I strongly support under-grounding on the Big Island. I live on the Little Island where we put our utilities underground many years ago and it was the best investment we could make. It has significantly improved our safety and views and the overall appearance of the Little Island. In addition, I believed it has increased the value of our properties as I have seen Little Island homes consistently sell for higher prices than comparable homes on the Big Island.

Whenever I am showing properties on the Big Island and we get up to the third story of a home, Buyers invariably ask when the utilities will be going underground. I believe the Big Islanders will receive the same benefits we received on Little Island when the under-grounding is completed there.

My wife and I have lived in our house on Ruby for 50+ years, with many children and remodels. We love the Island and our neighbors, which has led to much community involvement. Over the years, I’ve been a BIIA board member and past president, my wife the secretary way back when.

I’m a charter member of the City Water Quality Committee, now called City Water Quality/ Coastal Tidelands Committee. My occupation is in the Life Insurance/Investment field, officed in Newport Beach.

Newport Beach has seen a growing area of underground services over the years with a corresponding positive effect on real estate values, safety, and beautiful neighborhoods. It’s time for the rest of Balboa Island to “Get it Done”!

The proposed underground project should positively affect Island property values, especially given that the Little Island already had it done and the West End has already approved a new district. When we speak with new prospective Buyers looking to move to the Island, almost all of them say they would like to see under-grounding.

We don't have an exact percentage that we can say property values will increase, but the aesthetics of the Island in general would improve, and approving this district would allow the rest of the Island to have the same advantage Little Island and West End properties will have. This would enhance the beauty of the Island, allow for more space in the alleys, and improve views for many property owners in our community.

I retired from SCE after 38 years as senior vice president of transmission & distribution (the electric grid) and was responsible for countless under-grounding projects. Under-grounding the electric and communications utilities on the Island will increase safety, improve access in our alleys, reduce the frequency of outages, and certainly look far better too! It’s a complex job in our tightly packed community, but I believe it’s well worth the time and cost.

I support the under-grounding for the following reasons. Visually it is much more attractive, look at the Peninsula or Little Island, it is a huge improvement. I believe that it will add value to our homes. It will improve safety, I have hit a pole in a tight area and I have seen wires down in the past. Better to get them underground. We can do the upgrades at the same time and have everything state of the art. The payment plan over 20 years is reasonable and spreads the cost. Every time we wait the price just goes up, lets complete this now.

I am a resident of Newport Beach, and have been doing electrical construction work here in N.B. since 1986. Over the past 14 years I have specialized in the conversion of individual property owners electrical service connections to underground.

Within the City of Newport Beach and Laguna Beach, I have worked on 16 underground conversion districts facilitating the conversion of more than 2,000 properties to underground. Over this time, my company has been the successful electrical contractor bidder for about 50% of all customer electrical service conversions. I recently received a copy of a letter that was sent to Balboa Island property owners from an electrical contractor who claims to have knowledge of the cost of individual electrical service conversion costs.

First let me state I have never heard of Mr. Ouzounian and am unaware that he has ever bid on an electrical service conversion project in Newport Beach. From his description and cost of the work involved, I would doubt he has ever performed an electrical service conversion. His cost estimate of $6,000 to $15,000 per private property conversion cost is totally inflated and out of line. I have personally looked at several properties on Balboa Island and based upon my experience, the individual service conversion cost will between $2,500 and $4,500. The cost of most properties will be on the lower end of this range. I am willing to provide a firm quote to any property on Balboa Island.