HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 7a. Study Session on the Broadband Plan Update Item 7a
Department: Information Technology
Cost Center: 1101
For Agenda of: 4/4/2023
Placement: Study Session
Estimated Time: 60 minutes
FROM: Greg Hermann, Deputy City Manager
Prepared By: Josh Erquiaga, Network Services Supervisor
SUBJECT: STUDY SESSION: BROADBAND PLAN UPDATE
RECOMMENDATION
Receive an update on the Broadband Plan and provide input to inform the final plan.
REPORT IN BRIEF
The COVID-19 pandemic showed that access to high-speed internet service is a
necessity for people to work, attend school, shop, and conduct commercial and
government business. In recognition of this, the Federal and State government are in the
process of updating the standards for what constitutes a baseline level of service. City IT
completed an exercise to look at broadband accessibility based on publicly available
information and presented it to an ad-hoc committee1 of the City Council tasked with
developing funding recommendations for State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds
(SLFRF) through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Based on staff findings, the ad-hoc committee recommended to the City Council that
$100,000 be allocated to a study of broadband access in the community and an additional
$500,000 be set aside to implement recommendations that might come from the study.
Staff became aware of the Local Agency Technical Assistance (LATA) grant, funded by
the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), and successfully applied for the LATA
grant. The CPUC awarded the City $100,300, which will cover the total cost of the
Broadband Plan process. At the end of August 2022, the City awarded a contract to
Magellan Broadband to produce a Broadband Plan for the City. Work began in Dec ember
2022 and is anticipated to be completed in May 2023.
The purpose of this study session is to provide an update on the work completed to date
by City staff and the Magellan Broadband consulting team and to seek input from Council
for direction in developing the final plan. This report includes Attachment A, a Broadband
Plan Update Technical Memorandum provided by Magellan Broadband describing the
work they have completed, as well as some early analysis and conclusions.
DEFINITIONS
1 Mayor Stewart and Council Member Shoresman
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In order to ensure a common understanding of the terms being used in the following
discussion, definitions are offered below.
A. “Broadband” commonly refers to high-speed Internet access that is always on and
faster than traditional dial-up access. The Federal Communications Commission
currently classifies high-speed Internet access as anything that meets or exceeds
25 Megabits (Mbps) downstream and 3 Mbps upstream. The California Public
Utilities Commission (CPUC) is working on updating that definition to 100 Mbps
downstream and 100 Mbps upstream (for reference , 100 Mbps allows for
approximately 4-6 people to run 7-10 devices for school, work, and other uses at
an appropriate speed for those uses). The City will adopt the CPUC definition of
broadband for the purposes of our plan, as grant funding will be tied to meeting
that definition.
B. “Third-party fiber" is fiber-optic cable infrastructure owned by an entity other than
the City.
C. A “backbone ring” commonly refers to a fiber-optic network that is built in a ring
shape, such that a disruption at any one part of the network does not disrupt the
entire network.
D. “Dark fiber" is a fiber-optic cable that is currently unused.
E. A “service drop” or “lateral” connects the backbone ring to an individual service
location.
F. “Retail broadband” means any broadband service provided to the public at a
charge.
G. An “Internet Service Provider (ISP)” is an entity that provides Internet service to
end-user customers. Some common examples in the City are Charter, AT&T,
and Astound Broadband.
H. “Conduit” is an empty pipe, generally buried underground, through which fiber-
optic cables can be run.
UPDATE ON PLAN DEVELOPMENT
The City selected Magellan to develop the Broadband Plan through a competitive RFP.
Magellan was selected because they have both past and current experience developing
and implementing plans for similar cities with positive results.
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Magellan is in the process of evaluating existing City, public, and private broadband
infrastructure, including the City’s 35.5-mile network of conduit, fiber, and some copper
cables. Magellan is also analyzing the current broadband market, surveying the major
Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and evaluating the speeds, costs, and geographic
reach for business and residential services. City staff has provided detailed information
about the City’s assets which Magellan has compiled as part of its analysis. Magellan is
also undertaking a detailed review of the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) to
determine specifically which projects involve significant excavation that provides the
opportunity to jointly deploy broadband assets at a minimal cost.
Public Outreach
Having a detailed understanding of existing access from both technical data, but also end
user experience is a key component in the development of a Broadband Plan. Using the
City’s Public Engagement and Noticing Manual, public outreach activities are already
underway, and the City and Magellan have hosted three stakeholder group meetings
which included representatives from various industry and community groups. Attendance
for the three stakeholder group meetings that have taken place is as follows (see
Attachment B for a complete list of invitees and attendees):
- Real Estate and Land Use: 45 organizations were invited, and nine attended.
- Business and Industry: 12 organizations were invited, and nine attended.
- Community and Non-Profit Organizations: 49 organizations were invited, and
six attended.
Two more focus groups are planned in the coming weeks to engage directly with
educators, health providers, and social services. City staff has worked to identify
appropriate stakeholders for these focused meetings based on input from numerous City
departments including the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to ensure outreach to
underserved and underrepresented groups.
Magellan and the City have also released a broadband survey open to all community
members that has received more than 190 responses. Survey responses were primarily
received online, though City staff distributed paper copies to the Community and Non-
Profit stakeholder meeting attendees after those stakeholders provided feedback that
they would like to distribute them to their clients.
Early findings from the stakeholder meetings and the survey results suggest that while
most residents and businesses in the City can obtain broadband service, pricing and
speed vary. Survey responses and embedded speed te sts suggest that City residents
and businesses are only receiving about half the speeds that they pay for. Moreover, a
price point of $0.62 per megabit (MB) is higher than the national average, particularly for
urban/metro areas where competitive rates sho uld be in the $0.15-0.25 per megabit
range. These preliminary findings suggest there is room in San Luis Obispo for
competition and alternatives in the broadband marketplace.
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In advance of completing a Broadband Plan, staff are also sharing information with
community members through City communication channels about existing programs
through ISP’s that provide for reduced cost internet services for qualifying individuals.
Details about these programs can be found at the City’s Broadband Plan website.
Conceptual Network Design
The best way for the City to expand residential and business access to affordable, high-
speed broadband access is to have a carrier-grade, redundant backbone ring throughout
the City. A private partner, through a public-private partnership (described in greater detail
in the Policy Options section of this report), can then build service laterals from that
backbone ring to service business and residential customers which lowers the upfront
cost of providing service to those customers and makes it more financially viable for the
private partner.
