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Council gives National Grid more time to revise Pleasant Street pole plan after abutter concerns
Summary
Leominster councilors granted National Grid a one-month continuance to work with abutters on Petition 27-26, which seeks permission to install a jointly owned pole and push brace on Pleasant Street. The chair said the goal is to avoid restarting the filing process if changes remain close to the original petition.
Leominster’s committee and full City Council on Feb. 9 gave National Grid additional time to revise a petition that would add a jointly owned pole and a push brace on Pole 70 on Pleasant Street.
Chair Carrie Noseworthy opened the public hearing on Petition 27-26, noting the petition was filed Oct. 23, 2025, and that a first hearing was held Jan. 12. Matthew McDonald, representing the utility, said National Grid met with abutters and the project’s designer and requested “probably another month” to hear back from a resident and finalize an alternative placement. “We would just like to continue that probably another month,” McDonald said.
Councilors discussed two procedural options: grant leave to withdraw (which would require a refiling if the plan changes substantially), or give the utility time to finalize a design that may still be materially similar to the original petition. Several members said further time would avoid making the parties start the process over. The chair said she preferred asking the full council to grant further time so National Grid and the abutters could finalize a solution.
After clarifying that a substantially different proposal (for example, relocating a pole to the opposite side of the street) could trigger a new hearing and different notice requirements, the council voted to grant National Grid further time and scheduled the matter to be returned to the council’s March 9 meeting. The chair asked that National Grid contact the city clerk if a resolution is reached before that date.
The petition language read into the record requests permission to locate poles, wires and fixtures, including sustaining and protecting fixtures and for underground laterals to connect poles and buildings; plan number listed in the file is 31199528. The council’s action preserves the petition on the docket while the utility continues to negotiate with abutters.
Next steps: National Grid will continue discussions with residents and the project designer; the petition is due back to the council on March 9 for further consideration.
