautiful people that work for us and the outside contractors and everything.

How we get it done I'll never know.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I'll begin the five minute timer for those in the virtual queue to indicate if they wish to provide comment on item number seven.

Each speaker will have two minutes.

We currently have two hands raised and we'll begin with Blair Beekman, please unmute and begin.

Hi, thank you.

Um I have to quickly dash outside.

The library.

I'm in Jacoma still.

The Jacumbas County Library, and it's kinda interesting here.

Really great mineral lake for swimming right on the border.

Um I wanted to comment.

Uh this is my week to camp out here.

It's been pretty good.

I wanted to comment that um thanks for this item.

Thanks for the comments of uh DRA.

Um, I don't know if this is a time to just um get stuff out in the open a bit, but she described exactly how I feel about uh our fire prevention issues.

It's really important what you're doing with these undergrounding things, I think.

I think it simply describes a good future uh what we're trying to build and and work towards.

It's just it's safe.

It's it's a safer way to work and it takes effort.

I don't know the details of such efforts, but it just really feels as it's a good thing to do.

So uh thank you for these type of efforts of undergrounding.

I think it is important, but we have to be very clear, uh, in that process, you know, in our fire prevention, there are a lot of components in play.

It isn't just uh fire just sparked itself and started, you know, there's a lot of real estate issues involved as DRA has said often that it's been the case.

And we have to acknowledge and you know, those sort of subject matter and and we don't we know how to say it very hush hush and not just make it a regular open everyday part of the conversation of fire prevention and good luck how we have to do that, so we don't have to come in all freaked out about it, and it can just be a fact of life that we need to better address and ask for it to stop, basically, and good luck how we do that.

Uh thanks for your time.

Thanks for this item and what you're doing with.

Thank you.

Hector, please unmute and begin.

Thanks.

Uh made two billion dollars uh last year's profits.

We don't need to accommodate those guys to do this.

They can pull power from another neighborhood.

They might have to put another poll in or something, but I would say don't give them a uh make them pull the polls.

Each neighborhood in itself, pull all the polls.

If he has a temporary power, I building the house, you could pull it off the neighbor.

You could just pay the neighbors I've done this, pay the neighbor's utility bill to let you pull hookup power to build the guy's house.

You don't need that much out power, but S D G and E doing this to save money.

And uh they got enough money so they could pull power from another neighborhood.

And these aren't really fire hazard power lines.

Neighborhood neighborhood power lines are not a firehouse, you like the backcountry's got the firehouse with those big lines.

They're just neighborhood phone lines and power lines and flyers don't break out in North Park because the uh telephone polls, something like that, so but I wouldn't you know if you could get something out of SDG and E like lower rates, you might accommodate them.

They just want to save money by doing this and I'd say finish the neighborhood they're working in, pull all the polls, and who knows when they're gonna do the next door for the neighbor.

Could be like fifteen years from now, you know, when they'd get to the other one.

So the poll will be sitting there for like 10 years.

So if it's my neighborhood, yank 'em.

And these guys got the money.

Two billion last year in profits, S D G and Esau.

We don't uh need to accommodate them to say that they're going to save money.

So anyway, thanks for your time.

Thank you.

And with no other hands up in the queue for item seven, this concludes public testimony.

All right.

Uh with that, we'll hand it over to the committee members for questions, comments, and entertainment motion beginning with Council President Alcava.

Uh, thank you, Chair.

Uh, thank you for the presentation and the work.

Um, given some of the public comment, and I know we have a second item information item, so I don't want to go too much into the overall utility undergrounding program.

Uh, but I do, it'll give me two chances to thank you for the very good work and how you've really re-vised the whole utility undergrounding program and to make it work better.

And I'll respond to some of the other public uh comments that were raised on this next item.

Um, I believe we heard the exceptions in La Jolla, was kind of the first time we were doing that, and I appreciated the thought you did uh put into it and was certainly supportive of it.

Um these um, I don't know, did you mention your presentation or was it in the briefing that in fact there were actually quite a few requests for exceptions, and you turned down quite a few of them as well.

And these were the ones that actually started to seem valid uh work.

Is that correct, Jenny?

That's correct.

Okay, I don't want to emphasize it because I know sometimes we don't share all the information um uh at moments like this, but I think that's particularly important to know that there is some discretion being used.

Um, and actually it is not about saving SDGE money because this is right payer money.

