Petition to install 1 JO Pole on Emerson Pl Order #31108543

Transcript (~20 min @ 33:40)

Speakers identified by voice; unnamed voices are numbered within this recording. Auto-caption text — verify against the video.

▶ 33:26 Mark Garipay: Um, first National Grid petition is 1 2 7 7 3. Petition to install one Jail poll on Emerson Place. Order 3 1 1 0 8 5 4 3. Is there anyone from National Grid here to, uh, to speak? Actually, lemme take a step back. Uh, let me open the hearing for public comment. If there's anyone here that would like to speak regarding this poll movement, please, please come up and, and give your name and address.

▶ 33:58 Mark Garipay: Sorry about that. I should have done that first.

▶ 34:05 Speaker 7: That's okay. Hi. Hi. Hello, I'm, uh, David Bliss and speaking Tonight as a member of the Melrose Unitarian Universalist Church and Chair of the Property Committee. Um, we're planning to make improvements to our parking area and grounds adjacent to Emerson Place. National Grid has provided a plan in your meeting packet that shows the location of the pole to be removed and the location of a new pole. But I'd suggest you might want to refer to the plan that they have, because there's some information that's not on that plan. Um, electric service on Emerson Place is provided through an underground conduit extending from the sidewalk vault at the corner of Emes Emerson Street and Emerson Place. The service runs past the church parking area to a pole not shown on the plan located between 12 and 14 Emerson Place. This pole marks the hub of the local distribution network for the homes on Emerson Place, including the overhead line running north towards Emerson Street, um, to pole number 3 0 4 that we are seeking to remove. Poll 3 0 4 was installed probably around 1965 solely to provide power to the Church edition that was completed in 1967. About 20 years ago, an accessible ramp was installed adjacent to the parking area. Our designated accessible parking area is located just north of the pole, and there is one standard sized space to the south. I am aware of several incidents involving vehicle damage when pulling into and out of the parking, that particular parking space due to the pole location close to the street. So someone might come, a driver would come out to his car, open the door and get in and may not be aware of how close they are to that pole when they pull out. Construction of the accessible ramp. Also required enlarging the porch at our side door and extending the roof south to the adjacent electrical masthead, creating a potential hazardous situation when cleaning the porch gutters. Subject to available project funding, our goal is to remove Poll 3 0 4 and the masthead to reduce the multiple hazard associated with the current setup. Thank you for your time.

▶ 36:46 Mark Garipay: Thank you. Is there anyone else that would like to speak regarding the poll, um, on Emerson Place?

▶ 36:59 Mark Garipay: Come up and just, uh, state your name and address please. Thank you.

▶ 37:04 Speaker 2: Uh, rich on 12 Emerson Place, I actually just have a question. How are you gonna feed the, the church underground, but from across the street?

▶ 37:14 Speaker 7: Um, it, it's subject to

▶ 37:16 Speaker 6: how much money it's going to cost us.

▶ 37:22 Mark Garipay: Free. Excuse me. We'll, um, we we're gonna have National Grid come up and they can, they, if you wanna just ask the questions, we'll write 'em down and we can ask National Grid when they come up. Yeah, I'm, I'm just curious because it's gonna be National grid that'll

▶ 37:33 Speaker 2: Going, but it's gonna be fed from the pole across the street.

▶ 37:38 Speaker 2: Fed. Okay. So then there's gonna be conduit going from the pole next to my house.

▶ 37:42 Speaker 6: We're gonna across To,

▶ 37:44 Mark Garipay: Let me, let me, let me have national grid come up. Okay. Let me just, you're from National Grid, correct. Do you mind coming up and just explaining what, what's, what's, uh, where the pole's gonna be?

▶ 37:53 Speaker 2: Yeah. The scope of The project, the gist of it is we've had, uh, change in gas pipes, water pipes, the street's a mess. Mm-hmm. If they're gonna do more digging, are we gonna get repaved? I'm sorry. Will they rep pave the street?

