Licenses and Permits Committee Meeting Minutes
Governing Body: Somerville City Council, Licenses and Permits Committee Meeting Date: November 12, 2025, at 12:00 AM Type of Meeting: Committee Meeting Attendees: Councilor Willie Burnley Jr. (Chair), Councilor Lance Davis, Councilor Jesse Clingan (Absent) Also Present: Councilor J.T. Scott, Lisa White (Resident)
Executive Summary
The Licenses and Permits Committee met to address two agenda items: the approval of the October 8th meeting minutes and a Grant of Location application from Comcast. The minutes from the previous meeting were approved. The Comcast Grant of Location application, concerning work at 121 Prospect Street and 4 Houghton Street, was held in committee due to concerns raised by a resident regarding potential disruption to newly paved streets and the absence of Comcast representatives to address these concerns.
1. Approval of Minutes from October 8th Meeting
- Discussion: Councilor Burnley Jr. opened the floor for comments, questions, or concerns regarding the minutes from the October 8th meeting.
- Motion: A motion was made to approve the minutes.
- Decision: The motion was initially tabled to be voted on at the end of the meeting.
- Vote:
- Councilor Davis: Yes
- Councilor Burnley Jr.: Aye
- Councilor Clingan: Absent
- Outcome: The minutes were approved with 2 votes in favor and 1 absent.
2. Grant of Location by Comcast
- Description: This item concerned a Grant of Location application from Comcast for work related to 121 Prospect Street. The committee clarified that this was not a public hearing but invited representatives from Comcast to speak.
- Public Comment:
- Lisa White (Resident, 4 Houghton Street): Ms. White expressed significant frustration regarding the proposed Comcast work. She highlighted that 4 Houghton Street, an abutter to the 121 Prospect Street project, has experienced two years of construction disruption. She noted that Eversource was also scheduled to dig up and repave streets for gas line work, and she was concerned that Comcast's work would immediately undo new paving. Ms. White questioned why 121 Prospect Street would receive an underground conduit while other properties, including hers, contend with overhead wiring and "dangling things" left by Comcast. She requested that Comcast install the conduit on Prospect Street to avoid digging up Houghton Street, or if not possible, to complete the work expeditiously.
- Key Quote: "Why does 121 Prospect Street get a conduit buried underground and the rest of us get all of this wiring, wiring in front of my house on this actual pole? There are just dangling things that Comcast leaves there."
- Committee Discussion:
- Councilor Burnley Jr. acknowledged Ms. White's concerns, noting that Councilor J.T. Scott had previously raised similar issues. He emphasized the frustration residents experience when newly paved streets are immediately dug up.
- Councilor Burnley Jr. expressed a desire to hear from Comcast representatives to determine the feasibility of potential conditions, such as requiring work on Prospect Street instead of Houghton Street.
- Councilor Davis agreed with the need to hear from Comcast and suggested leaving the item in committee if no representatives were present, to allow for communication with specific questions and an instruction to appear.
- Councilor Burnley Jr. confirmed that Comcast had been notified of the meeting via phone and email.
- Councilor J.T. Scott (Ward 2): Councilor Scott expressed dismay at Comcast's absence. He reiterated Ms. White's concerns about the numerous existing Comcast lines on poles on Houghton Street and the disruption to newly paved streets. He also mentioned that 125 Prospect Street previously had a private pole with Comcast lines, suggesting a precedent for alternative routing. Councilor Scott stated he would not be comfortable approving the application without Comcast present and without input from the engineering department regarding the feasibility of underground work on Prospect Street.
- Decision: The committee decided to keep the item in committee to ensure a "robust discussion with the applicant" and to ensure the work can be carried out "without causing undue disruption to the abutters and without undoing the work that has caused so much frustration and delay within the community."
- Outcome: Item held in committee.