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Select Board approves two National Grid pole requests; one approved conditionally after abutter concerns
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Summary
The Charlton Select Board approved a three-pole installation on A Young Road and approved a single pole on Old Worcester Road contingent on National Grid meeting with an abutter to confirm a placement that preserves access and drainage.
The Charlton Select Board voted April 28 to approve two National Grid and Verizon requests to place utility poles for new residential service, approving one request outright and approving a second request contingent on further consultation with an abutter.
For A Young Road, National Grid distribution-design employee Robert Williams introduced the application to install three jointly-owned poles to serve a new residence. The police chief and DPW superintendent had reviewed the location and no in-person abutter comments were presented; after the hearing was closed the board approved the request by roll-call vote.
On Old Worcester Road, the board reviewed a request to install one jointly owned pole. Written concerns from David and Donna Peters (abutters) were discussed. Board members and National Grid staff described a desire to position the pole adjacent to the guardrail to avoid blocking property access and to preserve culvert and drainage function. National Grid said it had not yet completed a site visit but would coordinate with abutters; the board approved the pole placement on the condition that National Grid meet with the abutter to confirm an acceptable location. The board said if National Grid could not identify an acceptable location the matter would be returned to the board for further action.
Town staff and board members emphasized that placements inside the town right-of-way would leave drainage and road-clearing responsibility with the DPW; that point was noted during the discussion. The board recorded both approvals by roll-call votes and described the Old Worcester Road approval as contingent on an on-site agreement with the abutter.
The approvals allow the utility to proceed with the work needed to provide power to the new homes, while directing the company to coordinate directly with affected property owners when specific access or drainage concerns are raised.
