By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
For the last several weeks, Great Bend city administration has been working on an ordinance that brings more organization to the city’s right of way management. With increasing technology, especially fiber optics, the city’s utility right of way are becoming occupied by more utility providers. The space is becoming more crowded.
The city has worked with the Public Works department, along with local utility providers, to regulate work done in the right of way, or easements. Ed Crist, representing Kansas Gas Service, was satisfied with the new ordinance approved at Monday's Great Bend City Council meeting.
"This ordinance is very comprehensive and well written," said Crist. "Hats off to everybody involved with it. We asked for some minor tweaks to it, and everybody has been really receptive to it. I think it will be a good ordinance for the city."
City administration looked at how several other cities have handled the issue of utility right of way getting crowded. The new ordinance will place specific regulations that protect the city if a provider is not compliant with requirements.