Comments

1
13" @ Crystal last night - weather does good things, too.
2
So... when are we going to get around to burying our power lines? It's probably the *one* aspect of Orange County that I miss.
3
So I guess I shouldn't mention that we're supposed to be in the 70s all week.
4
At first I thought it said Mongolia and I wondered why I should give a shit. But, since it's Magnolia, then by all means...
5
The funny thing is that they released a statement that Magnolia Voice has here:

http://www.magnoliavoice.com/2010/03/29/…

"According to Seattle City Light, 4,085 customers lost power Monday morning just before 7:30 a.m. The rough boundaries are W. Fort St to the north, W Marina Pl to the south, 15th Ave W on the east and Puget Sound to the west."

That's literally 99% of Magnolia on a map. Why not just say, "nearly all of Magnolia"?
6
KingofQueenAnne, many of the suburban cities in City Light's territory are requiring all new construction to have underground electrical services, but the city won't require it in residential neighborhoods because it adds significantly to the expense of construction.

There are a few neighborhoods that have existing underground services (including a good chunk of Magnolia) but they were either built that way by the developer, or the homeowners agreed to convert themselves to underground at their own expense through the use of a what was called a lighting improvement district. As I understand it, LID's used to be pretty easy to create - just a simple majority - but a lawsuit several years back changed that. Now you need some sort of super-majority, so you almost never see them anymore. Also, there used to be HUD funds available for projects like this in inner-city neighborhoods (which explains neighborhoods like Leschi having underground service) but I don't think those are around anymore.

To convert the entire city would take decades, and cost billions of dollars, so you probably won't see it happen unless something cataclysmic occurs where the city needs to be drastically reconstructed.

So that is my boring utility explanation. Aren't you glad to know it?
7
Besides, rich people complain when you dig up their lawns to bury the power lines.
8
Will, dear - the only power lines on private property are the lines to the buildings on that property, so that's really not the issue. But you do bring up an interesting side point in the whole discussion about sidewalks.

In many of the neighborhoods that lack sidewalks, property owners have landscaped out into the right-of-way, and may not even be aware that they are encroaching. If we were to actually start building sidewalks in earnest, there would be quite a lot of anger and heartache as the city took back what is rightfully theirs for a municipal good.

After all, the principle of adverse possession (which is a really stupid principle, by the way) does not count when you are dealing with government. So be careful what you wish for, if your wish is for sidewalks, and you don't know where the right of way actually is on your lot.

But that's neither here nor there, and most of the lights have been back on on Magnolia since about 9:30, so everything is right again.
9
@8 - "on private property".

Telephone poles and wires are technically in the streets.

Magnolia would get all NIMBY if they put those underground. Even if it's legal.
10
Yes dear, generally speaking, streets=right-of-way.

Now, if you want to talk distance poles or backyard service, or anything like that, we'll be here all day, and it's much too nice out to do that.
11
@5: Interesting, since I'm smack in the middle of those boundaries and our lights flickered once around 7:30 am and that was it.

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