News

Actions

Bushes 'unevenly hacked' along power line upset homeowner

Posted at 6:20 PM, Jun 29, 2016
and last updated 2016-06-29 21:54:56-04

She loves sitting in her Phoenix backyard. One reason? The tall, thick wall of blooming Oleanders. But lately, Carol Stobaugh says she can only see a mess.

Carol's power company, SRP, sent out a crew to clear their power line. The Oleander had grown very close. Carol says she understands the need to clear lines. 

But she says the crew hacked the bushes, leaving them uneven and like they'd "been chewed by a gigantic rat." Carol also says she noticed part of the bushes turning brown. So Carol let me know.

We contacted SRP. They say their goals are safety and reliability and must clear vegetation 10 feet from their lines. They say aesthetics is not the main concern but that they do hire only certified arborists skilled in pruning techniques. SRP sent out a rep who said Carol's crew had done their job correctly.

So you make the call?Should utilities be more concerned about how your plants look when they leave? Or is their job only to keep their power lines clear.

SRP says they have 5,400 miles of overhead lines, and they say if homeowners keep vegetation 10 feet from the lines, no cuts would need to be made.

Check out the latest scams we're seeing. Sign up for our monthly email newsletter by clicking here.

Need my help? Call the Assistance League of Phoenix volunteers at 1-855-323-1515. You can also send me an email or a video email where you attach a video explaining the problem.

And you can reach me on Twitter, "Like" the Let Joe Know Facebook page and tell me about it there.