The current conceptual network design provides an ancillary benefit to the City in ensuring
that its facilities are on a redundant ring network, including some sites (e.g., sewer lift
stations and water distribution facilities) that currently use radio communications that are
less reliable than fiber.
The conceptual design requires approximately 17.5 miles of new backbone fiber and five
miles of laterals for service drops to be added to the City’s existing 35.5 -mile
communications network.
It is important to note that the conceptual network design focuses primarily on expanding
fiber-optic infrastructure. While many technologies can provide broadband services to an
end user (e.g., copper cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular technologies, point-to-point
wireless), backbone networks rely on fiber-optic cabling for its high density and high
bandwidth ability to serve large areas. Other technologies ha ve a place in serving the
last-mile connection to individual subscribers but are generally not used in a backbone
ring.
Staff would also note that the conceptual network design focuses on underground fiber
as it is preferred for aesthetic reasons and for greater longevity and reliability of the asset.
Should the City adopt the Broadband Plan and move forward with implementing,
designing, and engineering the new backbone segments, aerial fiber would also be
considered. Portions of the City with significant aerial infrastructure for other utilities may
be a good fit for this approach. Aerial fiber can be deployed at a lower cost than
underground fiber and could lower the total cost of the backbone ring build -out. The final
plan will also provide recommendations to the Council on any policy changes necessary
to allow aerial fiber, should the Council desire.
More detail on the conceptual network design is available in Attachment A, beginning on
page 3.
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Grant Funding Opportunities
There are two grant opportunities that City staff and Magellan have identified that could
fund the build-out of a backbone ring. Given conversations at the State and Federal level
about broadband infrastructure, more grant opportunities are expected, and City staff and
Magellan continue to look for these opportunities. The final plan will highlight any
additional opportunities that become available and will provide at the time of plan
production a listing of available funding sources, and priorities and strategies to leverage
the funding to fill the unmet service needs.
California SB 156 - Last Mile Funding
The 2021 California Budget Package included $2 billion in funding created by Senate Bill
156 to construct last-mile fiber networks to serve un- and under-served households. The
funding was allocated by county, with San Luis Obispo County receiving an earmark of
$22.3 million based on un/under-served households within the County. The California
Public Utility Commission (CPUC) recently evaluated different socioeconomic factors to
determine where un/under-served households are located and is expected to release an
updated eligibility map and guidelines by the end of March 2023. Additional analysis of
updated eligibility guidelines will be distributed as agenda correspondence after the
information is released. The CPUC also changed the timing to open grant applications
from late 2023 to early June 2023. Based on work completed by the City and Magellan,
staff believe the City will be eligible for SB 156 grants.
The grant application is anticipated to have two main requirements: 1) the applicant (city,
county, tribal organization, etc.) must demonstrate experience and capacity to operate
and maintain a retail internet service network or have an experienced private ISP partner,
and 2) local match funding, up to 20% of the total project cost which could be provided
by a partner.
U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA)
The EDA periodically offers grant assistance for cities se eking to develop or redevelop
key commercial areas or corridors. Publicly owned fiber optic networks are an eligible
expense for these funds. EDA grants typically tie eligibility and competitive scoring criteria
to specific job creation or retention, making key development sites or zones prime
candidates for EDA funding where high-speed broadband could help attract or retain key
employers.
EDA applications are relatively complex and time-consuming to submit and process, and
a local match is required, ranging from 20-40% of the project total. The City should
consider future EDA grants as a possibility, particularly where it aligns with its key
economic development areas and major development projects. There is currently no
funding for broadband activities available from the EDA.
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Economic Analysis of New Entrant Feasibility
Early analysis and projections suggest that building out this network will be highly
attractive to a private partner. Build out of Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the backbone ring
would place 24,859 residential units and 1,795 businesses within 750 feet of the
backbone ring. Typically, a residence or business that is within 750 feet of the backbone
ring can be connected by a last-mile service drop from a private partner ISP at a financially
viable cost. The final plan will contain a detailed analysis of the estimat ed usage and
financial outlook for a private partner that would work with the City on the build-out of the
backbone ring. Once completed, the private partner would then build out service laterals
or use other technology to reach residents and businesses within the 750-foot buffer
around the backbone ring. Even at a conservative estimate of a 30% subscription rate,
there is sufficient projected revenue to make serving those areas an attractive option for
a private partner.
POLICY OPTIONS
There are various business models that local governments can pursue that range from a
laissez-faire, public policy-only approach to city ownership and operation of a full retail
internet business. Brief descriptions of five options or approaches are outlined below:
1. Public Policy: The municipality utilizes its public policy tools to shape and
streamline the private sector’s efforts to design, construct, and manage broadband
infrastructure. Focus areas include right-of-way access, permitting processes and
costs, construction practices and placement methods, franchise agreements, and
utility fee assessments.
2. Public Services Provider: Municipalities utilize publicly owned fiber and
broadband resources to interconnect multiple public organizations with fiber or
wireless connectivity. These organizations are generally limited to the community
anchors within their jurisdiction. Santa Monica, California, and Scott County,
Minnesota, utilize the Public Services Provider model.
3. Infrastructure Provider: Municipalities provide conduit and dark fiber services to
local organizations, businesses, and even ISPs and broadband providers. These
organizations use public fiber to connect to one another and to data centers to
reach the Internet, cloud services, and other content networks. Huntsville,
Alabama, and Lincoln, Nebraska, are two municipalities that utilize the
Infrastructure Provider model.
4. Open-Access Provider: Municipalities that own substantial fiber-optic networks
in their communities will equip the network with the electronics necessary to
establish a transport circuit to interconnect ISPs with the local network. The
concept of open access enables competition among ISPs across a network that
the local government owns. Utopia, Utah, and Ammon, Idaho, are two examples
of an Open Access Provider model.
5. Municipal Retail Provider: Municipalities construct significant fiber networks,
including service drops to individual businesses and residences, and offer
competitively priced Internet by providing services directly – i.e., the municipality
is providing broadband as a utility. Chattanooga, Tennessee and Sandy, Oregon
are two cities that utilize the full broadband utility model.
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These options are a range, and the City currently operates as both a Public Services and
Infrastructure Provider, however, there is an opportunity to expand services available to
the community in these roles through a more robust public-private partnership (P3).
A P3 is the currently preferred approach for most municipalities and can exist across
several options above. This approach requires minimal upfront investment and allows the
City to competitively seek an experienced ISP to seek grant funds to complete the
backbone ring. Cities recently adopting this approach include Grover Beach and Santa
Cruz.
