Drones begin mapping unincorporated South County for broadband 

Forty miles of fiber bearing broadband services is on the horizon for some neighborhoods in Oceano and Arroyo Grande—but not before a flurry of drones fly over the unincorporated areas to map them.

From April 13 to 20, the drones will soar up to 3,000 feet overhead to capture data on poles and wires, roads, sidewalks, and curbs. Crew workers will also conduct safety checks and take measurements on the ground between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. with minimal sound disruption. The project has been in the works for more than two years, according to county Administrative Analyst Bill Lucia.

He told New Times on April 16 that the survey and design work documents the local inventory of existing infrastructure, which will determine the best route for bringing in broadband fiber.

"In many instances it can be faster and more efficient to bring the fiber into neighborhoods on existing poles," he said. "Otherwise, the design will assume other pathways for installation including the micro-trenching."

Two neighborhoods in Oceano are first in line to be surveyed. The county secured $500,000 in funding from the California Public Utilities Commission Local Agency Technical Assistance grant program to do so. The Golden State Connect Authority will help SLO County implement the grant.

The fiber installation's timeline and approval depend on the county receiving another grant from the utilities commission. SLO County, along with several others in the state, is waiting to hear back about the Last Mile Federal Funding Account. It's a $2 billion grant program for broadband infrastructure projects meant to connect the homes and buildings of unserved Californians with the final leg of the provider's network.

The state received 484 grant applications—at least two from every county in the state—worth more than $4.6 billion in requests, once the application period closed last September.

If SLO County wins the $22.3 million grant, its broadband connection project will serve 1,010 households, 413 businesses, and four public safety locations with new or improved services, according to the utility commission website.

"In addition to the FFA grant, there's additional financing that gets worked out based on estimated subscribers and tax credits all bundled into a commitment of financing resources before there's a green light to move forward and building out the network into neighborhoods can get underway," Lucia said. Δ