March 24, 2009
By Robin Kaminski/The Daily Item
City officials are moving forward with a plan to secure easement rights through eminent domain on three parcels of land on the Lynnway for the relocation of the South Harbor power lines, after being met with continual resistance by the property owners to reach a compromise.
The aerial easements needed are located at Mutual Electric, Ken Carpi's property which houses Wal-Mart and Logan Furniture and Donald Algeni's land at 853 Lynnway where an automobile business sits.
At an Economic Development & Industrial Corporation (EDIC) board meeting on Tuesday, executive director James Cowdell said while the easements don't actually interfere with the businesses, the property owners were not willing to strike a deal or cooperate with the city.
"The biggest hurdle I thought would have been the financing for this project, but even in these tough fiscal times, the state has come up with money and the City Council made a unanimous vote (for a $4 million bond)," he said. "So it really comes down to two or three individuals trying to stop this, and we just can't allow that to happen."
Attorney Paul Keating said notices would be sent to the three parties informing them of the easements by the end of the week and then 30 days later the board would vote again on the takings to make them official.
In a letter to the EDIC board, Mayor Edward J. Clancy Jr. said he personally met with the property owners to discuss the city's vision for the area but was met with resistance.
"In fact, based on the conversations that took place, plans were revised to reduce the impact on the property owned by private land owners," he said. "This project cannot be halted or delayed because of one or two individuals. In order for National Grid to move forward, we must proceed with eminent domain proceedings to secure easement rights."
Cowdell said the easements are essentially needed because the new poles that would be placed on Harding Street require 20 feet of space on either side of the poles, which is essentially located on private property.
According to city officials, the appraised values for the easements are as follows: $62,000 for Mutual Electric, $18,000 for Algeni's land and $8,000 for Carpi's property.
If finalized, Keating said the easements would be transferred to National Grid for their use.
"They (property owners) said no amount of money could be given to make this work with them," Cowdell said. "So we had to move forward with the eminent domain. But I can count on one hand the number of times eminent domain has come up in the city."
Last year, Garelick Farms came to an agreement with the city to place one pole on its property in exchange for repairing an area of Circle Avenue near the rear of the property and installing two crosswalks and yellow flashing lights for the safety of its employees. And a one-time payment of $750,000 was given to General Electric for the right to install power lines on its property.
The power lines are currently situated along the east side of the Lynnway along the harbor. The relocation would place them on the west side of the Lynnway by General Electric, then crossing over the Lynnway by Harding Street, continuing near Commercial Street.
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