001Okay, the council will come to order. All rise and salute the flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Please remain standing for a moment of silence in honor of our veterans, service members, and those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. We honor and acknowledge the Massachusett, Pennacook, and Pawtucket peoples whose ancestral lands we now call home and on which we gather today. We express gratitude to the indigenous peoples who have cared for this land for generations predating European colonization and continuing to the present. Moving forward, we are committed to ensuring that the histories, voices, and contributions of indigenous peoples are recognized and respected in the life of our city. Clerk,
002will you please now call the roll? Councilor Colonnais >> Here. Councilor Condon is not with us this evening. Councilor Crowe Here. Councilor Luong Here. Councilor McDonald is not going to be in attendance this evening. Councilor O'Malley Here. Councilor Secor Here. Councilor Siminelli Councilor Taylor Here. Councilor Winslow Here. Council President Linehan here. So, we have eight. Okay. Under the provisions of the open meeting law for those of you in attendance, please be informed that UMA Urban Media Arts will be recording meeting, so just be aware there will be audio and video recordings of tonight's meeting. First order of business. First order of business is the consent agenda. This evening's consent agenda consists of two papers to be referred to a joint session of rules and ordinance with finance, one paper to be referred to finance, and
003one paper to be referred to the legal department. Does any councilor have a desire to remove any of these items from the consent agenda for the purpose of further discussion? Motion to approve. Okay, hearing none and seeing none, I have a motion to approve from Councilor Secor and a second by Councilor Winslow. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Oh. Present, Councilor O'Malley. Okay, the agenda is approved. Next order of business. Council will hold public hearings on four National Grid petitions to install underground conduits. Um so, the first one is paper 150-26 petition Massachusetts Electric Company DBA National Grid plan number 31200905 National Grid to install underground facilities on Main Street. Customer to trench and install six 4-in conduits from MHA 34 Main Street on Main Street to propose switch module approximately 55 ft on public right-of-way
004204 Main Street, Malden. Okay, do we have representatives from National Grid here with us this evening? Okay. Okay. Good evening, everyone. Thank you. My name is Zane. I'm representing National Grid. Full name? Oh, can you give us your full name, please? Zane Juma. Thank you. Yep. Would you spell Oh, could you actually spell that or write it down and bring it to the clerk's desk? I just want to make sure I get the spelling of your last name correct. It's J as in Jack, U M A A. My first name is Zane, Z E I N. Oh, not a spell check. Z A I N? Z E. Z E I N. Okay, thank you so much. Thank you. Sorry about that. I would have spelled it wrong, so thank you very much for doing that.
005Thank you. You can continue. Um so, we have 204 Main Street where as she said, we're trenching and installing six 4-in conduit from the existing manhole. That's right on Newhall Street between on the intersection of Newhall and Main Street. Um we're feeding the switch module or junction box on the customer's property, and then we're feeding the pad. Are there any questions on that? Okay, I can take councilor questions before we do the hearing. Councilor Crowe, did you want to speak to this? I'm sorry. Do the hearing if you want. >> Okay. Okay, at this point I'll declare the public hearing open. Anyone wishing to speak in favor of the petition, please come forward, state your name and address for the record. Anyone wishing to speak in favor? Hearing and seeing none, I declare that portion
006of the hearing closed. Anyone wishing to speak in opposition to the petition? Anyone wishing to speak in opposition, please come forward and state your name and address for the record. Okay, hearing none and seeing none, I'll declare that portion of the hearing closed. And at this time I can take council discussion. So, Councilor Crowe. Thank you. Um I did speak to uh to National Grid, and this is I'm going to um um supply, you know, National Grid to the old Burns E. E. Burns that it that's being built now. So, this will will continue in the next one. I mean, you can read those both. They're right in the same area, so I'm hoping that they can coordinate a little bit cuz um you know, 151-26 is um doing the same for the old Salvation
