Select Board approves National Grid petition to relocate utility pole on Country Club Drive

The Town of Hampden Select Board voted Nov. 10 to approve a National Grid petition to replace and relocate a utility pole on Country Club Drive to a site closer to the street where crews can access it with bucket and digger trucks.

A National Grid representative identified herself to the board and read the petition: “Massachusetts Electric Company doing business as National Grid requests permission to locate all the wires and fixtures including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures along and across the following public way… Country Club Drive,” she said. The company told the board the existing pole serving the house is set back from the roadway and “way off the road… not near a driveway… not accessible,” and that shifting the pole onto the town take would make it safely reachable for crews.

The homeowner on the record clarified the context and the board discussed coordination with Verizon on removing legacy wires and poles. National Grid said it would set the new pole and Verizon would remove its attachments and the old pole afterward. After questions from board members about visibility, access, and the potential for underground service, the board moved to approve the pole petition "as explained in their petition" and carried the motion by voice vote.

Next steps: National Grid will schedule pole installation subject to standard permitting and coordination with any third‑party carriers; the board did not list special conditions beyond standard permitting at the meeting.