Wooster Square Pole Debacle Continues

The pole is still there. Neighbors are still mad. And the power company didn’t show up to a community meeting to talk about it.

During Tuesday night’s regular monthly meeting of the Downtown-Wooster Square Community Management Team, Wooster Square neighbors again rebuked United Illuminating for installing a utility support pole in a flowerbed at the corner of Wooster and Olive Streets.

Adding fuel to the fire, a representative from the regional power company declined the invite to attend the virtual community meeting, which was held online via Zoom, during which residents had hoped to discuss a solution to the unsightly pole problem going forward.

“I think UI is going to have a bit of predicament on their hands,” City Deputy Economic Development Director Steve Fontana said during the meeting.

Not just because neighbors are upset about the power company shoving a 40-foot utility support pole into a community garden earlier this summer and, to critics, spoiling the beauty of the public space.

But also because the company didn’t secure an easement from the city’s public housing authority first. And the housing authority legally owns that space.

After the meeting, Elm City Communities / Housing Authority of New Haven Executive Director Karen DuBois-Walton told the Independent that the housing authority is working with UI on resolving the pole issue.

“[I]nformally, they have acknowledged that the pole should not be in the current location. A more formal communication will be going to them to either solidify an understanding reached amicably about removal or — should we not reach an understanding informally— an assertion and enforcement of our property rights.”

“We don’t accept the current pole nor do we accept one that would interfere with the public right of way on the other side of the street,” said Anstress Farwell, an executive board member, during the Tuesday meeting. ​“The question is: UI, please tell us what the other options are?”

Fontana also told the community management team Tuesday that UI had declined to attend because, in his understanding of what UI expressed to him, ​“they do not want to set a precedent where they will then be obligated to attend community or neighborhood meetings throughout their service territory.”

“Shame,” said one member of the team’s executive board.

“I’m a little speechless, that’s really disappointing to hear,” said management team chair Caroline Smith.

“I don’t know what UI’s plan is, which is why I find their not coming to this meeting confusing. I explained that I felt the path forward ran through this committee meeting, not around it,” said Fontana.

The utility support pole was installed this summer to replace a stub pole and guy wires that had to be removed to make way for a 299-unit apartment-retail development at 87 Union/44 Olive.

When asked for comment on the latest developments, UI’s spokesperson Edward Crowder told the Independent, ​“UI will continue to work with the city, Elm City Communities, and the developer to explore safe, alternative approaches to securing that pole.

“We value our longstanding relationship with the city and our partners in the community. Our commitment is to ensure that any pole configuration at this site, and throughout the city, is safe and meets National Electrical Safety Code requirements.”