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A design field review will then be performed with representatives of the affected utilities and the City to verify the plans match what is in the project area and “ground truth” the preliminary design. The field review will include many team members focusing on various project elements. The electrical engineer will consider the connections to the existing buildings, the landscape architect will consider the existing vegetation that needs to remain and how best to avoid damage to it, the civil engineer will consider the existing underground utilities that need to be avoided. The preliminary design will be used as the basis for determining required easements for each utility. The design will take into account all current streetscape, roadway and utility projects within and adjacent to the project limits. Easement Acquisition If the transformers and switch boxes cannot be placed with in the road right of way it will be necessary to obtain easements for this above-ground equipment from private land owners. Transformers will need to be above ground in a 10’ x 10’ clear area and they will need to be setback from the roadway; therefore, there may be places where those cannot fit within the road right of way and an easement is needed. Therefore, we want to address the easement acquisition process because it is reasonable to expect that some easements will be needed. It is a long process and therefore could be a critical element of the project. The project team will assist the City in securing any necessary easements for placement of surface or subsurface utility equipment and enclosures. In many cases, FPL, AT&T and Comcast equipment will be located in the same easement. The project team will develop easements based on the required sizes and spacing required by the utility companies, as well as consideration for access. Our approach is that these projects are to benefit the properties by improving the infrastructure service and improve the beauty, and therefore, the property owners will need to voluntarily donate the easements. We recommend that this be accomplished by direct contact with the property owners by an individual from the City who will be utilized as an “acquisition agent.” This contact would made by a non-attorney who would stress the benefits of the project and assure the owner(s) that their property will be restored to its condition prior to the acquisition. If transformer boxes or other above-ground facilities or equipment are to be installed, the offer would include landscaping around the installation to screen the same from view as much as practicable. Once the property owners acknowledge and agree that easements are required based upon the preliminary design, a boundary/easement survey will be prepared, and a signed easement sketch and legal description will be created by our surveyors indicating the easement relative to the existing boundary lines. Easement documents will be prepared, and signed documents will be recorded in the official records of Miami-Dade County. We expect that the City’s attorney would provide the easement language, title search and recording of the easement. Securing the easements is expected to be a time-consuming and, at times, difficult process. Therefore, we will begin this process as soon as the information is available and with the preliminary plans. The public outreach effort will be well underway and will be an important component to this effort. This effort may call on many team members, including the following: