Staff briefs committee on draft underground utility waiver framework; legal review pending

City staff provided a briefing on work to update the city's utility undergrounding code language and create narrowly defined waiver opportunities. The item was an informational update; staff said a final draft will come back as part of a batch of zoning amendments once legal issues are resolved.

Speakers said the policy aims to keep undergrounding as the default, particularly in historic and corridor areas, while permitting exceptions in limited cases. Committee members weighed whether waivers should come to City Council (for transparency) or remain staff-level decisions (to avoid overburdening council and reduce perceived favoritism). Legal staff advised the enabling state code requires careful drafting to ensure Council can exercise any waiver authority if intended. No vote was taken; the item will return for further refinement with legal input.