Significant time and costs are involved with both the Open-Access and Municipal Retail
Providers approaches and, as such, are not recommended to be pursued at this time.
Public-Private Partnerships (P3)
P3s are an emerging business model that provides an innovative solution to broadband
expansion. The key factors that define a public-private partnership, as opposed to simply
a customer-vendor relationship, are that: (a) all parties contribute, (b) each party’s
benefits are shared based on their contributions, and (c) either one partner does not pay
another or there are few or limited transactions between partners.
Generally, P3s create a cooperative platform for a local government and one or more
private organizations to plan, fund, build, and maintain a broadband network within the
municipality’s jurisdiction. To make a P3 successful, each organization should align on
key negotiating points, such as:
1. Who has rights to access the network – is it exclusive or non-exclusive?
2. What are the public and private partners’ goals and how are they incentivized?
3. What roles and responsibilities does each partner have?
4. What assets are financed through the public?
5. What revenue model is used to recoup the investment?
6. What requirements must the private partner meet regarding service availability,
speed, price, build locations, and performance schedules?
7. How will the partners determine future buildouts and who pays for them?
8. What happens if the private assets are sold or acquired?
Staff and Magellan recommend that the City consider a public-private partnership model
to implement the Broadband Plan in which the City would publicly solicit and select a
private ISP to operate, manage, and sell retail internet services over publicly owned fiber
in exchange for lease payments, revenue share, new City network construction, or a
combination thereof. This P3 approach is particularly suitable to the City given capital
resource constraints, existing conduit- and fiber-sharing arrangements that could multiply
subscriber reach, and the relatively limited amount of new construction requ ired as
identified in the Conceptual Network Design.
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Additionally, an experienced private ISP partner will be required if the City applies for SB
156 Last Mile grant funding, as the City cannot currently demonstrate experience and
capacity to operate and maintain a retail internet service network. Leveraging a public -
private partnership could also help secure the local match funds required for the SB 156
Last Mile and EDA grants.
Staff recommends that the final plan focuses on implementation of a P3 model but
seeks City Council input and direction.
Should the Council provide direction to focus on a P3 model, staff will seek Council
authorization to release an RFP for a partner with the final adoption of the Broadband
Plan on June 20, 2023.
Estimated Costs Using the Public-Private Partnership Model (P3)
The estimated capital construction cost of the Conceptual Network Design is
$12,765,152, which includes design and engineering for the entire build, required
upgrades to 120,198 feet of existing City conduit and fiber cables, as well 11 3,213 feet of
new construction. These costs are based on Magellan’s analysis of comparable cities,
recent construction bids, equipment and material costs, and a regional assessment of the
labor and construction market. The conceptual network design can be broken into two
phases (See Attachment A, page 7, Table 2). Phase 1 prioritizes the backbone ring
architecture which allows for greater community member and business access in the
areas of the City bordering Phase 1. Phase 2 extends the network to City water tanks, lift
stations, and City parks, allowing further expansion into the neighborhoods adjacent to
those facilities.
In a Public-Private Partnership model, Magellan expects that the City may be able to
offset all of the capital cost of building the network through grant funds and the private
partner covering the match needed. The private partner would gain use of a portion of the
constructed backbone for a period of time to be determined by the City through
negotiation. Using the backbone ring then reduces the capital cost needed by the private
partner to expand into business and residential service and makes it financially feasible
for the provider to serve residential and business customers.
State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF)/American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
Funding
Council previously authorized the allocation of $600,000 in SLFRF/ARPA to fund the
creation of a Broadband Plan and subsequent implementation of the plan. Staff
recommends that funding remain allocated until the completion of the plan and
implementation of initial proposed actions.
Upon the adoption of the final plan, the City will have additional information on the
proposed approach to complete the backbone ring as well as final selection criteria for
the Last Mile funding to inform any investment needed by the City, along with
recommendations for implementation. Staff will then return to Council for any potential
reallocation of remaining SLFRF funds that would not be used for implementation as a
part of the Mid-year Budget Update or Supplemental Budget. This will still allow for
sufficient time for the City to obligate those funds by the statutory deadline of Dec. 2 1,
2024, and expend those funds by the statutory deadline of Dec. 31, 2026.
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Previous Council or Advisory Body Action
An ad-hoc committee of the City Council recommended $600,000 in State and Local
Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) be allocated toward a broadband study and subsequent
implementation of recommended actions. Council authorized this allocation on June 7,
2022 (Resolution No. 11333 (2022 Series)). On September 6, 2022, Council authorized
staff to apply for a Local Agency Technology Assistance (LATA) grant to fund preparation
of the Broadband Plan.
Implementing a Broadband Plan was discussed as a part of the development for the 2023-
25 Financial Plan Major City Goals and will be included as a work task.
Public Engagement
This item is on the agenda for the April 4, 2023, City Council meeting and will follow all
the required posting and notification. Public comment on the item can be provided to the
City Council through written correspondence prior to the meeting and through public
testimony at the meeting. Attachment A contains more detail on public engagement
performed by City Staff and Magellan Broadband in the Scope of Work a nd Needs
Assessment sections, beginning on page 1.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) does not apply to the recommended
action in this report, because the action does not constitute a “Project” under State CEQA
Guidelines Section 15378.
FISCAL IMPACT
Budgeted: Yes Budget Year: 2022-23
Funding Identified: Yes
Fiscal Analysis:
Funding
Sources
Total Budget
Available
Current
Funding
Request
Remaining
Balance
Annual
Ongoing
Cost
Information
Technology
Replacement
Fund
$600,0002 $ $600,000 $
State
Federal
Fees
Other: Grant $100,300 $67,057
Total $700,300 $ $667,057 $
2 This is the balance of SLFRF funding allocated by the Council for Broadband work with Resolution No.
11333 (2022 Series) at the June 7, 2022 Council Meeting.
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The City was awarded a $100,300 LATA grant from the CPUC to complete a Broadband
Strategic Plan. There is $67,057 remaining in the grant to complete the Strategic Plan.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Due to recent changes to the expected release date of the SB 156 grant application,
if the Council supports the P3 model and wishes to best position the City for potential
funding, Council can authorize staff to release an RFP at this time for a partner. The
Broadband Plan would be completed in parallel, and staff would return to Council for
approval of a partner agreement.
2. The City Council could provide direction to discontinue efforts to complete a
Broadband Plan at this time.
