Hartford committee removes requirement to bury overhead utilities from Complete Streets amendment

A Hartford City Council committee voted unanimously to amend a proposed Complete Streets ordinance by striking language that would have called for eliminating overhead utility lines, then sent the amended measure to the full council with a favorable recommendation.

The change removes the clause at the end of Section 31-301(c)(3)(i) that would have directed actions “by eliminating overhead utility lines,” Councilman Gayle said while explaining the amendment. Gayle framed the ordinance as aspirational, saying the city’s Complete Streets policy directs city departments to consider pedestrian safety, bicycle use and “other ways of greening up or softening” streets when work is done on any roadway. “Streets are for everything and everybody, not just our automobiles,” Gayle said.

Gayle told the committee the amendment was meant to keep the ordinance’s aspirational goals while removing a specific mandate on utility lines. He cited examples and related concerns in committee discussion, noting that burying utilities is common in some cities and that Florida has recently started a program to spend money on undergrounding to reduce hurricane-related power outages. He also raised stormwater as a recurring issue, referencing a recent city agreement about stormwater discharge involving the MDC and federal or state regulators, and suggested context-appropriate design could help manage runoff where it falls.

A second speaker, identified in the meeting record as a presenter, noted the area identified as Pushnell Park “will be Hartford in a couple of months,” and deferred to department leadership and earlier comments on sustainability. The presenter voiced support for the amendment and later voiced the motion’s aye vote.

Councilman Gayle moved to strike the specific language about eliminating overhead utility lines; the motion was seconded. The committee chair called for a vote, and members present signified approval. The committee recorded no opposition and no abstentions and recommended the amended ordinance favorably to the full Hartford City Council. Gayle said the item was on the council agenda for Monday and could be considered then or at the following meeting.

The committee meeting was brief; the chair described it as “very quick and productive.” No implementation timeline or funding source for utility undergrounding was specified during the discussion.

Votes at a glance: The committee approved (1) an amendment to remove the phrase about eliminating overhead utility lines from Section 31-301(c)(3)(i) and (2) a motion to send the amended ordinance to the full council with a favorable recommendation. Both measures passed unanimously with no opposition or abstentions recorded.