This is about saving ratepayer money uh and getting these jobs that have languished for too long, getting them done uh by making it more efficient, which is why I really appreciate that.

So thank you for the good work.

Thank you for the briefing on this.

Um and I'll move the staff recommendation.

Thank you, Council President.

Now turn to Councilmember Campbell.

Thank you, Chair.

I would like to second the motion, and I want to tell you how much I appreciate the hard work.

Um, so I support the 10 projects and the exceptions and understand why we have to do them.

And uh thank you so much for the briefing ahead of time, also.

So I second the motion.

All right, we've got a motion and a second.

I will uh reiterate the thank you.

My colleague shared, um, and I will call for a voice vote.

All those in favor, please say aye.

That passes unanimously and brings us to item eight.

Sarah, if you would please introduce the item.

Item number eight, status update on the utilities underground program.

And if you're watching on City TV or the live stream and you'd like to call in to speak, please dial 1669-2545252, inputting webinar ID 160-732-9638 pound.

Chair.

All right, thank you so much.

Uh for the record, please introduce yourselves again.

Let us know how much time you'd like for this presentation.

Thank you very much, Chair Ely Rivera, Chelsea Clacius, Deputy Director in the Transportation Department.

With me is interim Deputy Director Jenny Reynolds.

We will need five minutes for this presentation.

Please proceed.

Thank you, Chelsea.

I want to start by sharing UGP objectives.

The utility undergrounding program's guiding principle is to ensure enhance the public right-of-way, mitigate potential overhead hazards, and elevate the community's quality of life by clearing the sky of overhead lines and replacing them with new safe and reliable underground electric telephone and broadband communication lines.

The UUP main goal is to convert every residential overhead line in San Diego to undergrounding service.

In today's presentation, we want to address four key areas over the past fiscal year.

The four areas are operational accountability, community engagement, progress of underground work, and program finances.

To begin, let's discuss operational accountability.

Earlier this year, the UUP team launched municipal code actual timelines for undergrounding projects.

This initiative introduced standardized scheduled baselines for telecommunication providers across the design and construction phase, along with the new compliance framework.

As a results, providers are now clearly defined timelines for each phase and are held accountable to those timelines under the municipal code.

These timelines keep telecommunication providers responsible for ensuring projects are delivered on time.

If the deadline is not met, the city exercised its authority to find them a thousand dollars a day.

So far, this strategy has been very successful.

A total of 133 letters were sent to telecommunication providers notifying them of their compliance obligation.

And notably, every single letter received a positive response, achieving 100% engagement as of June of 2026.

This full participation has significantly accelerated project timelines.

For example, joint trench offers, which is when the telecommunication providers are asked to join SDG and E's trench, which historically has taken about a year to complete, is now being done as little as four months with the actual timelines.

To improve the UUP, to improve UUP for items were presented to environment and city council over the past year.

And I know that we've been here four or five times, so I know that we probably all remember them, but I'll go through them real quickly just for the sake of this presentation.

First, council policy 600-08 was updated to remove an outdated Rule 28 language following the program's sunset in 2022.

The update also clarified administration requirements and added provisions to tree planting as part of the undergrounding program.

Second, the updated to a master plan was brought forward.

This was also because of the conclusion of Rule 28 programs.

132 projects were left unfunded and needed to be incorporated into the master plan.

This also addressed gaps and included a comprehensive review of all projects to ensure alignment and optimization.

Third, the UUP brought forward two exceptions to City Council.

This was the first of us making those requests.

We just went through that exception process a little bit ago, so I won't go into too much detail, but we also got two done in April.

And finally, our program environmental impact report was also approved last year.

This is a game changer in accelerating the speed to which we can get our projects through environmental review.

This comprehensive environmental assessment of the entire program eliminates the need for project-by-project assessment, thus speeding up the review process and figuring out mitigation measures more quickly.

All four items were unanimously approved by city council.

Now moving on to community engagement, which is an important part of our program.

The department hosted two community events.

One was a pre-design forum for University City 1S, and the other was for Dilseros 7U.

Both projects represent about six miles of future undergrounding.

In both cases, UUP and city staff shared project details so residents had the opportunity to learn more about the upcoming project.

Following the presentation, a panel of representatives from the city and ENCP engineering and capital projects team, along with the telecommunication providers and SDGE answered questions for the community members.

Now turning to the progress of undergrounding work.