ATTACHMENTS
A - Broadband Update Technical Memorandum
B - Focus Group Invitee List
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Page 1 of 15
Broadband Plan Update
TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
To: City of San Luis Obispo
Josh Erquiaga, Network Services Supervisor and Team Lead
From: Magellan Broadband, LLC
Will Morat, Senior Broadband Consultant and Project Manager
Preston Young, Senior Broadband Consultant
Jory Wolf, Project Executive and VP Digital Innovation
Date: March 10, 2023
Magellan was contracted by the City to undertake a Broadband Plan to help improve
access and affordability to high-speed internet service for City services, community
members, and businesses. Work began in December 2022 and is anticipated to be
completed in June 2023. The City requested a project update memo for the City Council
to align with the City’s biennial budget process. This Memo provides that update by
focusing on an initial assessment of broadband service in the community, and
recommends a Conceptual Network Design needed to facilitate greater access.
Feedback and direction from the City Council will be incorporated into the final
Broadband Plan to completed in June 2023 and presented to the City Council on July 18,
2023.
SCOPE OF WORK
Magellan is in the process of evaluating existing City, public, and private broadband
infrastructure, including the City’s 35.5-mile communications network of conduit, fiber,
and some copper cables. This forms the City’s fiber optic backbone and is a critical
component in ensuring connectivity between City facilities to provide services, but also
can be used to support broadband access to community members and businesses.
There are currently 15 City-owned buildings and 4 communications towers connected
on the City network; however, four (4) of these facilities require a second, redundant
connection to ensure uninterrupted support of services to the community. Additionally,
there are additional public assets (10 water tanks, 13 lift stations, 30 parks, and 3
remaining unconnected traffic signals) that are currently not on the City backbone which
would benefit from direct connectivity.
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BROADBAND UPDATE MEMO – MARCH 10, 2023 Page 2
www.magellanbroadband.com City of San Luis Obispo, CA
Figure 1 - Existing City Facilities & Broadband Assets
Magellan is also analyzing the current broadband market, surveying the major Internet
Service Providers (ISPs) and evaluating the speeds, costs, and geographic reach for
business and residential service.
The scope of work also includes a detailed review of the City’s Capital Improvement
Program (CIP) to determine specifically which projects involve significant excavation that
provide the opportunity to jointly deploy broadband assets at minimal cost.
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BROADBAND UPDATE MEMO – MARCH 10, 2023 Page 3
www.magellanbroadband.com City of San Luis Obispo, CA
The final plan will also include an assessment of the different operational, govern ance,
and business models that the City could pursue, including public-private partnerships,
and define the opportunities and risks for each.
NEEDS ASSESSMENT
A needs assessment study is already underway; the City and Magellan have hosted three
stakeholder group meetings which included representatives from business, Cal Poly,
housing, realtors, community-based organizations, and residents. Two more focus
groups are planned in the coming weeks to engage directly with educators, health
providers, and social services. The City also released a broadband survey and has
received more than 190 responses. Early findings from the stakeholder meetings and the
survey results suggest that while most residents and businesses in the City can obtain
broadband service, pricing and speed varies.
Figure 2 - Median Speeds & Costs based on Survey Results
Survey responses and embedded speed tests suggest that City residents and businesses
are only receiving about half the speeds that they pay for. Moreover, a price point of
$0.62 per megabit (MB) is higher than the national average, particularly for urban/metro
areas where competitive rates should be in the $0.15-0.25 per megabit range. These
preliminary findings suggest there is room in San Luis Obispo for competition and
alternatives in the broadband marketplace.
CONCEPTUAL NETWORK DESIGN
The conceptual network design to connect all City facilities, buildings, parks, parking
structures, traffic signals, and water assets into a City-wide ring network would require
approximately 17.5 miles of new backbone fiber and 5 miles of laterals for service drops.
A city-wide backbone ring network means that the broadband signal can come from
two separate directions; if a backbone cable gets cut, the signal can be routed through
an alternate path to continue to provide end line service.
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BROADBAND UPDATE MEMO – MARCH 10, 2023 Page 4
www.magellanbroadband.com City of San Luis Obispo, CA
Creating a backbone loop is critical for not only uninterrupted City services, but also if
the City (or its private partner) were to utilize this backbone to provide competitive retail
internet services to the community and businesses. Retail internet services must be able
to ensure loop redundancy to eliminate or minimize service outages.
Figure 3 - Conceptual Network Design
The existing City-owned/controlled fiber network in Figure 3 is depicted in blue and
varies from 96 to 288 strand cable (available strands within those cables need to be
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BROADBAND UPDATE MEMO – MARCH 10, 2023 Page 5
www.magellanbroadband.com City of San Luis Obispo, CA
verified with field engineering)1. Proposed new backbone construction is depicted in
red and would be comprised of two 2” conduits deployed underground at 36 inches
below the surface, filled with a 288-count fiber-optic cable, capable of meeting future
demand. New laterals and service drops are a single 2” conduit with a 24-count fiber
cable. A completed design and engineering process will likely identify some areas where
overhead poles exist and aerial cables can be used instead of undergrounding new
conduit, which can cut deployment costs by as much as 50%.
Some City sites are currently connected via third party fiber (e.g., private ISPs, County of
SLO, etc.), which means the City must rely on external parties to ensure continued
service to critical City facilities. The conceptual network design includes construction of
new routes to replace these leased lines, which would enable the City to connect all
facilities solely through City-owned, City-controlled fiber. However, the City could retain
these third-party fiber paths and reduce the total construction costs (see Table 3).
Table 1 - New Sites Added to City Backbone
City Assets Connected to City Backbone
in Conceptual Design
Traffic Signals (3)
City Parks (30)
City Water Tanks (10)
Lift Stations (13)
There are 82 traffic signals in the City; 76 of these are already connected through the
City’s signal interconnect network. Three more are proposed to be connected in the
Conceptual Design generated in this project. However, there are three remaining traffic
signals that are too remote to justify the cost for constructing a lateral fiber path; the
City should consider interconnecting these signals using wireless or radio technology in
the interim.
Lift stations and water tanks are currently connected via different technologies, primarily
through wireless radio equipment. However, wireless connections are not as reliable as
fixed fiber, and are subject to weather, maintenance, and other events that can interrupt
connectivity. Moreover, building fiber paths to these assets extends the City’s backbone
into new neighborhoods that could be leveraged through a public private partnership to
1 Magellan is continuing its assessment; some of the data was retained on an aging software system that
is no longer compatible with City systems and could not be accessed. It’s anticipated that as the
assessment is completed, more information will come to light – including additional fiber cables with
different strand counts, and/or some fiber connections to existing assets that are not currently showi ng
up in records or maps.
