103 Manora Lane
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
October 1, 2002
Dear Honorable Mayor and Council,
I am a Chapel Hill resident of a subdivision, Northwoods V, near Weaver Dairy (extension) and Airport. I am writing to convey my deep distress over new power lines that have appeared near my home this past week. What is most upsetting is that I have been told by Duke Power that a new developer paid the extra costs to have the power lines strung in an inefficient, zig-zagging pattern across Weaver Dairy in order to improve the aesthetics of her development while damaging the aesthetics and safety of the one I live in. I am horrified that the Town would allow money and political connections to supercede safety and common sense.
New power lines have appeared along Weaver Dairy to feed a new development (Larkspur), with plans for future power for the development near Weaver Dairy/Homestead. It was very odd to notice that all of the power lines ran along the Larkspur side (west) of Weaver Dairy until the entrance to Larkspur (Rowe Rd/ Weaver Dairy extension). At this intersection, two power poles cross over onto the eastern side of the street where our development and the adjoining Parkside II development are located, and then immediately cross back over to the Larkspur side just past its entrance.
This engineering “choice” creates at a minimum an extra power pole as well as hundreds of extra feet of power lines and rather than staying along one side of the street, it puts power lines back and forth across a busy street, Weaver Dairy, and near 2 existing communities. I asked the “hard-hat” guys on site why they were doing this and they said they thought it was odd too, but during the walk through it was revealed that the Larkspur developer did not want the power lines across their entrance. I thought this must be a rumor. I called Duke Power and an honest engineer on the project, Don Daniels (919) 687-3136, confirmed that this was an unusual way of doing this - it cost more, involves more engineering issues, and that normally they would stay on one side of the street instead of zig-zagging. He said either an agent (engineer) on behalf of the developer/builder (Zinn) or the developer/builder PAID THE EXTRA COSTS THEMSELVES TO RUN POWER LINES THIS WAY (he would not precisely divulge who).
Essentially my understanding is that the engineers representing Larkspur told Duke where to put the power lines and paid to have power lines run this way to maximize the aesthetics to their development and maximize future profits in home sales. In the process they dumped on two existing communities to benefit their own. No attempts by any party -- the town, Duke, or Larkspur (representatives) -- were made to notify the residents or get input. The Duke engineer sheepishly told me they (Duke and Larkspur) knew this would be an issue and Larkspur paid to have surveyors survey land on our side of the street to know exactly how many inches they had to stick in their power poles and support ties without physically being on our HOA property. The surveyor sticks and power-poles are there for all to see – I urge you to look at the site for yourself. I was told Duke is actually trying to get an easement from Parkside II after the fact.
This seems like the wrong way for developers/Duke to do business. I was told by Larry Tucker, the Town contact, that developer plans do not include submission of power line locations and thus only the developer and Duke get to determine this. I surmise the town franchise agreements with Duke would address the issue of executing the “best” engineering plan, including maximizing strength while minimizing the length of power lines, number of power poles, and impact on the environment? As the executed plan was not the original Duke designed plan there may be violations of franchise agreements.
I hope the Town is not trying to set the precedent that developers/builders with connections and resources to hire their own engineers and surveyors can put power lines wherever they see fit on Chapel Hill right of way – even across the street from the people who actually requested/need the electric power. This seems morally wrong.
Sincerely,
Jay Brenman