007Army, but they're right across the street from each other. So, I'm hoping that we can coordinate so we're not we're digging hopefully once or >> Right. Right, make it a little easier. Okay. Any other questions? I see Councilor O'Malley. Um so, this is um this is something and Zane and National Grid have been really helpful. I I want to start with by saying that. Um so, one of the things I've noticed in the last couple years is that um when you have electricity being brought to a large um user, whether it's an apartment building or a commercial property, um they have to put in large um transformers. And uh it what they've been doing recently is in the past you'd put those they're kind of ugly, you know, like if you have a if you
008imagine having your like electrical box on the front of your house. Like you can usually want it on the side or in the back. Um in previously they'd put these in the back of a building. Um so, like at City Hall, we have them out back. Um and it's so you don't see it from the street. The other benefit of not putting it on the street is that if a car hits it, it doesn't explode or something of of the like. Um what they've been doing recently is putting them on the front, um which is I think unsightly. Additionally, uh in order to mitigate the fact that they're more likely to get hit by a car or a truck, they put giant ugly yellow bollards all around them. Um so, if you look at the
009plans on on the on the one that you're talking about, um it shows this giant transformer right in the front. Uh I I'm not sure if that's the type of streetscape that we want on our Main Street. Um so, like I would advocate that we try to work with National Grid wherever possible to relocate these transformers and farther on to the property and maybe even screened by like a fence or landscaping so that they are not as unsightly. Um that's what I'm going to be asking for um on a later petition. Um I just thought I'd mention it to you now. Um that makes perfect sense. Actually. I I would support that as well. I this is a a gripe I've had with the ones on Exchange. I think on the plans they meet accessibility
010standards when it's just the transformer, but once the bollards go in, a wheelchair or a stroller actually can't get around it, and so it like completely obliterates the point of meet meeting the accessibility dimensions for the item itself. So, I agree with you, Councilor O'Malley, with deference to the ward councilor, of course. I >> We'll work them to see if we can uh conditions if we work them um ensure that first of all accessibility cuz if they can't relocate it, but they still need accessibility. And um located on the side of the back. Oh, yeah, sorry. Let me put your light back on. Just having had this conversation with Zane today, it's going to take more work for National Grid to redesign that, but they also need to talk to the property owner about location
011and siting. So, I I think if it's if it's a converse like for instance, the petition that's coming up in Ward 4, I'm going to ask that we table it in order for us to have these conversations, but I think if you if we approve this tonight without having those initial conversations, you know, we might be setting a condition that might be difficult for them to fully comply with. And I think it it might behoove us to give National Grid a chance to talk to the property owners to figure out can it work? What is what is the impact going to be? Um So, you're making a motion to table? I would second your motion to table. I'll make a motion to table. Okay, Zane, I'll give you my number. We can talk tomorrow. Okay,
012so Did you want to respond? I'm sorry. Go right ahead. >> I can respond to some of your questions. Um So, generally we like placing our equipment in the front of the building. That way we have access to it 24/7 whenever we need access to it. If a customer has an outage, we can get access to it whenever we need. We don't have to ask customer for, you know, for them to give us access. Secondly, it's we need our space. We need at least 10 ft of clearance all around our equipment, and that's very hard to get from customers. Um on top of the equipment, we need that 10 ft of clearance. You're talking like 30 by 50 for this equipment and customers generally don't like giving us the space for that. As you can
013see they have parking spots that the customers don't like or at least in in their rules um they can't lose any parking spots. Um but generally that's that's the reason we have our equipment in the front. And we also have cost least cost to serve our customers so as you can see we're serving them from the manhole across the street. If we put our equipment all the way at the back of the building that's a lot of cost towards the customer which you know we like to reduce. And so that's one of the reasons why I was mentioning that it might make sense to table and have a conversation cuz it might not be that it makes sense to move it all the way to the back but it might make sense to move it