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BROADBAND UPDATE MEMO – MARCH 10, 2023 Page 6
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provide more community members and businesses with improved internet options and
services.
Notably, the Conceptual Design (including existing City backbone) passes more than
24,000 households and 1,700 businesses that will have greater access to broad band
services (e.g., potential internet subscribers).
ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COSTS
Because the City already has a significant fiber backbone established, there is relatively
less new infrastructure to construct as compared to other jurisdictions without existing
assets. The estimated capital construction cost of the Conceptual Network Design is
$12,765,152, which includes design and engineering for the entire build, required
upgrades to 120,198 feet of existing City conduit and fiber cables, as well 113,213 feet of
new construction (see Table 2).2 Once a competitive bid is selected and contract
completed, construction should be able to be completed within an 8-10 month period.
The Conceptual Network Design can be implemented in a phased approach (see Figure
4) that prioritizes the loop architecture necessary for greater community member and
business access and critical City site connectivity in Phase 1; the second phase adds in
City water tanks, lift stations, and City parks, which allows the City to not only connect
these sites into its backbone network, but also to expand community and business
access and leverage these locations for smart city devices and wireless distribution
infrastructure.
Water tanks (typically at a higher elevation with better line-of-sight) and parks
(geographically dispersed throughout residential neighborhoods) can enhance
community connectivity by passing more residences and businesses that could
subscribe to services, or through Wi-Fi or other wireless internet access points.
Table 2 - Estimated Construction Costs of Conceptual Network Design
Length
(feet)
Price per
Foot
Estimated
Cost
Phase 1 – City Backbone Loop & Critical City Sites
Design & Engineering
Design & Engineering (New Construction) 57,739 $ 1.75 $ 101,044
As-Builts (Existing City Network Upgrades) 120,198 $ 0.20 $ 24,040
Fielding Survey -- -- $ 50,000
2 Construction costs are based on Magellan’s analysis of comparable cities, recent construction bids,
equipment and material costs, and a regional assessment of the labor and construction market. An
inflation factor has been included to address future cost increases.
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Public Engineering Stamps -- -- $ 50,000
Phase 1 Design & Engineering Subtotal $ 225,084
Construction
Existing City Network Upgrades 120,198 $ 5.00 $ 600,990
New Backbone Construction 52,348 $ 110.00 $ 5,758,280
New Lateral Construction (City Assets) 5,391 $ 80.00 $ 431,280
Phase 1 Total 177,937 -- $ 7,015,634
Phase 2 – Water Assets & Parks
Design & Engineering
Design & Engineering (New Construction) 55,474 $ 1.75 $ 97,080
As-Builts (Existing City Network Upgrades) -- $ 0.20 --
Fielding Survey -- -- $ 25,000
Public Engineering Stamps -- -- $ 35,000
Phase 2 Design & Engineering Subtotal $ 157,080
Construction
Existing City Network Upgrades -- $ 5.00 --
New Backbone Construction 38,484 $ 110.00 $ 4,233,240
New Lateral Construction (City Assets) 16,990 $ 80.00 $ 1,359,200
Phase 2 Total 55,474 $ 5,749,520
TOTAL 233,411 $ 12,765,152
The construction estimates in Table 2 are based on the assumption that if the City does
not have maps or data indicating fiber exists, it would need to be constructed. However,
there does appear to be some fiber routes that were installed on an ad-hoc basis over
time, and may not be recorded in the City’s maps, or may simply be retained only as
institutional knowledge by some City departments. The design engineering and field
surveying process would verify and record all existing assets, likely uncovering
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additional fiber that would eliminate the need for some of the new construction, thereby
lowering the total overall construction costs.
Figure 4 – City Connectivity through Phases 1 & 2 of Conceptual Design
The main reason some areas within a community remain underserved3 is typically
because private companies, in the context of a corporate financial plan, weigh the
project’s capital costs against the market and timeline for a return on their investment;
3 “Underserved” is defined by the State of California Public Utilities Commission as services offerings
below the minimum of 100 Mbps downstream and 2 0 Mbps upstream.
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capital investment can’t be justified in areas that are costly to build and that don’t have
adequate anticipated revenues. Often, these underserved areas coincide with
neighborhoods and/or census tracts with other socioeconomic challenges, which further
exacerbates the Digital Divide and quality of life.
However, public investment or access to public infrastructure can offset the private
capital required, and encourages market entry. These Phase 2 water assets and park
sites can expand the reach of the City’s fiber backbone to allow for greater community
and business access. The new fiber routes will provide more cables into more
neighborhoods that can be leased to private Internet Service Providers (ISPs), thereby
reducing the private investment required for new entrants, encouraging more market
competition, and enhancing retail data services for residents and businesses.
The construction costs can be reduced – significantly for Phase 1 – if the City were to
retain and even expand its use of third-party fiber. There is more than 24,530 feet of
available third-party fiber (County or privately-owned) that could be utilized in Phase 1
of the Conceptual Network Design, and 2,407 feet in Phase 2. Utilizing this fiber would
reduce the total construction costs by almost $3 million.
Table 3 - Estimated Construction Costs if Utilizing Third Party Fiber
Third Party Fiber Option
New
Construction/Upgrade
Length (feet)
Third Party Fiber
Length (feet)
Revised
Estimated
Cost
Phase 1 153,407 24,530 $ 4,274,405
Phase 2 53,067 2,407 $ 5,473,217
TOTAL 212,013 26,937 $ 9,747,623
However, some third-party fiber leased by the City may explicitly be for City services use
– and lease agreements may prohibit providing any internet services to the community
or business.
Construction costs can be even further reduced through effective utility coordination,
implementing a dig once/joint trench program, and aligning broadband expansion
projects with other major CIP projects, particularly those with excavation in the City
right-of-way. The labor required for excavation can account for 40-60% of total
construction costs. When work is coordinated between utilities and public agencies, all
parties can expand their fiber footprint at a fraction of the typical cost by taking
advantage of synergies with other projects.
GRANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
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California SB 156 - Last Mile Funding
The 2021 California Budget Package included $2 billion in funding (partially from federal
ARPA funds) created by Senate Bill 156 for the construction of last mile fiber networks to
serve un- and under-served households ($1 billion for rural areas and $1 billion for
urban areas)4. The funding was allocated by county, with San Luis Obispo County
receiving an earmark of $22.3 million based on un/under-served households within the
County. The California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) is still determining eligibility
rules and guidelines. Applications are anticipated to be released as early as June 2023.
