Construction near power lines
Member since 2024 · 12 posts · 0 votes
Hi all,
I am looking to buy a property where I want to construct a 3-story ADU in the back of the property (replacing a garage).
The challenge I am running into is that there is a power line right behind the garage. How do I best figure out what is feasible in terms of clearance and its impact on the ADU construction? I have checked the maps of the department of power and water and the location of the power line is highly inaccurate. The maps show the power lines on top of the garage but I visited the site and they are behind the garage (although very close).
I won't go through with the deal if I cannot add at least 1000 sqft through the ADU construction.
Would love your thoughts on how I can best get clarity on this before making an offer or at least before closing.
If the ADU you're proposing is the make-or-break between this deal penciling out or not, AND if it is pivotal for your plans that it be the height that you are planning, I would personally advise you to abandon this deal. Rick Garrido's advise is theoretically sound, but it could take months, possibly a year, for Edison's planning department to approve this. And you wouldn't be able to get it in writing until AFTER you purchased the property. You might be able to get some random Edison technician to say, "Well, I guess it would be okay," after eyeballing it, but that's no guarantee that after you buy the property, Edison or Long Beach or someone comes along and says you can't. Phi Tran is also giving you good advise about getting site visits (aka inspections) but no one will even let you apply for permits, much less grant them, until AFTER you purchase. So kinda a dice roll here.
And since you are planning to rent this out, and you need certificate of occupancy for that, you can't just go and build without a permit.
Oh, and it wasn't clear in your post whether the area of the property you're looking at is LADWP or Edison, though to be honest it doesn't make too much of a difference. Both are notoriously bad and slow.
Also, you may want to check city records / land maps with the country recorder's office. Often, the land UNDERNEATH power lines have easements on them, that go five or ten feet in both directions, sometimes more, which means you can't build anything. It sounds like from your post that there may be an existing garage there currently, but the original surveyer screwed up. You might be faced with the possibility, after purchasing the property, of having an inspector come out, either during precon or during, or even after, then noticing the power lines, and being like "Whoops! Gosh darn, there are power lines right above the structure, so you can't build. Tear it down, boys."
Best way you can confirm is to get SCE out there by calling the planning department and asking them to show up. Since it's not your property yet you can get in contact with them and just ask the questions you have such as how much clearance is required and perhaps you can take a picture or two of the power line and the lot to see if that's something they can relocate.
Good luck.
Best way you can confirm is to get SCE out there by calling the planning department and asking them to show up. Since it's not your property yet you can get in contact with them and just ask the questions you have such as how much clearance is required and perhaps you can take a picture or two of the power line and the lot to see if that's something they can relocate.
Good luck.
Agreed. Also, multiple documented site visits with the city and utilities like @Rick Garrido said is time consuming but worth it for your evaluation. There was a finished build in LA where the certificate of occupancy wasn't release because of these exact obstructions even though the build went according to approved plans. So with the pictures and communication documentation throughout the build it was handled with some negotiations and verifications. I do projects in SoCal so let me know if you have questions, @Marco Werner.
If the ADU you're proposing is the make-or-break between this deal penciling out or not, AND if it is pivotal for your plans that it be the height that you are planning, I would personally advise you to abandon this deal. Rick Garrido's advise is theoretically sound, but it could take months, possibly a year, for Edison's planning department to approve this. And you wouldn't be able to get it in writing until AFTER you purchased the property. You might be able to get some random Edison technician to say, "Well, I guess it would be okay," after eyeballing it, but that's no guarantee that after you buy the property, Edison or Long Beach or someone comes along and says you can't. Phi Tran is also giving you good advise about getting site visits (aka inspections) but no one will even let you apply for permits, much less grant them, until AFTER you purchase. So kinda a dice roll here.
And since you are planning to rent this out, and you need certificate of occupancy for that, you can't just go and build without a permit.
Oh, and it wasn't clear in your post whether the area of the property you're looking at is LADWP or Edison, though to be honest it doesn't make too much of a difference. Both are notoriously bad and slow.
Also, you may want to check city records / land maps with the country recorder's office. Often, the land UNDERNEATH power lines have easements on them, that go five or ten feet in both directions, sometimes more, which means you can't build anything. It sounds like from your post that there may be an existing garage there currently, but the original surveyer screwed up. You might be faced with the possibility, after purchasing the property, of having an inspector come out, either during precon or during, or even after, then noticing the power lines, and being like "Whoops! Gosh darn, there are power lines right above the structure, so you can't build. Tear it down, boys."
What do you mean by power lines going over? If you are talking about from the pole to the house, then that's an easy fix. Just run the line to the ADU, and then trench the rest of the line to the main house. That's what I did.
If you are talking about the city poles going over the ADU, then historically that was a no go on converting a garage or building of any kind under any circumstances. In 2023 they made many changes to the building code so you really need to consult with an ADU architect that knows the code inside and out.
10 feet of clearance is typically the minimum requirement.