0145 ft back, 10 ft back and have like a landscaping plan that covers it. Um I'll give you an example on on Florence Street uh 10 Florence Street has one of these and as part of their permitting I asked them to plant evergreens around it to to kind of um stop the visibility. Um that that's taken a long time for it to kind of be shaded but you know it has worked. Um just wanted to to mention it but there's definitely there's definitely a balancing act between you know uh cost visibility and the impact on the neighborhood. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, I'm going to go to Councillor Winslow. Yeah, no I definitely think that uh we we really should um factor in what the you know look look is and how close they are
015to the street um can cause other problems and you know screening might be a way for some of them. You know especially I think yeah well but the I mean this one seems it's just all parking a lot around it so it seems like uh adjusting that or whatever just seems like it's uh you know find a find a different corner. It it is an aesthetic thing that uh you know it is something to think of how it fits into the neighborhood. Um that that's something that I've worked on with trees and other type of things. We we do and this is equipment that we have to look at 24/7 so we have to be um you know realize that or whatever and this is this is the type of equipment we really can't put
016public art on or whatever cuz it is uh I'm not sure National Grid would want wouldn't want people painting on this type of thing so I think we do have to think about that. So thank you. Great. Okay, thank you Councillor Winslow. Um Councillor Taylor. Thank you. I just um wanted to add my two cents about um I'm for tabling it. I would support that. Um I think it's just really important to get the conditions correct and make sure that you know there's a good um understanding on on both with us and National Grid. With my experiences it's been difficult once the permit is in place to kind of you know um work with them and we've had many things go awry in Ward 5 with that so I would I would support tabling it
017so you have some time to talk it out and and get what the city needs from this. Thank you Councillor Taylor. So I had a a motion by Councillor Crowe seconded by Councillor O'Malley to table. >> Yes. Okay. Um all in favor? I. Any opposed? Okay, so that's tabled and we'll be in touch when we're going to bring you back for the next hearing. Thank you. Next order of business. >> Paper 151-26 petition Massachusetts Electric Company DBA National Grid plan number 31186713 National Grid to install underground facilities on Main Street trench and install two 4-in concrete encased conduits from MHA34 on Main Street to pad located at 213 Main Street approximately 220 ft. And this is also Councillor Crowe. Do you want to speak to this before we do the hearing or um it's your
018it's your preference. I think I actually want to clarify cuz at the last one you said well wouldn't we um call them back when we do another hearing? So is the hearings closed so we wouldn't be >> I may have misspoke. >> Okay. I just was like all right not a whole >> another hearing if they're changing the location? I don't think he Well if they're moving the location to a different address >> We would re-notice abutters wouldn't we? How far are we talking about moving the location? Just the 10 ft back? >> don't know yet. >> of the property that he's talking about? >> It would still be on the property if that's what you're asking. >> If it's still on the same property then it doesn't change the abutter list. I don't think
019we would need another hearing. >> it's all right. >> Okay, so we will not bring you back for a different hearing. I I misstated that part. But we will be in touch. >> [laughter] >> For 204, right? Correct for the previous for the previous one. Well I'm going to say the same thing for 213 then first of all let's say >> actually I have something else to say about that one. >> Okay. Then that's fine. You can have the floor. >> one a little more. Um so the reason this one is out in the front is if you look at the corner down to the south where the building is um and where the property line is we don't have the distance for a truck to fit between the building and where the property line
020is. Um so our truck can't get past that into the back. Even if we were able to get past through the back they have an overhang where the truck can't go under. So this is really our only option is to put it out front. Even our customer did not want to put it out front and we were trying to put it in the back for them but unfortunately that's the only place this can really go. Is this a Salvation Army site? Yes. >> Okay. It's a really really tight area. Yeah. Okay. Do you want to speak to this further before we do the hearing? I I think let's do the hearing. Okay, so at this time I'll declare the public hearing open. Anyone wishing to speak in favor of this petition please come forward and
