Impact of UI tree-trimming program on town beauty, budget questioned

Residents are expressing concern that United Illuminating's plan to prune or remove trees whose branches are within eight feet of power lines could harm the town's reputation for lush beauty, frequently recognized with Tree City USA honors over the last three decades.

"Certainly the look of that is not going to be pleasant," said Carol Way, a District 5 member of the Representative Town Meeting, during a forum on the tree-trimming program Tuesday night in Tomlinson Middle School.

"It will be different," replied David Goodson, UI's manager of vegetation management.

State Rep. Brenda Kupchick, R-Fairfield, said, "I'm just hoping we're not going to have every single tree near a power line cut down. I think that's the concern."

UI's plan applies to trees that are in public rights-of-way, which in Fairfield can extend from a foot to 30 feet from the paved portion of a road, according to town officials. UI literature says trees on private property would not be trimmed or removed without the owner's consent, unless they are "in direct contact with our energized conductors and present an imminent danger."

But an exception exists if that tree's branches overhang public roads because the town's tree warden has jurisdiction over that space, according to UI. "If the trunk is on private property, private tree, but it overhangs the right-of-way, it's our responsibility to maintain it," said town Tree Warden Ken Placko.

During Tuesday's 2-hour meeting, Goodson outlined how residents could object to the removal or pruning of trees, and First Selectman Michael Tetreau cited a town ordinance that requires a permit from the tree warden for the pruning or removal of any tree on public property, rather than a blanket permit for all trees to be removed.

Goodson said UI's eight-year, $100 million tree pruning and removal program, designed to reduce the number of power outages caused by branches falling on power lines during storms, increases the clearance from power lines and conductors from six feet to eight feet and reduces from five to eight years to four years the frequency when UI will examine trees. "It's all about fewer outages and less damage," he said.

"Extreme weather is a fact of life here in New England," Goodson said. "We are due for some very severe weather ... it's not if, it's when."

The tree-trimming program is slated to begin in Fairfield with a general notice sent to residents on 30 to 40 streets in about two weeks. Then, two weeks after that, a work planner will go door-to-door to explain the program and UI's plan to prune or remove trees near homes within the target area. "This is where we engage with you -- the folks who are interested in trees in the community," Goodson said. "We are going door-to-door to every single property to get consent ... You can say `Yes' or `No' or ask for a modification."

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Impact of UI tree-trimming program on town beauty, budget questioned