▶ 38:04 Mark Garipay: Um, that would be a matter of the DPW and some funding

▶ 38:08 Speaker 8: To meet you. Hey, thank you very much. My name is, can you tell

▶ 38:12 Speaker 6: Us the scope of the project, please? Yes,

▶ 38:13 Speaker 8: Rafael from National Grid one 70 met fourth Street Molding. So yeah, it was initially a request from the church, eh, and actually the pole is on a handicap parking spot. Parking, parking place. So it's not as difficult as we think we just gonna be re replacing or removing the pole from the actual place to the other side of the road. Uh, in responding the question, the sir, uh, is gonna be, the church is gonna be fed by overhead lines, so it's not gonna be any digging in that case. And it will be like, also in the case we were discussing, and we did like the site visit with the city engineer because just in front it's like, uh, two family houses that they are planning like to open the driveway. So we are planning just to put the pole in the middle of the property line, and also we gonna add, do a sidewalk restoration in the case that is, is needed.

▶ 39:19 Speaker 2: So the, the, the connection from the live pole to the new pole will be in the air

▶ 39:24 Speaker 8: In there? Yes, sir. So,

▶ 39:26 Speaker 2: And that'll also be from the air, from the new pole to the church?

▶ 39:28 Speaker 8: Exactly. Thank You. You're welcome.

▶ 39:31 Mark Garipay: And, and the new pole will be across, across from the current pole?

▶ 39:36 Speaker 8: Yes. Uh, almost like diagonal we would like in front, but knowing that they planning to open the driveway, so we don't want to be in the middle. So we just want like to move it like, kind of like three feet more to the, it, it's a, it is, uh, strange because even like there is a, there it should be, it's a sidewalk, so we cannot see it. Only part of the road has sidewalk. Other part is not even, it is pulled the way. So we prefer like to move it like three feet and put it like where we definitely see the sidewalk.

▶ 40:14 Mark Garipay: Okay. Um, there may be some questions, but before we, is there anyone else that wants to speak regarding, regarding this order?

▶ 40:22 Speaker 6: Public,

▶ 40:32 Speaker 7: Uh, David Bliss again, um, 16 Howard Street, Melrose. Um, I was under the impression when I read, uh, the, the work order that, uh,

▶ 40:48 Speaker 7: there was an option to be underground the, from the pole, from the new pole across the street to our, uh, building. No, because I mean, right now we have a hazardous situation with the masthead. Um, another solution to that would be to move the masthead to a, to a different location away from a, the, uh, the, uh, uh, porch.

▶ 41:17 Speaker 8: Yes. Okay. So, eh, in that case, actually as a designer, eh, I didn't even, uh, realize on that option because we don't allow as national grid to an underground service or an underground cable in that case will be customer owned. So the cable will be owned by the church. So we cannot allow, like normal people have facilities on public way. That's something only allow for utilities. So that was the reason that I was to avoid that. And even I need to ask in that case, and all the civil War has to be done by the customer in the case that we go and move forward for with that option. That's the reason I even didn't, uh, think in that option. Okay. And will be more like expensive for, for the, yeah. For the church. So we're trying to avoid all this cost to the,

▶ 42:13 Mark Garipay: This, um, this is the ward that I represent. Um, so I'm still, I'm learning a little bit about it. Yes. I think there's a lot of confusion. Yes. I think I would prefer to see that we, we hold this, this poll and get some more information, whether it's gonna be underground, above ground, make sure we, um, in inform all the residents. Because I believe there was another call this morning regarding the pole in, in, on that street. So, um, I, I, as a ward counselor, I would prefer to hold this and get all the information and maybe sit out there with, go out there with the residents before we, before we start, um, make sure everyone's on the same page, but I can't make that

▶ 42:56 Speaker 1: motion. I'll make a motion to Hold Second

▶ 42:59 Ward Hamilton: On discussion. Council Hamilton. So The document before us does request permission to lay and maintain underground laterals, cables, and wires in the above or intersecting public ways. So that's what's before us and that's different.

▶ 43:21 Speaker 6: Different. So yeah. Yeah, we hold this,

▶ 43:26 Mark Garipay: Um, all in favor of holding this. Aye aye aye, aye. All right. This poll, uh, request is held, and, um, as soon as you have all the information, just file it again with the city clerk or just come back with us. We'll set it up for the next meeting. Tell us when you're ready and we'll, we'll discuss it again.

▶ 43:45 Speaker 8: Okay. Oh, for me it's no problem, but I, I already, we already, I visited with the city engineer, so I don't understand like the, maybe the misunderstanding, but I can submit it again if that's what you want.

▶ 43:58 Maya Jamaleddine: Um, if you don't mind, I just have a quick question regarding holding that is, what is the impact, uh, or urgency in moving that pole?

