Longwood commission approves first reading of ordinance requiring cash escrow for new communications work in rights-of-way

The Longwood City Commission on May 29 approved the first reading of Ordinance No. 25-2269, a change to the city code that would require cash escrow deposits for certain new telecommunications installations in public rights-of-way and add explicit stop-work authority for the city.

The ordinance, read by the city attorney at the meeting, amends chapter 7.d.8, article 2 (Communications Facilities and Public Rights-of-Way) to define “construction bond” as a cash escrow posted with the city for new installations, with a $25,000 escrow required for projects shorter than 500 linear feet and $250,000 for larger projects; the ordinance allows a letter of credit for small projects and says escrow will be held for 200 days after project completion.

City Attorney Dan Langley, who presented the measure, said the change codifies the local definition of a construction bond that state law authorizes but does not define. “We're only gonna use it if they don't fix the damages that they're legally obligated to fix to begin with,” Langley said. He described the proposal as a protection to ensure…