Relocating Electrical Pole Line (T-19 Circuit) from hillside to Walnut Avenue public right-of-way
Summary
SCH Number
2026050954
Public Agency
City of Burbank
Document Title
Relocating Electrical Pole Line (T-19 Circuit) from hillside to Walnut Avenue public right-of-way
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
5/22/2026
Document Description
The City of Burbank Water and Power plans to relocate an electrical distribution pole line from its current position, on top of the hill west of Walnut Avenue, down to the street level on Walnut Avenue. This will involve installing approximately (15) wood poles at various locations along the public right-of-way on Walnut Avenue and installing overhead primary covered conductor to reroute the current pole line from the hill.
Contact Information
Name
Allen Rios
Agency Name
City of Burbank, Burbank Water and Power
Job Title
Electrical Engineering Associate I
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Burbank
Counties
Los Angeles
Regions
Southern California
Cross Streets
Along Walnut Avenue, N/O N Sunset Canyon Dr. up to intersection of Lockheed Drive & Stough Canyo
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 3 - Sec 15303
Reasons for Exemption
Categorical Exemption (Sec. 15303 – New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures) – This categorical exemption states “Class 3 consists of construction and location of limited numbers of new, small facilities or structures; installation of small new equipment and facilities in small structures… .” In the case of this pole line relocation project, the new small facilities/structures in question are a limited number of wood poles and other utility infrastructure of reasonable length that will be installed on Walnut Avenue. An example of this exemption, example (d), states, “Water main, sewage, electrical, gas, and other utility extensions, including street improvements, of reasonable length to serve such construction.” The relocation of the hillside pole line is classified as an electrical utility extension, as the removal of the current pole line would create the necessity to build and extend the circuit/new pole line on Walnut Avenue.
Exempt Status
Emergency Project
Type, Section or Code
Sec. 15269
Reasons for Exemption
Emergency Project (Sec. 15269) – This project to relocate the existing overhead electric pole line from its current Hilltop location down to an accessible street- Walnut Avenue- is in an effort to mitigate a risk of wildfire caused by ignitions from overhead electric facilities. Currently the pole line is located on top of the hillside west of Walnut Ave. There is no access road for BWP line crews to drive up to pole line for maintenance activities, or to respond to wire-down events that occur on this section of the circuit. Additionally, the inaccessibility of the current pole-line section prohibits regular vegetation management or brush clearance activities around this section of pole-line. This increases the chance of a power-line ignited wildfire in the case of a wire-down event. Wire-down events are not uncommon in this section of the circuit, and with no access road and an untrimmed hillside, a power-line ignited wildfire in which our crew would not be able to hastily respond to is highly probable. Relocating the pole line from the top of the hill down to the accessible Walnut Ave not only mitigates wildfire since the pole line would no longer be directly above unmanaged vegetation, but in the case of a wire-down event or pole line work, BWP crews would have access to respond quickly to the event.
County Clerk
Los Angeles
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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