021state your name and address for the record. Anyone wishing to speak in favor? Okay, hearing none and seeing none I'll declare that portion of the hearing closed. Anyone wishing to speak in opposition to the petition? Please come forward and state your name and address for the record. Anyone wishing to speak in opposition? Okay, hearing none and seeing none I'll declare that portion of the hearing closed. Councillor Crowe. So I totally understand what he is talking about. It is a tight little space there but I would prefer to um table this as well just to kind of have that quick conversation and you maybe there is someone has a unique way to to approach it. It is tight. Every piece of that piece of that property is going to be developed so but I would still
022like the um the opportunity to have a conversation. Okay. Okay, I see a light from Councillor O'Malley. I would just like to recuse myself from this conversation. Okay, do we need That's fine. Do we we don't need to vote that, right? Okay. Okay. So I I guess I will uh Sorry Councillor Winslow, give me 1 second. Go right ahead. Yeah, I know I mean this project I know had a lot of public input as well as as you know because it is a partly public funded project so so I would defer to Councillor Crowe and uh second the motion to table and then we'll see where it goes from there. If we're going to talk we might as well talk. Yeah. So yeah. Yeah. Okay. Sorry Councillor Winslow. I sure I Were you making a
023second to >> Yeah, to the to the motion to table, yes. >> Okay, so on a motion by Councillor Crowe seconded by Councillor Winslow to table this we can take a voice vote. All in favor? I. Any opposed? And we do have Councillor O'Malley who recused. Okay, next order of business. Oh, I guess we should call him back. Councillor O'Malley, did you want to go on record as to the reason for your recusal on paper 151-26? Paper 152-26 petition Massachusetts Electric Company DBA National Grid plan number 31258005 National Grid to install underground facilities on Summer Street beginning at a point approximately 115 ft north of the center line of the intersection of Clifton Street and Summer Street and continuing approximately 40 ft in the east direction. National Grid is petitioning to install underground secondary from
024riser on pole number 949 to a gas regulator control. Okay, so this is actually my ward and you and I have not had a chance to connect on this but I'm very familiar with all the other work going on in the area so if you could just maybe describe a little bit about what the underground conduit what it exactly means um and then we can open the hearing. This one seems a little more straightforward I think. Yeah, it's just installing I believe it's installing two 4-in conduit underground um the secondary service to serve that uh gas regulator. Um so we will be trenching the street and across the street and install conduit. Is this related to the work that's going on right now? What work is it? On on this in the same location. Um
025I'm not entirely sure. Okay. Um I have not heard from >> This wasn't a design by me, but um it was one of my coworkers, but I can definitely double-check with them on that. Okay. Do you have a sense of how long the work is going to take? Um 40 ft across the street, generally we do we we were able to do 50 ft a day, so it shouldn't take I'd say 2 days. Oh, okay, great. >> Yep. I'm asking because I think this particular intersection has been beset by utility work for quite a long time, and we're doing gas leak work on the upper part of Summer Street as well, so it's been it's been quite a disruption, and I think um we just I I know the neighborhood's looking for relief. I did
026not hear from any constituents on this petition. I know that we did a an abutter mailing, um and I you know, so I do want to be clear folks are not a receiving any opposition or anything. Um so I'll Do you have a a another recusal or a question? Okay, I'm going to take one question, then I'll go to the hearing. What is a Secondary riser is riser up the pole, so we will be serving from the pole. Metal pipes on the pole, and then go down from the ground. So is the electricity coming from the pole and going into the ground? From the pole underground, yep. Not from the ground into the pole? No, from the pole underground. Okay. Cuz it looks like it's connecting to Councilor Linehan's comment, it's looking it's like it's
027connecting to a new underground Oh, that's a gas Is that gas? It says gas. Gas regulator, so gas regulator needs uh electricity. Oh. Wait, what? Hold on. You need a service to the gas regulator. Oh, oh, it's to provide electricity for the gas regulator. Ah, I see. I see. Yep. Oh, it's not it's not it's not common that we have the gas and the electric connecting. This is the first. Okay, cool, thank you. Yep. Okay. Um okay, so at this time I will go back to do the hearing. So I will declare the public hearing open. Anyone wishing to speak in favor of the petition, please come forward, state your name and address for the record. Anyone wishing to speak in favor? Okay, seeing none, hearing none, I'll declare that portion of the hearing closed.