However, the CPUC is continually refining and updating its maps, aligning with recently
compiled FCC maps, and evaluating the different socioeconomic indicators that would
factor into SB 156 grant eligibility including un/underserved households and existing
broadband service need. The CPUC is expected to release an updated eligibility map
and guidelines by the end of March 2023.
In addition to forthcoming eligibility guidelines, SB 156 grant funding is anticipated to
have two main requirements for any application: 1) the applicant (city, county, tribal
organization, etc.) must demonstrate experience and capacity to operate and maintain a
retail internet service network or have an experienced private ISP partner, and 2) local
match funding is required, up to 20% of the total project cost which could be provided
partially or in full by a private partner.
As the Last Mile grant program gets closer to the anticipated June 2023 application
release, more information will be available to fully determine eligibility, funding limits,
and eligible projects.
U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration
(EDA)
The EDA periodically offers grant assistance for cities seeking to develop or redevelop
key commercial areas or corridors, and publicly owned fiber optic networks are an
eligible expense for these funds. EDA grants typically tie eligibility and competitive
scoring criteria to specific job creation or retention, making key development sites or
zones prime candidates for EDA funding where high-speed broadband could help
attract or retain key employers.
With the emphasis on COVID-19 recovery through ARPA, and the federal infrastructure
bill, there has recently been very limited funding available through the EDA. Applications
4 California Public Utilities Commission Last Mile Federal Funding Account,
https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/industries-and-topics/internet-and-phone/broadband-implementation-for-
california/last-mile-federal-funding-account
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are relatively complex and time-consuming to submit and process, and a local match is
required, ranging from 20-40% of the project total.
The City should consider future EDA grants as a possibility, particularly where it aligns
with its key economic development areas and major development projects.
BUSINESS MODELS
The various business models involve different levels of investment and control that
come with varying risks and rewards. The City of San Luis Obispo has numerous options
– from a laissez-faire, public policy-only approach all the way across the spectrum to the
City owning and operating a full retail internet business.
Figure 5 - Broadband Business Models Spectrum
Public Policy Only
The municipality utilizes its public policy tools to shape and streamline the private
sector’s efforts to design, construct, and manage broadband infrastructure. Focus areas
include right-of-way access, permitting processes and costs, construction practices and
placement methods, franchise agreements, and utility fee assessments. Examples of
broadband policies and standards include joint trenching and “dig once” policies, utility
relocations, road moratoriums, and funding mechanisms for design, labor, and materials.
A public policy approach is not a model per se; however, it can be combined with other
models for municipalities to take a more active, direct role and maximize impacts.
Public Services Provider
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Municipalities utilize publicly-owned fiber and broadband resources to interconnect
multiple public organizations with fiber or wireless connectivity. These organizations are
generally limited to the community anchors within their jurisdiction, including local
governments, school districts, higher educational organizations, public safety
organizations, utilities, and healthcare providers. Santa Monica, California and Scott
County, Minnesota utilize the Public Services Provider model.
Infrastructure Provider
Municipalities provide conduit and dark fiber services to local organizations businesses,
and even ISPs and broadband providers. These organizations use public fiber to connect
to one another and to data centers to reach the Internet, cloud services, and other
content networks. Dark fiber5 is the core product of most infrastructure providers and is
generally utilized by larger businesses and institutions in order to reduce their
telecommunication expenses and achieve higher bandwidth speeds. Huntsville, Alabama
and Lincoln, Nebraska are two municipalities that utilize the Infrastructure Provider
model.
Open-Access Provider
Municipalities that own substantial fiber-optic networks in their communities will equip
the network with the electronics necessary to establish a transport circuit to
interconnect ISPs with the local network. The concept of open access enables
competition among ISPs across a network that is owned by the local government. The
municipality remains neutral and non-discriminatory, and is open equally to any
providers that seek to deliver services over the network. Typically, this model works best
in large cities with substantial demand – both residential and commercial. Utopia in
Utah and Ammon, Idaho are two examples of an Open Access Provider model.
Municipal Retail Provider
Municipalities construct significant fiber networks, including service drops to individual
businesses and residences, and offer competitively priced Internet by providing services
directly – i.e., the municipality is providing broadband as a utility. In order to compete
with the incumbent providers, municipalities will offer triple-play services consisting of
phone, television, and Internet, along with providing the required customer service
center, billing services, technical, installation, and field maintenance crews, and
5 “Dark Fiber” is simply the fiber optic pathway – the user (or lessee) must provide their own equipment
and connections on either end of the fiber to function and transmit data. “Lit Fiber” is the full suite of data
services, where the subscriber just needs to “plug in” in order to access the internet; the owner of Lit Fiber
provides the end line equipment and connectivity to the world wide web.
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supporting administrative staff to operate an ISP. Chattanooga, Tennessee and Sandy,
Oregon are two cities that utilize the full broadband utility model.
Public-Private Partnerships
Public-private partnerships (P3s) are an emerging business model that provides an
innovative solution to broadband expansion. The key factors that define a public-private
partnership, as opposed to simply a customer-vendor relationship, are that: (a) all
parties contribute, (b) each party’s benefits are shared based on their contributions, and
(c) one partner does not pay another; there are few or limited transactions between
partners. Many municipalities are utilizing the P3 model in various forms, including
Westminster, Maryland, as well as California jurisdictions including Santa Cruz, Rancho
Cucamonga, and the 9 South Bay Cities Council of Governments in the Los Angeles area.
Generally, P3s create a cooperative platform for a local government and one or more
private organizations to plan, fund, build, and maintain a broadband network within the
municipality’s jurisdiction. To make a P3 successful, each organization should align on
key negotiating points, such as:
Who has rights to access the network – is it exclusive or non-exclusive?
What are the public and private partners’ goals and how are they incentivized?
What roles and responsibilities does each partner have?
What assets are financed through the public?
What revenue model is used to recoup the investment?
What requirements must the private partner meet in terms of service availability,
speed, price, build locations, and performance schedules?
How will the partners determine future buildouts and who pays for them?
What happens if the private assets are sold or acquired?
