Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, December 18, 1993 TAG: 9312230004
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV7 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DUBLIN LENGTH: Medium
Town Council held a public hearing Thursday night on a proposed ordinance governing the pruning and trimming of trees by utilities.
Trees must be trimmed periodically to make way for electric and telephone lines. But some citizens have complained that they are being trimmed too drastically.
Representatives of Appalachian Power Co. raised some concerns about some parts of the ordinance, and Town Attorney Tommy Baker will work with them on revising it before council considers adopting it.
But council made it clear that it plans to enact regulations to make tree trimmings less severe.
``I'm more or less behind this thing as far as wanting some sort of an ordinance,'' said Dr. David Stanley, a council member.
Stanley said the contractor hired by Apco to trim trees around its lines had asked how he wanted four maple trees in front of his house trimmed.
Stanley asked that the trimming be done in a V-shape around the wires to conceal them. The contractor then simply chopped off the trees below the power lines, he said.
``They're just there, and they're ugly,'' he said of the wires.
Mike Wilson, an Apco line superintendent, said high winds could blow limbs into the lines if the trees were simply cut around them. ``That is a public safety hazard, when it's touching the line like that.''
Wilson said Apco is required to follow State Corporation Commission guidelines in trimming procedures, and some of those seem to be in conflict with the ordinance.
The ordinance, for example, would require notices to be placed on the doors of property owners or sent out by mail, Wilson said, while the SCC prefers verbal contact. He said property owners usually get two or three days notice before trimming is done.
``Sometimes it's 15 minutes,'' Stanley said.
``You've always got the recourse of telling them you don't want to trim that day,'' Wilson said. ``We try to work with the customer the best way we can.''
The trees in front of Stanley's home are on public right of way and Apco would be within its legal rights to ignore his trimming requests. But Apco wouldn't do that, said Lynn Grayson, the company's forestry supervisor. ``We'd try to work with you on that. ... Trees are great. We love them. But we just don't want them interfering with your service or your neighbor's service.''
He said Apco is also willing to help replace problem trees with compatible ones that would not grow into its lines. ``If you pick the right species, we can have the power lines and the pretty trees also.''
``I don't think the problem is with Apco. I think it's with their contractor,'' Mayor Benny Keister said. It is also a question of citizens being aware of their rights, he said, and not being pressured into a trimming they do not want.
The town is spending about $7,000 to plant trees. Stanley said no decision had been made yet on where to plant them, but council does not want to see them butchered after being planted.
Frank Gilbert, representing a town beautification committee, said Dublin may qualify for state funds to expand its four flower beds at town entrances and carry out landscaping projects.
``That's one reason I was concerned about the trees,'' Gilbert said. ``Dublin doesn't have too many trees.''
by CNB