Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Telecom Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council hears detailed questions about lease with Barrow Fiber for Buckland Park site; neighbors raise safety and easement concerns
Summary
Staff and Barrow/Vero representatives briefed the council on a proposed 15‑year lease for a small communications cabinet at Buckland Park. Council and neighbors pressed the company about source power (natural gas vs propane tank), generator sound, safety planning, easements and resident notification; staff agreed to gather further engineering and cost information before returning.
City staff introduced a proposed 15‑year lease for Barrow Fiber (Vero Fiber representative present) to install a small fenced cabinet and equipment — roughly 200–250 square feet — in the Buckland Park yard to host communications equipment and a backup generator. Barrow told council it would provide business‑grade fiber service (valued at about $200/month) at no charge to the city as part of the lease.
Council members and residents raised multiple concerns. The primary questions focused on power for the cabinet (connection to natural gas versus installing an on‑site propane tank), the safety and emergency response plan if a fuel leak occurred near a park used by children and families, the frequency of maintenance visits, impacts on park access and alleyway traffic, and whether the city had surveyed adjacent residents about siting the equipment.
Barrow representatives said they would seek a natural‑gas connection when feasible; if costs made that impractical they proposed a propane backup, and noted the backup generator would be low‑sound and used only during outages. Council members asked staff to obtain a cost estimate for routing natural gas versus an installed propane tank and to clarify whether local code or city policy constrained propane in that location; staff agreed to follow up and to return with recommended lease terms and potential higher rent if council wished.
Several neighbors and public commenters urged the city to prioritize safety and full disclosure to residents in the nearby homes. Council did not approve the lease at the meeting and directed staff to gather engineering cost estimates, confirm utility easements, and provide a recommended rent and safety conditions before returning the item for action.
What’s next: Staff will get gas‑company cost estimates for a natural‑gas connection, explore alternatives to an on‑site propane tank, check permitting and easements, and report back to council with revised lease terms and recommended rent levels.
