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Council approves new utility pole at 1381 Cranston St.; denies separate Johnston-located petition for lack of jurisdiction
Summary
The council and Public Works committee considered two Narragansett Electric/Verizon petitions: a sidewalk pole installation at 1381 Cranston Street that was approved, and a proposed pole located on the Johnston side of the bike path that the city denied for lack of jurisdiction.
The Public Works committee reviewed two petitions from Narragansett Electric and Verizon New England for new utility poles during the May 15 meeting.
The committee approved a petition to place a service pole on the sidewalk at 1381 Cranston Street after city staff confirmed a misprint in the submitted materials and clarified the pole is on the public sidewalk (one location only). Councilors voted to approve the petition; city staff said the utility places poles based on its own load and service needs.
The committee then considered a second petition for a pole located across from Cranston property but physically in Johnston. Staff confirmed that the pole is in Johnston and the committee moved to deny the petition for lack of municipal jurisdiction; the denial was seconded and passed by roll call.
City staff and council members also discussed long-standing issues with outdated poles remaining in neighborhoods and said they are pressing the utility to remove old poles, especially in the Knightsville area where double poles and poles on sidewalks remain a visual and maintenance concern. Staff said utility crews have begun removal work in some project areas but the work requires wire-switching and coordination.
Both items were handled during committee consideration; the first petition was approved and the second was denied for lack of jurisdiction.