028Anyone wishing to speak in opposition to the petition, please come forward and state your name and address for the record. Anyone wishing to speak in opposition? Okay, seeing none, hearing none, I'll declare that portion of the hearing closed. Any further questions from the council? Um I'm I'm comfortable granting this if I hear a motion from anybody to grant and let if there's any further questions, Councilor O'Malley? Um can you remind me this was recently paved, correct? So other portions of the street were paved. We have a gas leak that we've had to tackle in the area. Um that's the work that's going on right now. And then upper Summer Street, the mayor and I approved an off-season um additional gas work so that that stretch can be paved in the spring. So the whole the
029whole section is due to be paved once all of this utility work is done. >> Including this section? That's my understanding, yes. Okay, yeah, that's cuz if it wasn't, I was going to say that you can do like like thermal melting to make the seams not as bad, but if it's if it's going to be repaved by National Grid, I'm assuming, then I don't think that's a necessary condition. That's a really good point. Okay, thank you. Well, I would move that we approve it based on your recommendation. Okay. Okay, a motion by Councilor O'Malley, seconded by Councilor Colon Hayes. All in favor of granting Oh, sorry. Oh, right, well we have one ahead one that anybody's wanted to approve yet. Thank you for the reminder. Okay, on on Councilor O'Malley's motion to grant, seconded by
030Councilor Colon Hayes with the following conditions: that the engineer be called when Dig Safe is notified, and two that the streets and sidewalks be restored to the satisfaction of the director of public works. All those in favor? I. I. Any opposed? Okay. So that is granted. Next order of business. >> Paper 153-26 petition, Massachusetts Electric Company DBA National Grid plan number 31239416. National Grid to install underground facilities on Summer Street. Trench and install six 4-in concrete encased encased conduit from MH A1 18 to switchgear located at 110 Main Street, approximately 60 ft on public right-of-way. Okay. Councilor O'Malley. Yeah, so so this is a little confusing. I think that one of the things um the paper I was a little confused here, and and Zane was able to help get me caught up, as well
031as the clerk's office. I think that here Summer Street should be Main Street on the paper, and that the address should be 1 uh 1100 Main Street. Um uh did the clerk does it did you get those those amendments? I see that 111 Main Street. And then and then Summer Street would be switched to Main Street. Um so like I said, Zane's been super helpful, it's the same thing that what we talked about earlier in in in Councilor Crowe's ward. Currently, they're proposing to put this equipment on the front, and I'd like to work with the with National Grid and the property owner to see if we can relocate it in a way that works for everyone. You might have saw that our building commissioner Nelson Miller was here earlier. He's also involved and agrees
032that this is a good approach to to kind of start conversations with National Grid as well as the property owner about the project that's coming up. So I I would move to table, and I appreciate your support. I'll second. Any other discussion before we do the hearing? Okay. So actually I if possible, I'd like to maybe not do the hearing tonight only because um the address was not correct, and the street wasn't correct, and I'm just concerned that people might felt that they didn't get properly noticed. But I think that probably the the legal notices that went out were probably correct, so I don't think we really need to resend things to everyone. Well, if you're not doing the hearing, then we need to re-post the hearing for 2 weeks. And you need to send
033it out again? >> Yes. Okay. >> Okay. I mean, if if if if the preference of the council is to have the hearing, then then I'm okay with that, too. Well, it's I mean It Hang on, Councilor Winslow, let me put your light on. One second. So we could open the hearing and then hold it open until 2 weeks, right? I mean, so that's what we could do. That's what we did last time, right? No, last time we held the hearing, and then we opened discussion on the paper, and then we tabled the paper. So the hearing had already taken place. >> All right, okay. Um I can look at the attachments, the hearing abutters list. Let's just make sure the abutters list is correct, cuz I'll feel better holding the hearing knowing they went
034to the right abutters. Yeah. Yeah. So hang on, I'm opening it. Okay. Ryan, did did Nelson hear from these people yet? Mhm. I did have a conversation with him about it. So the certified abutters list from the assessor's office that we used was based on the address of 1100 Main Street. Um So the address was correct. And the abutters mailing is attached to that. There weren't that many, actually. There was less than 30 that fell within that that circle. And then I'm also just reviewing the notice of public hearing. Yeah, I just did that, too. It at the first bullet point, it does say Summer Street, and then it says 110 Main Street. It says that it's installing underground facilities on Summer Street, and then the switchgear is going to be located at 110 Main
035Street. It's 1100 Main Street. I'm sorry. There's there's no Summer Street, it's 1100 Main Street. Yeah, so it went to the right people, but if if I received that, it would say >> right people, but it had the wrong information. I think that we should rehear. Yeah, yeah. I I have an abundance of caution. Yeah, I think that sounds like the right thing to do. And I can see how this would happen, cuz this is very confusing with all of the different addresses, so I I appreciate you all. Um So I guess the my my table motion would still be in order. >> Okay, and who seconded that? Okay. So on on Councilor O'Malley's motion to table, seconded by Councilor Seka, all in favor? I. Any opposed? Okay, so that is tabled. Who was Zane?
