In the summer of 2018 MVNA established a subcommitte to research the mechanisms to underground utilities in our area. In the last three years many dedicated folks comprised of residents and neighborhood association board members from MVNA, Old Town and New Monterey have formed a group and meet via Zoom sessions (open to the public) once per month. Their goal is to research the feasibility and costs of undergrounding utility lines in Monterey for improved safety, security, reliability, and to restore the natural beauty of the area that utility poles and the now required over trimming our trees has compromised. This group has a website Montereyundergrounding.net that is dedicated to providing information on the subject and to encourage more public participation in this effort.

The Monterey Undergrounding group has discovered numerous existing, and some potentially new mechanisms to finance undergrounding that will place all power and telecommunication lines safely and securely underground. Guest speakers have been brought in, from leading engineering and consulting firms to other successful neighborhood groups, that have already undergrounded their streets in Monterey using various funding mechanisms. Meetings have been held with Monterey City Council Members and our Mayor Clyde Roberson, who has shown great interest and support.

Despite the economic troubles all cities are facing, this group has continued to organize and work on a solid plan that can then put in action as conditions change. Many elements of the problem of funding are very rapidly changing, as PGE in June announced it will be undergrounding 10,000 miles of power lines in high risk wildfire zones. Rules for allocating the funds we all pay for on our power bills for the purpose of undergrounding are being re-written now to include high risk wildfire zones. Please consider joining our Zoom Sessions and listen in and participate further in the discussion to underground our City.