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Commission approves two OmniFiber cabinets in city right-of-way near 13th Street
Summary
Bay City Planning Commission approved SPR25-02 on June 18, 2025 to place one active and one passive fiber-optic cabinet at 341 Thirteenth Street; staff and applicant outlined a multi-site build, resident notification rules and coordination with Bay City Light and Power.
The Bay City Planning Commission on June 18, 2025 approved site plan SPR25-02 to place an above-ground active and passive fiber-optic cabinet in the city right-of-way near the west end of 13th Street (341 Thirteenth Street). The location will host an active powered cabinet roughly 3 by 3 by 6 feet and a back-to-back passive cabinet mounted to a vault lid.
City staff said the cabinet installation follows a local "utility cabinet" ordinance and requires a sequence of departmental reviews, notice to property owners within 100 feet, submission of as-built drawings and coordination with Bay City Light and Power and Bay City Engineering. Staff confirmed the proposed location has two cabinets at the same site (one active, one passive) and recommended approval for that pair; most future submissions will be single passive cabinets at separate locations.
Carl Kowczyk, director of construction for OmniFiber LLC, told the commission the company plans a larger fiber build across the city; the project for the near term includes 38 passive cabinets in the area and multiple FDH (fiber distribution hub) deployments. He described timelines for a typical FDH (about 34–45 days), restoration and a post-construction tidy-up in spring. The applicant said notices (door tags and mailed notices) will be distributed to residents 48 hours in advance of neighborhood work and a formal 14-day notice is required for property owners within 100 feet for permit issuance. OmniFiber provided a customer contact number and online reporting mechanism for maintenance or graffiti removal.
Commission discussion covered siting near sidewalks and driveways, whether traffic bollards would be needed at high-risk locations (OmniFiber said not for this site but said protection can be added if recommended), coordination with existing pole attachment processes and road closures related to nearby bridge work, and whether landscape screening is allowed in the right-of-way (staff noted planting is possible but cabinets will be accessed regularly).
The commission approved SPR25-02 with conditions including standard permitting, required notice to properties within 100 feet, submission of as-built drawings, and coordination with city engineering and Bay City Light and Power.
Speakers who participated on this item include: Carl Kowczyk (director of construction, OmniFiber LLC), Justin Stadler (construction manager, OmniFiber LLC), Terry Moltain (planning staff, City of Bay City) and unidentified commissioners recorded in the motion.
