Two minus two equals four? That’s not the equation American Canyon wants as it tries to spruce up what amounts to its main street.

The planning commission in 2020 approved the Home2 Suites hotel. One of the conditions was that the hotel dig utilities underground along its stretch of freeway, which has two utility poles.

A new report from the city mentions “an expectation that burial would necessarily include the removal of the two existing overhead power poles.”

But the two adjacent properties along the freeway have no plans that would require them to run underground lines. And that poses a problem.

Once the lines emerge from the ground on either side of Home2 Suites, they would be some distance from the following posts. This means that two posts should be installed on the north and south edges of the Home2 Suites facade.

There is more. City officials said they were “surprised to learn” that these two relocated poles would each need an adjacent “riser pole” to transition between lines in the underground section.

Two minus two? In this case, the true equation is two minus two plus four.

On Thursday, the American Canyon Planning Commission discussed the matter. Commissioners agreed that the blanket approach to burying power lines along Highway 29 as individual properties develop is not ideal.

“I’m just looking for that more comprehensive solution instead of doing it piecemeal,” Commissioner Eric Altman said.

Mark Stumm of hotel management company Noble Hospitality Inc. said the hotel building was due to be built soon. He doesn’t like seeing overhead power lines along Highway 29 either.

“It kind of blurs the beauty of everything,” Stumm told the commission.

Having all lines underground along Highway 29 in American Canyon would enhance the city’s image, he said. “These are small things that will make it more attractive for people to do business in American Canyon and for tourism to come to American Canyon,” Stumm said.

The hotel worked with PG&E in fits and starts for two years on the landfill project, Stumm said. He fought the need for the two riser poles, but turns out they’re essential.

“We went through several iterations with their design team and nothing was really satisfying,” he said.

Stumm agreed the city should take a comprehensive approach to burying Highway 29 lines. But he also wants his project to stay on schedule, saying delays at this point would be costly.

American Canyon has yet to figure out how Home2 Suites’ requirement to bury its lines might fit into an overall approach. It is a question of taking up the question again on July 28.