Magellan recommends San Luis Obispo consider a public-private partnership model to
implement the Broadband Plan in which the City could publicly solicit and select a
private ISP to operate, manage, and sell retail internet services over publicly-owned fiber
in exchange for lease payments, revenue share, new City network construction, or a
combination thereof. This P3 approach is particularly suitable to the City given capital
resource constraints, existing conduit- and fiber-sharing arrangements that could
multiply subscriber reach, and the relatively limited amount of new construction
required as identified in the Conceptual Network Design.
Additionally, an experienced private ISP partner will be required if the City were to apply
for SB 156 Last Mile grant funding, as the City cannot currently demonstrate experience
and capacity to operate and maintain a retail internet service network. Leveraging a
public-private partnership could also help secure the local match funds required for
both the SB 156 Last Mile and EDA grants.
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Initial revenue and expenses projections suggest that expanding the City backbone by
constructing the Conceptual Design would achieve positive cash flows and generate a
return on investment, which will be attractive to a qualified private partner. Completing
Phases 1 and 2 would pass more than 24,000 residences and nearly 1,800 businesses,
providing them with greater access to internet services. The final plan report will contain
a detailed financial analysis that will assist the City in soliciting and negotiating any
potential future public-private partnership.
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS & NEXT STEPS
1) Expand the City’s Fiber Backbone to Provide Greater Access for the
Community and Businesses.
The City can complete a backbone loop necessary for a qualified operator to
provide competitive, reliable retail internet services to the community and
business at an estimated cost of $12.7 million. The backbone loop design would
also connect remaining City facilities and assets – including parks, water tanks,
and lift stations. Construction costs can be further reduced to $9.7 million
through lease or use of third-party fiber, or broken into two phases, depending
on project funding availability.
2) Pursue Competitive Grant Opportunities – SB 156
The State of California and the California Public Utilities Commission have
designated more than $22 million in broadband construction grant funding for
San Luis Obispo County, and applications are anticipated to be released as early
as June 2023. The City is eligible for this funding, and should pursue these grants
to cover the backbone loop design construction costs of $12.7 million. However,
the grant has two main requirements the City must meet: 1) possess experience
operating a fiber network – or have selected a qualified private ISP to do so, and
2) provide a 20% funding match. Additionally, other municipalities – and the
County itself – will be competing for these grant funds, which will require the City
to demonstrate commitment, completed planning, and construction readiness in
order to secure a grant award.
3) Solicit & Negotiate a Public Private Partnership.
The City is in a favorable position to leverage an expanded, looped backbone
network through a public-private partnership, which could secure: (a) the
qualified network operator needed for grant eligibility, (b) the required match
funding for SB 156 Last Mile grant funds, (c) a partner willing to construct all or a
portion of Phases 1 & 2 in exchange for rights to sell retail internet services
utilizing City fiber, or a combination thereof. The City should publicly solicit ISPs
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for a partnership through an RFP process and select a qualified partner prior to
the SB 156 Grant Application release in early Summer 2023.
4) Retain State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF).
Preliminary analysis indicates that there are opportunities to fully utilize the SLFRF
funds that the City Council has designated for implementing the Broadband Plan.
The City will be able to use these funds to complete implementation work within
the required SLFRF deadlines.
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Focus Group Invitee Lists
City staff has worked to identify appropriate stakeholders for these focused meetings based on input
from numerous City departments, including the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, to ensure
outreach to underserved and underrepresented groups.
Real Estate and Land Use
City of San Luis Obispo MIG
Stone Park Capital Hodge Company
MFI Design People's Self-Help Housing
Stalwork Construction MW Architects
In Balance Green Consulting Hubbard Development Consulting
Wallace Group NKT Commercial
Oasis Associates Covelop Collaborative Development
Richardson Properties Rademaker Design
J.W. Design & Construction Kovesdi Consulting
Madonna Properties Dettmer Architecture
CRSA Architecture Rossi Enterprises
Ambient Communities Above Grade Engineering
RRM Design Southpaw Sign Company
CCB Montage Development
Garcia Architechture and Design Peck Planning
AuzCo Developments Paragon Architects
Transitions Mental Health Association Astound Broadband
Ten Over Studio Trust Automation
Cannon Corporation Vivian Hanover Ventures
Copeland Properties Jamestown
The Law Office of Marshall E. Ochylski Peak WiFi
Quaglino Enterprises Pacific Coast Broadband Consortium
Housing Authority San Luis Obispo
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Community and Non-Profit Organizations
AAPI SLO COunty Literacy for Life Organization
Central Coast Coalition for Undocumented
Student Success
Long Term Care Ombudsman Services of San
Luis Obispo County
Diversity Coalition SLO County Lumina Alliance
GALA Pride and Diversity Center Meals That Connect
Independent Living Resource Center, INC One Cool Earth
Jewish Community Center Federation Peace Academy of the Science and Arts
Latino Outreach Council People's Self-Help Housing Corporation
Promotoras Restorative Partners
RACE Matters SLO San Luis Obispo Children's Museum
Undocu Support San Luis Obispo Climate Coalition
United Way of San Luis Obispo County
San Luis Obispo Committee for Education on
Alcoholism, dba "MiddleHouse"
Cal Poly Student Diversity and Belonging San Luis Obispo Legal Assistance Foundation
5Cities Homeless Coalition Senior Volunteer Services
Access Support Network Shower the People
Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Luis Obispo
County SLO International Film Festival
CAPSLO - Child Care Resource Connection
(CCRC) SLO Noor Foundation
City Farm SLO SLO Partners
Community Action Partnership of San Luis
Obispo County, Inc SLO Rep. Theater
Community Counseling Center (CCC) of San Luis
Obispo Smart Share Housing Solutions, Inc
Court Appointed Special Advocates of San Luis
Obispo County, Inc
The San Luis Obispo Child Development
Resource Center
Cuesta College Foundation Tolosa Children's Dental Center
Festival Mozaic Transitions Mental Health Association
Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County The Link Family Resource Center
Hospice of San Luis Obispo County Center for Family Strengthening (CFS)
Jack's Helping Hand, Inc Housing Authority San Luis Obispo (HASLO)
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Business and Industry
SLO Chamber of Commerce
RACE Matters SLO
Tourism BID
Promotional Coordination Committee
REACH
Downtown SLO Business Association
SLO Economic Development Dept.
SOFTEC
Trust Automation
Cal Poly CIE
Cal Poly Business Park
Page 1211 of 1211
Broadband Plan Update
City Council Meeting –April 4, 2023
Recommendation
Receive an update on the Broadband Plan and provide input to inform
the final plan.