▶ 44:09 Speaker 8: Because the pole actually, uh, is, is in, is placed in a handicap parking space. So everybody's hitting the pole when we're try, when they are trying to to park.

▶ 44:21 Maya Jamaleddine: So the impact is on, um, uh, on individuals that are, uh, disabled or are using thera?

▶ 44:32 Speaker 8: Yes, initially that, that's the first one. And also like the risk that somebody finally hit and broke the pole in the pole falls, it would be like a major issue.

▶ 44:41 Maya Jamaleddine: Okay. Did we, uh, have, uh, any incidents that were reported directly on the, in terms of this specific pole?

▶ 44:51 Speaker 8: Yes. The word request was created by the, by the church directly. They were the one who request if we can move the pole to another place.

▶ 45:00 Maya Jamaleddine: Okay. And, uh, now if we get all that, if you get all the information and present it back to us, do you know how long it would take you to,

▶ 45:09 Speaker 8: So, so actually the, one of the things that are holding this process is just the pulley hearing after that is going to be like in the queue of the constructions. So probably after it's, it is approved, it's gonna take between three and four months. Usually it's like the, like that's the least of the jobs that are already in q on queue. Okay. But probably, obviously that is something that is important for the city. We can talk and probably they can be, eh, doing it like faster.

▶ 45:41 Maya Jamaleddine: Any, uh, temporary solution that we can, um, do right now, uh, while we are waiting for this to proceed.

▶ 45:52 Speaker 8: So the only solution will be that somebody break the pole and we need to do it like in a, in emergency, but That's not solution.

▶ 46:02 Maya Jamaleddine: Um, any kind of, um, uh, probably like flashing, um, you know, like reflective, uh, lights or

▶ 46:10 Speaker 8: We can, I can request that that's not difficult and that they can put like, like you said, flashing and highlighting objects that can make the pull notice more or maybe painted. But obviously the best solution will be to move the pole. Okay.

▶ 46:28 Maya Jamaleddine: I would request if we can do it, um, uh, while we are waiting on this, uh, order to proceed. Yes. So if you can just, uh, um, expedite that, uh, request and just put it so that we ensure, um, somehow, you know, those that are impacted by the delay.

▶ 46:47 Speaker 8: Yes. I, and, and I want also like to, to explain something else. So in nash, when National Grid has an agreement with Verizon, so usually all the poles, the young on poles are 50 50. That means that 50 belongs to National Grid. The other 50 belongs to the, to Verizon. So national ag in the contract, national grid is the one who installed the pole. So I'm just asking for the permission to install the new pole. Then we remove national grid assets to a new pole, but we cannot remove the pole until, in this case, Verizon remove their assets and they are the one who needs to remove it. But in this case, I noticed that not only Verizon has assets on the pole, in this case, I think no wrong also the city because I see like fire alarm wire on it. So the city needs also to remove the fire alarm wires to allow them to remove it.

▶ 47:39 Maya Jamaleddine: So you, so you moving your, uh, as is not going to resolve the problem is actually not delaying anything. Whether we proceeded today or not, it's going to stay until two other, um, uh, entities will move their assets as well. Right.

▶ 47:59 Speaker 8: It's a, it's a good, it's a good appreciation and it's a good question. But finally, it's, it is delaying it because if we don't put the new pole, anybody's gonna be doing anything. So finally, if we put the pole, it's the half of the way to allow other people, um, move their things. Got it.

▶ 48:19 Maya Jamaleddine: Got it. Is that the only pole, uh, in a city that is, um, plucking handicap ramp?

▶ 48:25 Speaker 8: So probably, I, I cannot respond that I don't, but I haven't noticed other one, but probably should be other ones, like specifically like in a handicap uh, parking space. I don't know. Probably it's in interfering other things. Okay. So the thing when, when I, I visited, we check and I, we were trying like, to move forward and we realized that the pole already has an easement from, from the we. So National Grid had an easement on that pole, so probably before it a handicapped parking lot. But now it is so

▶ 49:06 Speaker 5: Perfect. Thank you.

▶ 49:07 Speaker 8: No, you're welcome. Thank you.

