The New Hyde Park Village Board is planning a second public hearing on a new law, which enacts fines and penalties for double poles left standing by public utilities.
“[March] would be the earliest to see the revised law,” Mayor Robert Lofaro said. “[The hearing] could be at the end of March or in the beginning of April.”
Whether or not utility companies would be responsible for repair asphalt near double poles was not factored into postponing the law’s adoption. Village reps say they’ll meet with village attorney Ben Truncale on March 10 to discuss parameters.
New Hyde Park officials anticipate a March hearing date at the earliest, but a date is unknown at this time.
“We’ll have to have another hearing since we’re introducing new conditions into the law,” Lofaro said. “So we’re not ready to enact the local law.”
The village board sent letters to Verizon, Cablevision and PSEG-LI notifying New Hyde Park’s intention to adopt the double poles law. Officials are urging that utility companies remove the 88 double poles strewn throughout the village.
“We’re suggesting that in advance of the law, they should remove the double poles around New Hyde Park,” Lofaro said. “Hopefully the utilities agree.”
It’s unknown which poles belong to certain utility companies. Verizon and PSEG-LI did not return calls for comment.
“We gave PSEG-LI a list and the other companies as well,” said Lofaro. “We’re not sure which pole belongs to whom. Most of the poles, I’m told, belong to Verizon.”
According to the proposed law, double poles would need to be removed no more than 30 days after work completion or face a $500 fine. A second $1,000 fine would be enforced every day the violation continues.
The new law mirrors the Town of North Hempstead’s double poles mandate. However, the town gives utilities 60 days for pole removal. The town law was adopted in August 2014.
New Hyde Park created its own law because North Hempstead’s code does not incorporate the village, Lofaro said.