Overview
Background
Scope of Work
Existing Broadband Assets
Needs Assessment
Conceptual Network Design
Estimated Construction Costs
Grant Funding Opportunities
Business Models
Background
Ad-hoc committee of the Council directed staff to explore ways to
improve access and affordability of broadband for residents and
businesses.
Money was allocated from City State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds.
Applied for and awarded a Local Agency Technology Assistance Grant.
Engaged with Magellan Broadband (now Entrust Solutions Group) to
develop a Broadband Plan based on their experience with other
municipalities.
•Evaluate existing public & private broadband assets
•Assess the market and community needs
•Survey
•Stakeholder Focus Groups
•Evaluate City policies & implications
•CIP projects
•Utility coordination/Dig Once
•Develop Conceptual Network Design & cost estimates
•Assess business models & operations
•Public-Private Partnerships (P3)
•20-Year Pro Forma Projections
•Assess grant funding opportunities
SCOPE OF WORK
•35 mile communications network
•Fiber, conduit & traffic signal control
•Currently connected:
•15 City facilities
•4 communications towers
•Needs:
•Redundancy to critical sites
•23 Water Assets (tanks, lift stations)
•30 Parks
EXISTING BROADBAND ASSETS
04/04/23 City of San Luis Obispo –Broadband Strategic Plan -8
•Community Survey
•190 responses
•Stakeholder Focus Groups
•3 completed; 2 upcoming
•Participants:
•Business
•Housing & Realtors
•Community organizations
•Cal Poly
•Residents
•Educators
•Health providers
•Social services
NEEDS ASSESSMENT
•17.5 miles of new fiber backbone
•5 miles of new fiber laterals
•Creates redundant loop for
uninterrupted services
•New City backbone would pass:
•24,000+ households
•1,700+ businesses
•Transitions away from 3rd party fiber
•Connects new City sites:
•3 traffic signals
•30 Parks
•10 Water tanks
•13 Lift stations
CONCEPTUAL NETWORK DESIGN
ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COSTS
TOTAL –Phase 1 & 2 233,411 feet $ 12,765,152
BUSINESS MODELS
•Public-Private Partnership (P3)
•Operate, manage, & sell retail
internet via City network
•Fair exchange:
•Lease payments
•Revenue share
•New city construction
•Local match $$ for grants
•Fulfills key partner
requirement for SB 156
grant application
GRANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
California SB 156 Last Mile Grants
•Construction of last mile fiber
•Un-and under-served (<100 Mbps)
•Disadvantaged communities
•$22.3 M earmarked for County
•CPUC releasing further guidance
•Requirements:
•20% local match
•Experienced ISP partner
•Anticipated June 2023 release
U.S. Dept of Commerce EDA
•Eligibility/criteria tied to employment
•Attracting key employers
•Job creation/retention
•Key development sites/zones
•COVID-19/ARPA = limited
funding
•20-40% local match required
Feedback and Direction
Staff requests Council provide direction to focus the final plan on the P3
model discussed earlier to expand broadband access and affordability.
Next Steps
Return to Council on 6/20 for the adoption of the completed plan.
Request to go out to RFP for a private partner
Authorization to apply for grants
Recommendation
Receive an update on the Broadband Plan and provide input to inform
the final plan.
Alternative Recommendation
1.Due to recent changes to the expected release date of the SB 156 grant
application, if the Council supports the P3 model and wishes to best position the
City for potential funding, Council can authorize staff to release an RFP at this
time for a partner. The Broadband Plan would be completed in parallel, and staff
would return to Council for approval of a partner agreement.
Real Estate and Land Use Invitees
Astound Broadband CCB Jamestown Rademaker Design
City of San Luis Obispo Community
Development Copeland Properties Kovesdi Consulting Richardson Properties
Oasis Associates
Covelop Collaborative
Development Madonna Properties RRM Design
Pacific Coast Broadband Consortium CRSA Architecture MFI Design Southpaw Sign Company
Peak WiFi Dettmer Architecture MIG Stalwork Construction
People's Self-Help Housing
Garcia Architechture and
Design Montage Development Stone Park Capital
Rossi Enterprises Hodge Company MW Architects Ten Over Studio
Vivian Hanover Ventures
Housing Authority San Luis
Obispo NKT Commercial
The Law Office of Marshall E.
Ochylski
Above Grade Engineering
Hubbard Development
Consulting Paragon Architects
Transitions Mental Health
Association
Ambient Communities In Balance Green Consulting Peck Planning Trust Automation
AuzCo Developments J.W. Design & Construction Quaglino Enterprises Wallace Group
Community and Non-Profit Organizations
Invitees
Court Appointed Special Advocates of San Luis
Obispo County, Inc Festival Mozaic Restorative Partners
Housing Authority San Luis Obispo (HASLO)Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County San Luis Obispo Children's Museum
The San Luis Obispo Child Development Resource
Center GALA Pride and Diversity Center San Luis Obispo Climate Coalition
Tolosa Children's Dental Center Hospice of San Luis Obispo County
San Luis Obispo Committee for Education on
Alcoholism, dba "MiddleHouse"
5Cities Homeless Coalition Independent Living Resource Center, INC San Luis Obispo Legal Assistance Foundation
AAPI SLO COunty Jack's Helping Hand, Inc Senior Volunteer Services
Access Support Network Jewish Community Center Federation Shower the People
Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Luis Obispo County Latino Outreach Council SLO International Film Festival
Cal Poly Student Diversity and Belonging Literacy for Life Organization SLO Noor Foundation
CAPSLO -Child Care Resource Connection (CCRC)
Long Term Care Ombudsman Services of San Luis Obispo
County SLO Partners
Center for Family Strengthening (CFS)Lumina Alliance SLO Rep. Theater
Central Coast Coalition for Undocumented
Student Success Meals That Connect Smart Share Housing Solutions, Inc
City Farm SLO One Cool Earth The Link Family Resource Center
Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo
County, Inc Peace Academy of the Science and Arts Transitions Mental Health Association
Community Counseling Center (CCC) of San Luis
Obispo People's Self-Help Housing Corporation Undocu Support
Cuesta College Foundation Promotoras United Way of San Luis Obispo County
Diversity Coalition SLO County RACE Matters SLO
Business and Industry Invitees
SLO Chamber of Commerce
Tourism BID
Promotional Coordination Committee
REACH
Downtown SLO Business Association
SLO Economic Development Dept.
SOFTEC
Trust Automation
Cal Poly CIE
Cal Poly Business Park
RACE Matters SLO