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North Park Boxed in by Utility Companies

Residents of North Park want to think out of the box, the utility box.

In recent years, artists have been encouraged to use the metal boxes as canvases; with more boxes on the way, however, that won't be enough. SDG&E has installed 45 boxes in North Park in five years time.

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"The proliferation of these unsightly utility boxes over the past several years is negatively impacting community aesthetics, pedestrian safety, and the ability of individual residents and businesses to maintain their property in an attractive manner and protect property values," reads a report from the North Park planning group's utility box subcommittee.

The subcommittee is asking the city council to place a moratorium on new boxes in their community, unless property owners request them or the planning group or city council approves the installation. In addition, the subcommittee asks that there be standards for sizes, design, and placement of the boxes as well as plans for graffiti removal.

Members of the committee worry that with the North Park Utility Conversion Project, set to start in 2016, will essentially box the entire community in without any input from residents or review in regards to placement by the City.

Utility companies such as Cox Cable, San Diego Gas and Electric, and AT&T install the boxes upon completion of construction projects, service upgrades, and to house transformers when under-grounding poles and electrical wires.

According to the report, the utility companies are not required to give public notice if the box is placed in the public right of way.

North Park isn't the only community that has issue with the utility boxes in their community. According to the report, planning groups in Uptown, Kensington/Talmadge, and Normal Heights have also raised objections to the number of boxes in their community.

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Residents of North Park want to think out of the box, the utility box.

In recent years, artists have been encouraged to use the metal boxes as canvases; with more boxes on the way, however, that won't be enough. SDG&E has installed 45 boxes in North Park in five years time.

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"The proliferation of these unsightly utility boxes over the past several years is negatively impacting community aesthetics, pedestrian safety, and the ability of individual residents and businesses to maintain their property in an attractive manner and protect property values," reads a report from the North Park planning group's utility box subcommittee.

The subcommittee is asking the city council to place a moratorium on new boxes in their community, unless property owners request them or the planning group or city council approves the installation. In addition, the subcommittee asks that there be standards for sizes, design, and placement of the boxes as well as plans for graffiti removal.

Members of the committee worry that with the North Park Utility Conversion Project, set to start in 2016, will essentially box the entire community in without any input from residents or review in regards to placement by the City.

Utility companies such as Cox Cable, San Diego Gas and Electric, and AT&T install the boxes upon completion of construction projects, service upgrades, and to house transformers when under-grounding poles and electrical wires.

According to the report, the utility companies are not required to give public notice if the box is placed in the public right of way.

North Park isn't the only community that has issue with the utility boxes in their community. According to the report, planning groups in Uptown, Kensington/Talmadge, and Normal Heights have also raised objections to the number of boxes in their community.

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4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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