▶ 49:09 Speaker 7: If, if, if, If we decided that we were not going to go underground tonight with that change,

▶ 49:22 Mark Garipay: We've already voted to hold it, so it's held. Oh, okay. Yeah. So, um, yeah, that we've, we, we've done a final vote to hold it. So, okay. Um, this, this satisfies the public hearing. We have another meeting. This could get, get approved in, uh, in Dec Uhto. August. August. Uh, when's our up meeting? August 18th. August 18th is when we could Okay. When we could vote for final approval. I just would like to have a little bit more information. It just seems to be a little confusion. Me personally. Yes. Uh, but,

▶ 49:54 Speaker 8: So I have to resubmit before, how, how, how much time before the August 18th? I have to, I'm Sorry. How much time do I have to resubmit all the documentation before, uh, August 18th at

▶ 50:07 Mark Garipay: One? We can, we can follow up with you. We can work Jay and we can follow up with you on, on that. So I have Council Hamilton, um, uh, and Council Vanover.

▶ 50:19 Ward Hamilton: Thank you. So the, the poll that's there now, do you have any idea how long it's been there?

▶ 50:25 Speaker 8: Probably, yes. Probably more than 35, 40 years.

▶ 50:30 Ward Hamilton: So the issue is that the pole blocks a handicap space?

▶ 50:35 Speaker 8: Yes. Actually it's just in the, in the handicap parking space.

▶ 50:40 Ward Hamilton: So when the pole was installed, was that a handicap space?

▶ 50:43 Speaker 8: I, I dotted I think that it wasn't

▶ 50:47 Speaker 6: This. Alright,

▶ 50:49 Ward Hamilton: I'm gonna, I'm trying to be brief. Yeah, yeah, no, no. I'm trying to lay the groundwork for before they come back in and I'll cut right to it. So there's a pole that runs, connects to the church, and it's, right now it's up in the air, the connections from the pole. Yes. And we want to put a pole across the street. Yes. And the question is whether then we connect to the church underground or through the air.

▶ 51:12 Speaker 8: So in, in my petition, that wasn't like the, the issue. We just want to move the pole in the, in my ca in myop in my idea was always connecting the church by our an overhead service. I, I'm Sorry. So, uh, in, in that was not in my, my discussion in, in my idea always was to connect the church by an overhead service overhead. Okay. Thank You. Yes. No, you're welcome. Um,

▶ 51:39 Ward Hamilton: So I don't wanna put words in the other gentleman who came up and in his mouth we spoke, but it seems that that's a concern whether it's overhead service

▶ 51:52 Speaker 6: Right. Okay. Alright. And, and clear.

▶ 51:59 Speaker 7: It's not lock hit. I was, I was just gonna speak. Alright,

▶ 52:02 Mark Garipay: Alright. Alright. We gotta take control of this. Um, this is public. No more questions. Yeah, yeah. Thank you. Um, thank you Paul. So This is going to be, be held. We have councilor Ro and councilor, I'm

▶ 52:12 Speaker 1: All set. Thank you.

▶ 52:14 Kimberly Vandiver: Thank you. Uh, I just, um, in light of the discussion, and even if it had been approved and denied, it'd be three to four months. I wanted to check whether there's a possibility to just move the paint and move so that there's not a parking spot or a handicapped parking spot right there by that pole. And take, take out that parking spot for now. Maybe put it back in. If the pole has been moved,

▶ 52:37 Mark Garipay: That would, that would be up to the church, not, not national grid. So

▶ 52:42 Speaker 7: It, it's, it's possible. Um, the way the, so the, the poll is literally on the line.

▶ 52:51 Kimberly Vandiver: I I'm looking at it, right. I'm, I'm looking on Oh, wonderful. The Google map. So I see. Yeah,

▶ 52:55 Speaker 7: So it's possible it could be moved to the middle. It's more, um, for, uh,

▶ 53:05 Speaker 7: you know, handicap spot is 12 feet wide. And so part of that is access to the porch for re you know, people walking in. So it, it makes it a little bit difference. No one has ever hit the pole, to my knowledge from the handicapped side. Um, It's, It's only because that last spot is so narrow.

▶ 53:40 Mark Garipay: So, we'll, uh, we'll wait for, for more information. Jay will hopefully get back to us on, on that. We'll set up another meeting. If we have to do a site visit, we'll do that. Um, thank you. So that, that order, 1, 2, 7 7 3 will be held until the, uh, October City Council meeting. You do have one national grid.