How the Virginia Way Undergrounding Project Sets the Stage for the New Fire Station 4
For residents in South Laguna, the sky is about to get a lot clearer—and our neighborhood a lot safer. The City of Laguna Beach is moving forward with Underground Utility District No. 2025-1, a targeted infrastructure project designed to move overhead power lines, telephone lines, and cable wiring underground along Virginia Way between 3rd Avenue and 5th Avenue.
As part of the city’s ongoing commitment to wildfire mitigation, safety, and aesthetic preservation across all of our neighborhoods, this project represents a major win for local property owners. But its timing is even more significant: it is directly paving the way for the massive redevelopment of the new South Laguna Fire Station No. 4 right at the corner of Coast Highway and 5th Avenue.
The Big Picture: Harmonizing Undergrounding with Fire Station No. 4 Construction
In South Laguna, we aren’t just looking at isolated construction projects; we are witnessing a coordinated modernization of our public safety infrastructure.
Currently, construction is actively moving forward on the replacement of Fire Station No. 4 at 31796 Coast Highway (corner of Coast Highway and 5th Avenue). This legacy facility is transitioning from a cramped, seismically deficient mid-century building to a state-of-the-art emergency response hub.
The utility work on Virginia Way—which ends right at 5th Avenue—is a crucial piece of the puzzle. By moving overhead cables underground on the blocks leading directly to the new fire station, the city is achieving several critical goals:
- Unobstructed Emergency Routes: Removing heavy overhead utility lines and the risk of fallen wooden poles directly safeguards the primary evacuation and rapid-response corridors utilized by Fire Station 4’s emergency vehicles.
- Infrastructure Synergy: The Virginia Way undergrounding district is actively preparing the area’s subterranean grid, aligning seamlessly with the ongoing underground utility and site preparation work already taking place at the Fire Station 4 construction site.
- Neighborhood Aesthetics: Clearing the skyline from 3rd Avenue down to 5th Avenue completes a beautiful coastal corridor, framing the new station’s “Coastal Contemporary” design and the highly anticipated $100,000 public art installation planned for the corner of 5th and Coast Highway.
No-Cost Private Property Connections for Virginia Way Residents
Typically, neighborhood utility undergrounding requires residents to form a costly Assessment District (AD), where property owners must pay thousands of dollars out of pocket to connect their individual homes to the new street main.
The Virginia Way project is different. Because it is established as a utility-funded district using SDG&E Rule 20A credits previously accrued by the City of Laguna Beach, affected property owners will pay $0 to connect their homes to the underground system.
The city, in collaboration with San Diego Gas & Electric, will execute all private property trenching, conduit installation, and meter panel conversions at no cost to individual owners.
Budget and Funding Breakdown:
- Total Projected Cost: $2,130,000
- SDG&E Rule 20A Credits utilized: $854,507
- City of Laguna Beach Matching Funds: $1,275,493 (funded directly by the City)
Next Steps and Project Timeline
Currently, the Virginia Way project is wrapping up its highly detailed Design Phase with SDG&E. If you live within the boundaries, here is what to look forward to next:
- Q3 2026 (Upcoming): The city will secure necessary entitlements and open the project for construction bidding.
- Q1 2027 (Target): Groundbreaking and the formal start of street construction.
- August 2027 (Target): Expected completion, changeover of active electrical lines, and the removal of the old wooden poles.
Residents within the boundary map are encouraged to allow scheduled property inspections so engineers can map out the cleanest, least disruptive path for connection conduits on their lots.