The city is currently managing 62 underground projects across various stages of development, and that's really important point because that is the most that we've ever managed at one particular time.

Of these, 31% are in active underground in construction, 41% are in design phase, and 28% are in post-undergrounding public improvement phase construction.

Starting with the progress of the projects in construction, staff is actively managing 19 projects currently in underground in construction.

Of these 19 projects, 63 are located in fire higher high fire risk areas, and 58 are in communities of concern, underscoring the program's focus on public safety and equity.

Twenty-five projects are currently in the design phase, representing a significant portion of the program's workload.

Biweekly coordination meetings help keep these projects on track, moving efficiently towards construction.

In addition, monthly schedule variances are monitored against established baselines and any issues not resolved during the weekly meetings are escalated to management level and discussed with SDGE to ensure compliance and progress.

Here you can see 17 projects currently in post-underground improvement construction.

This is the phase where enhancements are completed to include pavement restoration, tree planting, curb ramps, and street lights.

Finally, you can see three projects that we completed last year.

And one project that we're recommending for fiscal year 27.

This is the first time that we've picked a project since we approved the PIR in the new master plan with a new prioritization model.

Finally, we're going to talk about program finances.

Over the past year, the UUP team has partnered with a consultant to develop a five-year forecasting model.

This model provided leadership with a transparent data-driven outlook on project delivery, funding availability, and long-term financial risk.

A key component of this effort is tracking how annual revenue from SDGE franchise fees compares to project design and construction expenditures.

As shown in this slide, forecasts indicate that while the fund balance is currently strong, largely due to an earlier program pause, spending could outpace revenue over time.

This long-range visibility helps the program to avoid overcommitment and supports more realistic pacing.

The forecast is paired with annual updates to project selection, identifying how many miles of undergrounding can be delivered within the budget each year, which is why we picked one project this year instead of say five.

By aligning the financial projections with project workload, UUP leadership can better prioritize neighborhoods, manage program obligations, and provide clear and transparent timelines to stakeholders.

And with that, we'll answer any questions.

Thank you for the presentation.

Let's hear public comment, please.

Thank you, Chair.

We've received three slips here in the committee room.

We will begin testimony with allegedly Audra.

Each speaker will have two minutes.

No, you guys don't like to answer any of my questions, but I think it's important for the people.

So as I understand you're using the San Diego Gas and Electric franchise fees that you get from them to pay for this.

Oh my gosh.

Okay.

And um, you know, I guess the concern is that at CGE owns the lines.

Shouldn't it be something that they're paying for?

I mean, okay, great, thank you.

Um, because I feel like, you know, they always go above budget, like go above costs and then pocket the money that they get from the people.

And it's like if they own those lines, why are we putting in money that could go to potentially something else?

I mean, it's like coming from them, but it's because they have to pay that in order to do business.

So I'm just wondering why the contract has been done like that, and um, you know, if it has to continue in that way.

I mean, is there a way to somehow, you know, look into how this is being done and make sure that um but then I guess the the concern too would be that they would put the cost down onto the people anyway if they were having to fit the bill.

But it would be nice if there was something that would hold them accountable for like if you're gonna come in above below cost and say that you need this much, then take all of that money and do the undergrounding so that the people don't have to fit the bill.

Um so good for Hector for bringing that up because I didn't really think about it until then.

And I also think that we need to be more mindful if we are doing these things for the environment or you know, safety and stuff like that, and fires.

We need to quit putting people densely populated in high fire zones without a uh a way to evacuate.

Um that's extremely important, and we should be uh mitigating that as well.

Thank you.

Maximilian Schmidt.

Hi, I just wanted to say that um, this is a very ambitious plan and massive undertaking for the city of San Diego to try and move every all power lines and all I guess many electric boxes attached to them completely underground.

I don't know how many cities have um have done that.

And I just wanted to say that um part of the reason they said is um this exceptional award they get on the environmental review.

And I just wanted to say that I don't want I hope that um the sales property and cannabis tax, which is already too high, isn't fed into this project to um maybe use the environmental review to try to push a um climate agenda where you basically exaggerate um reasons that the climate may be um dangerous to raise taxes.

And also, I wanted to say that I hope that the history when we remove the power lines and put them underground, because I believe San Diego may be one of um the first cities to do that in the whole city.

I hope that we also draw attention to other reasons why we put power lines underground.

