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Council discusses $3.8–$3.9M water-main work and meter-replacement program; Somerset Gate residents press parking complaint
Summary
Councilmembers said the township is investing roughly $3.8–$3.9 million in water-main replacement work in an older section of town and that VIPO is the contractor replacing residential meters. Residents from Somerset Gate asked the council and manager for relief from street-ticketing that they say results from limited on-site parking.
Council members and staff outlined two ongoing infrastructure programs and responded to a resident complaint about parking enforcement in the Somerset Gate townhouse development during the March 25 work session.
Councilman Vasanelis (spoke during public comments) raised several infrastructure questions including timing of affordable-housing subcommittee work, paving schedules and whether water-meter replacement is a township-funded program. The mayor and township manager explained that a major water-main replacement program in the older, densely populated section near Hamilton Street is budgeted at about $3.8 to $3.9 million and that paving funds (the proposed budget figure) are approximately $4 million for 2025.
The township manager described the residential meter-replacement program: "Vipo is the company under contract with the township of Franklin to do residential meter replacements... We're hoping to wind down, by the end of, I believe, 2025 at this point."
A pair of Somerset Gate residents—Sadhika Vukari and Ruby O'Broy—asked the council to delay or moderate parking enforcement in their private community, saying limited on-site parking for rental units has resulted in repeated tickets for guests and caused concern about safety and property values. The manager reviewed the development's planning history and noted that the site was built to the residential site improvement standards that count garages as parking spaces, and that the homeowners association had been expected to pursue additional off-street parking construction and a local "bridal 1 enforcement" arrangement to allow parking enforcement within the private community. The manager said the township has allowed some on-street parking in the development to increase capacity but that additional parking construction would be an HOA responsibility.
Why it matters: The water-main project and meter replacement are significant infrastructure investments that will affect construction activity and paving in neighborhoods; the Somerset Gate matter illustrates how planning approvals and HOA enforcement choices affect parking and emergency access.
What’s next: Staff will continue meter replacements under the VIPO contract, pursue water-main work and return with paving schedules; the manager offered to meet with Somerset Gate representatives to review site-specific options and HOA responsibilities.
