ThisWeek CW 10/4/2012
Following a public hearing on Sept. 24, Groveport City Council approved zoning legislation to allow Ohio Power to move forward with replacing utility poles along U.S. Route 33.
The legislation authorizes Ohio Power to use land at 4500 S. Hamilton Road, adjacent to the Kmart Distribution Center, for storage and staging of the utility poles.
“They’re looking for temporary pole storage for the pole replacement up and down Route 33,” Groveport building official Stephen Moore said. “They’ll put in a temporary gravel drive so the poles can be set back off the road, along the fence line, and they’ll have a small job trailer and other equipment as well that they’ll put by the trees so it will be somewhat out of sight.”
Ohio Power will be responsible for maintenance of the site and any maintenance issues on Higgins Boulevard and Hamilton Road related to its use of the property, Groveport Law Director Kevin Shannon said.
Councilwoman Jean Ann Hilbert asked why Ohio Power isn’t using space it already owns on Bixby Road.
“There’s transmission lines everywhere at that location and the work crews will be using cranes a lot to move the poles, so the high-power lines there would limit the use of the cranes,” Ohio Power spokesperson Roy Strawser said.
He said the company would agree to do maintenance and cleanup as needed.
Issues with semi-truck traffic also were on council’s agenda at the Sept. 24 meeting.
During a Sept. 10 meeting, council approved the installation of new signs aimed at diverting semi-truck traffic away from Swisher, Toy and Saltzgaber roads. At that meeting, issues with semi-truck traffic on Hendron, Greenhill and Rohr roads were subsequently identified by city council members.
In a unanimous vote Sept. 24, council approved legislation authorizing the installation of new, more visible traffic signs in an attempt to prevent semi-trucks from accidentally entering Hendron, Greenhill and Rohr roads. New signs at Tallman Street will direct the trucks to use Main Street.
The next scheduled city council meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 8, at the Groveport Municipal Building, 655 Blacklick St.