I know that in communist um countries in the um uh 20th century all throughout the all throughout the 20th century, they've used power lines to try to abuse their people and even mind control them to use the static coming from the power line to synchronize to their body motions to make them subconsciously paranoid impressionable, and also to sensitize them to the noise of power lines and also to strategically place power lines over people's head to block out the sky to also make them paranoid and control them.

So I hope we draw awareness to why we're putting these power lines underground and not just say it's for environmental reasons, but also talk about the history of how power lines have been used to mind control people in communist countries.

Thank you.

I'll begin the five-minute timer for those in the virtual queue to indicate if they wish to provide comment on item number eight.

Each speaker will have two minutes, and we have two hands raised.

Oh, I'm sorry, thank you.

Joy Sonia, I'm sorry about that.

Thank you for speaking up.

Not a problem.

Um, okay.

So I'll just give you some points that stood out on the uh uh the item, and then I want to say a couple of things personally.

So um, program is funded by Surcharge on SDG and E customer bills, yuck.

Uh most construction tasks are executed by SDG and E.

400 miles are now underground, and guess what?

There are still 1,000 miles remaining.

So hang in there.

Now, two things.

First of all, uh slightly off point here, but I uh they're related.

Uh I don't feel good about S D G and E.

And I don't think I ever will.

But I've gotten better over time.

But I've got to President Lacava, uh, this is policy.

I've got to find the policy that S D G and E representative referred to that they base their franchise agreement terms.

They based it on a policy that is in place or more than one policy.

I've got to find those policies and find out how in the heck we ended up with that franchise agreement.

I think the wool was pulled over our eyes or something, and then vice chair Dr.

Campbell.

I hope I'm not getting this wrong.

Please forgive me if I am.

Was it you that talked about some sort of shenanigans that was being done by SDG and E on the on the big fire prevention, which it's great what they've done for us on fire prevention.

It's fabulous, actually.

But was it you or somebody else on council that said something very yucky?

Uh, that they were skimming off profits or something involving the fire prevention.

So I haven't had a chance to investigate that.

So thank you for listening.

Thank you.

Now that concludes public testimony here in the committee room.

So I'll begin the five-minute timer for those in the virtual queue to indicate if they wish to speak to item number five.

Each speaker will have two minutes.

We will begin testimony with Hector.

Please unmute and begin.

Joy SDG and E definitely was major legalists, yeah.

They're major league in us, just like the guys of SeaWorld took us for 70 million.

They're major leaguingists too.

Like it's like in baseball when you're in the miners, and then your best buddy in the miners is your best buddy.

But then he makes it to the majors, and he forgets who you are, man, when you go to this stadium.

That's called major league enough.

These guys are major leagues for decades.

But I don't know what we can do about it.

I don't think we have the money to get involved with undergrounding.

I think we should wait until all the bathrooms are fixed, all the kids are in school, the kids are in their libraries.

Any programs like these programs has got to do two programs south of Highway 8.

Anything that's happening north of Highway 8.

A lot of the north Highway are already undergrounded.

But then offer uh the guys on the coast, they might want to pay extra to get their stuff underground.

I'm sure guys in La Jolla, they some of them would buy the whole street just to live in silence.

They got money.

So I don't know if we should be paying their undergrounding when they could probably pay it themselves.

Like when Bill Gates moved out, guys moved out to Seattle.

He bought the whole neighborhood out for millions of dollars.

Just so his wife didn't have to put up with the noise.

So I don't know.

We got some players that might um well the Jacobs already underground on La Jolla Canyon over there where they live.

It's all underground.

So anyway.

And anything's gotta be done south of ninety-four.

They're like being this for such a long time.

Anyway.

Thank you for your concluding remark.

Blair Beekman, please unmute and begin.

Alright, thank you, Blair Beekman.

Thanks for the words uh from everyone on this item.

It was nice to hear.

Uh yeah, I'm I'm just learning, and this is this is new to me.

I mean, I think it's just a naturally uh seems like a really good thing to be putting things underground, but I mean, are we being robbed by um S D G and E at this point in doing it?

I think there is uh there's uh also a natural feeling that uh this is what we need S D G and E for is for these big lift projects like this and and doing these sort of things.

But where can uh community energy play a part in all of this process?

Can we have that conversation?

