North Andover Select Board Delays Mass Ave Utility Pole Decision

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — Concerned about the impact on one resident, the Board of Selectmen continued their public hearing Monday on a request to move utility poles, without a decision. The Monday meeting was the second Board hearing on the National Grid/Verizon New England petition, which is related to the Department of Transportation widening of Massachusetts Avenue. The home at issue, 591 Mass Ave., is already having its setback reduced by the widening, and selectmen were concerned about a pole that would be put in front of the house.

"I'm very frustrated with what this particular property has had to go through ... without compensation," Selectman Rosemary Smedile said.

The resident, Karen Lauro, also spoke before the board, noting that in addition to the reduced setbacks, she's facing construction on multiple sides of her house for multiple years.

"I'm pretty livid about everything that's happening to my house," Lauro said. "It's significantly decreasing the value of my house."

Representatives of the utilities said at the meeting that putting a pole in front of the house was the optimal solution, due to engineering concerns. The planned relocations are visible on page 13 of this document. There are other relocations the utilities are planning on state land.

The Board continued their hearing to Feb. 10, but said they would potentially delay further if the utilities needed more time to look at alternatives.

The full meeting is available here, from North Andover GovCAM.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.