036Only one. >> [laughter] >> There's still hope. We have paper 127. Yes, we have a motion to take paper 127-26 off the table. I'll second. Okay. Do we need a roll call to do that? No. Okay. On a motion by Councilor Winslow, seconded by Councilor Seka to take 127-26 off the table, all in favor? I. Any opposed? Okay, that paper is untabled. 27-26 petition, Massachusetts Electric Company DBA National Grid plan number 30967378. National Grid to install underground facilities on Newland Street. Work in the city right-of-way includes two orange steel risers on existing pole number 3812 and approximately 51 ft of two 4-in concrete-encased SCH 40 PVC conduits from eastern side of existing pole number 3812 in front of 46 Newlands Street continuing in a northern direction towards the 36-54 Broadway Plaza parking lot to feed
037the proposed pad-mounted transformer for new EV charging station. And I I would just comment because um the sponsoring counselor isn't here this evening, but he asked that this paper be held over only because the first time we took it up, Counselor Taylor had some questions, National Grid wasn't here because we were in the middle of a blizzard to answer those questions. So, it's my understanding Counselor Seminole is okay with this project barring your your questions for tonight. So, um I'm comfortable with taking it up without him. >> Okay, I'll go to Counselor Taylor for any questions. Yeah, and I I think the the biggest questions from the last time we talked is that there were some concerns with the way that National Grid was handling the permits once they were put out there. We wanted
038to make sure this wasn't going to continue. Um there were had been some issues with previous permits in other areas and that was my biggest concern um in asking you know, for some more questions of National Grid. Those have since been settled. Um so, I'm not you know, I'm not concerned with the work going forward and I don't want to hold it up any longer. Okay. Thank you, Counselor Taylor. I see a light from Counselor Winslow. Yeah, I I think one of the questions that came up last time was is is this going to be like a level two or or a fast charger? Is that that So, maybe we can just have someone come and state that. >> Yeah. >> be great. Yeah, so that would be great. >> Especially since Counselor McDonald's not
039here and that was their question. >> in. Yeah, if you can name it. address you. Katie Campion, WS Development on behalf of the property owner and I'd be happy to send a follow-up email to you, that way it can be distributed. >> be great. Thank you. >> Okay. Um and I'm just reading cuz I had to clarify myself. These are level three fast chargers. They're DC fast chargers. Electrify America, who operates them, are calling them hyper-fast. They connect directly through DC current, so they can add up to 100 mi in 30 to 60 minutes. Awesome. Wow. Yeah. So, having an EV myself and and uh traveling enough to Portland, Maine, I I realize the importance of these chargers and we don't really have um any of these. I mean, Walmart Walmart has a lot of
040them, but um and the nice thing is it in that 30 minutes to an hour that people will be shopping or, you know, I think it's an asset um uh that can be to the community. So, I think it's um you know, supportive um and and just seeing there there's I I being a relatively new EV owner, um I was surprised that most of the chargers out there right now are like the 110 V and that can take hours and hours. And to be able to like there was one on the the Maine Turnpike where in an hour I could, you know, charge up and get home or whatever. So, so they are really a a a big step up and it would be nice to have these in the community then that would benefit
041community members as well as attract business. So, I definitely see the advantage. So, definitely supportive and it's, you know, near my ward. I'm I'll be up the street. So, great. Take care. Great. Thank you for remembering that question. I appreciate it. Any Any other questions? Motion to grant. Okay. Did you second? Oh, yeah, I'll second. Okay. On a On Counselor Seka's motion to grant, seconded by Counselor Winslow, with the following conditions: one, that the engineer be called when Dig Safe is notified and two, that the streets and sidewalks be restored to the satisfaction of the director of public works. All those in favor? I. Any opposed? Okay. That motion is granted. Thank you. Thank you for coming. Send an email to the city clerk? Yes, please. >> Okay, I'll do it. That would be great.
042Thank you. We appreciate it. Uh next order of business. That is your docket. The docket is clear. Do we have a motion to adjourn? Motion to adjourn. On a motion by Counselor Seka, seconded by Counselor Crow, all in favor? At 7:45, we are adjourned. I I don't know. >> not on TV. No. I didn't think so. I was like looking at the screen and I'm like, I don't see green light. >> Yeah. Yeah, I didn't