And I mean, I just as people were talking on this item, you know, like setting up community funding for uh organizing, you know, the undergrounding within local neighborhoods, coordinating that with city government uh as a way to uh reduce costs possibly and um I don't know, is there the as are those the ways to be developing our future of community energy and and how that community energy can be using those lines and um uh I would just love to hear that sort of language and how you talk about these sort of things and not say the words every third sentence.

Well, S D G and E is this and S D G and E is that, and well, yeah, we use SGNE for this.

Where is and with the help of community energy and in the process of you know becoming a part of uh a community energy process more?

You know, those words are never ever said, and they really need to be.

And thank you that you've allowed two minutes for public comment today on these items.

Public safety committee always only allows one minute each day, each time for its public comment, and it's really frustrating when there's not even that many people there.

You guys have nicely offered two minutes.

Uh thank you for your time.

Thank you for your testimony and share with no other hands in the queue.

This concludes comment on item eight.

Alright, thank you, Sarah.

Let's uh go to uh committee comments, beginning with Council President Lakala.

Uh thank you, Joe.

This is an information item, so I'll see if I can answer in a brief way some of the questions raised by the public.

First, thank you, Jenny.

Del C for the good work.

As I said, since you've all come on board, uh, you've really rebounded the program, which had a very slow amount of progress.

Uh, but I think you've really tackled um some of the issues and have made it uh more professional um and more direct.

There's still is a cost.

It is still an expensive proposition uh whatever you think of of our investor own utility is still expensive to underground um above ground lines.

Uh to Joy, I think SC Genie was not referring to policies, I think they were referring to franchise agreements and MOUs.

I used the word policy.

Yeah, but I think it that's what I think they were referring to because there's no city policies that would have uh encompassed what they were doing.

That's my belief.

That maybe that's helpful to you.

There's a web page on that.

Uh to the other one of the other comments, there is no general fund dollars.

This is all the surcharge.

It's not actually the franchise fees, it's actually the surcharge we put on ratepayers that finances this.

So this does not impact the general fund at all.

And I'm I guess I'm old enough to remember that this got started not for fire risk, but for aesthetics.

People thought above-ground utilities uh were old school and unattractive.

Uh power polls infringed on the public right away.

Um, and uh that was originally the strategy.

Uh and as the years and frankly decades have gone by, uh, we have pivoted um to understanding the potential fire risk.

So I have a question in that regards.

If I remember the map of projects that are underway and compare it to the new, I'm still gonna get to your question.

I just almost forgot, but I'll get try to get back to you.

Only three projects were actually in areas that are now outside of high fire risk, it's almost the entire city.

There's a little buffer around the bay and the coastlines, um, and yet our more recent policies had identified fire risk as a criteria about which NIST are.

So, do you anticipate we're gonna change the criteria?

Because that's almost affects every neighborhood now, being they're all in a high uh high fire risk areas.

Yes, so to answer, thank you very much, um council president.

Yes, so the criteria itself was updated and documented when we brought forward the updates to our UUP master plan.

Um it's one of the reasons why we went away from um uh like an annual like update or a five-year update on exactly which projects will move forward, because as you know, for high fire risk, the map changes, and the map just changed this past year, which impacted how how things are prioritized, and so we are still using high fire risk as criteria and and it is based on the most recently updated map.

Same with communities of concern.

There's also different equity and equity components as well.

Okay, because I know that's I hear it from my constituents.

I I suspect my colleagues too, but it's like we're all in a high risk via danger.

Um, just add one more thing to that, is that part of the MOU requires us to include high fire risk in communities of concern?

So there's no way that we see them sort of leaving our criteria priority matrix anytime soon until the MOU is changed.

Right, yeah.

No, I I get that.

I was kind of curious.

Um, as you said, as the maps have now changed and it's so expansive um in these kinds of decision makes.

I think the other thing that was brought up by the public, uh, I think allegedly Audrey did it, and I think a couple of other folks did, of why we're even in this program, and from their lips to the CPUC's ears, because this is really about state law and what the the utility companies are obligated to do.

We have the old rule, and my apologies for the acronym, but the rule 20A, which was a program that said utilities, you do have to underground them at your own nickel.

But all the rest, that is a luxury.

Um that is not a mandate, that is not a requirement.

And so the city of San Diego 50 years ago, 60 years ago.

I know you want to answer this, so uh, but said cities you want to do this, you got to figure it out yourself.

Now we do mandate our newest communities to underground at the get-go.

So if you go to Carmel Valley or Rentro Bernardo, uh those newer master plan communities, including the ones in the south, they get built with underground utilities.

So we don't even have to think about them.

Um, and they do pay that surcharge, even though their neighborhoods are already undergrounded.

What did you want to add, Chelsea?

I'm a very active listener.

No, um, okay, so yes, so yeah, in 1970, um, that's sort of when the CPUC mandated um the undergrounding for the aesthetic reasons uh the city qualified under 20A.

There were work credits associated with that.

That is what what Sun said.

Um, and then uh also to your point, uh 1970 is that that is approximately the timeline when any new um development were were to happen, um those had to automatically be undergrounded.

So I just wanted to um share my agreement.

And then um for the surcharge program, that is something that started in 2002.

So that is something that the city and um and the uh uh uh stg and e that was a permission received and approved by the CPUC.

Um, there was a desire to see this expanded as for additional reasons outside of just aesthetics.

Um and so, and that's where we get, you know, um a lot of the other improvements of reliability uh for the surcharge program.

But to your point, um, if the city did not have the surcharge program, all undergrounding would have stopped with the sunset of of 20A.

There you go.

Um yeah, I don't think any of us really would like to be paying for it, but under the current rules, that's where we're at.

And I know ATT and Spectrum and Cox, um, they do it on their own nickel, which means eventually it goes to their customers that eventually pay for that.

There's no special program for that.

Um, you know, one can debate about how well the undergrounding program was managed before, but I think the diligence that you're now bringing to the conversation to manage it, keep them on schedule, keep them on budget is really a game changer.

So I want to thank you for that.

And then I also want to thank you.

Um that uh I guess I made a suggestion last year uh that I kind of forgot about, but we had been in a habit of everybody wants undergrounding, and so we just kept approving more and more underground in UDLE districts without having the money to actually do them.

And so this year you're only coming in with one uh because you're actually looking at long-term financial projections uh to determine what can we realistically get into the queue and get done.

And I know uh some of my constituents are very excited about the ones that are in the design phase and getting those into the construction.

So uh we'll circle back later and get a little bit of an update on some of those that are in the design phase.

So again, thank you very much.

Thank you, Chair, for the time.

Thank you for that, Council President.

Appreciate uh the questions there.

The one thing I did want to acknowledge, I think it it's a ton of money.

So I just I think that that the part I understand why folks see the numbers and the timeline and are kind of blown away by that.

And I think there's a there's a fairness to it.

I even think the the like is this the thing to pay for reflex is is understandable.

Now, then you start to get into this isn't pulling away from libraries, right?

Um, and where the the money is coming from.

But I I do think it's it's one of those things that this is why we want to have the conversation is um to the extent that folks pay attention to what happens at 2 30 on a Thursday at the environment committee.

Um the general idea that that um there's a reason why this work started and is happening and there's commitments that have been made that can't be walked away from, and all of that can be true right alongside frustrations with STGE and the profits that they make on something that everyday people need, um, the way that they've uh I'd say rigged the system in a certain way where they uh I think the the point that Joy was raising, there are there is infrastructure that S T G E builds that they are guaranteed a profit on, and um I have my issues with how much profit they're guaranteed, um, and the the um so all of those things can happen simultaneously that the undergrounding can can happen, and these are promises that were made and they need to be kept, and this the frustrations that we have with um folks paying too much on the energy bills can also be true.

The excessive profits can be true, the except excessive uh um uh executive pay can be true.

Um, so I don't want to dismiss those concerns, but I'll go back to you, Council President.

Oh, I just uh uh a couple of comments were mentioned.

I think Blair mentioned this.

I know Blair refers to community energy, which is what San Diego Community Power does.

Now a billion dollar operation.

So we did hit that threshold.

Uh I think what he's referring to is municipalization.

The idea that the city or a JPA or some entity would take over from the investor owned community.

There will be a conversation at City Council next week.

So we will get an update.

We generally refer to it as public power.

There will also be a presentation on the compliance committee that is looking at the franchise agreement and whether there has been compliance with all the terms of the agreement and the MOUs that go along with it.

So that is happening at City Council next week.

All right.

Thank you, Council President.

I don't see any other uh requests to speak to this item.

Um so uh that concludes this item, and that is the last item on our agenda, which means we will adjourn the meeting of the environment committee to our next regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, August 20th, 2026 at 1 p.m.

Thank you, everyone.