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Marshfield resident tells commission planned 3‑phase line would damage her organic farm and trees
Summary
Bernadette Warner told the Marshfield Utilities Commission that a planned 3‑phase power upgrade would place poles along her property frontage, require removal of century‑old pines used as a noise and privacy buffer and reduce her property value; she asked the commission to reconsider routing the line across a neighbor’s field.
Bernadette Warner, a West Side Marshfield resident and operator of a 100% organic fruit and berry farm, told the Marshfield Utilities Commission she opposes placement of a planned 3‑phase power line along the frontage of her property on Honey Grove B.
Warner said Marshfield Utilities plans to run the new three‑phase lines west on Honey Grove H from the city limits and then south on Honey Grove B following existing lines, and that “there's a lapse in the current pole placement of approximately a quarter mile, which is north of me and throughout my property, my entire property frontage.” She said the upgrade is being driven by nearby concentrated animal feeding operations and Masonville Dairy and that the utility has pressured her to allow tree trimming and pole placement instead of siting poles on the neighboring farm.
Warner said she grows raspberries, blackberries and gooseberries beneath the front pines, which act as a noise buffer from “a lot of semi and dump truck traffic on Cungro B” and that removing or heavily trimming the trees would harm the farm and reduce curb appeal. She told commissioners she was approached last year by “Marshfield Utilities Engineer, Cameron,” who asked to trim the trees and said he would “take up to 2 thirds off the top of my tree, plus all the frontage facing the road.” Warner said Cameron later entered her posted property without permission while she was recovering from a broken foot and that she feels “disrespected.”
Warner said she has discussed the problem with Dean Goldman and asked the commission to reconsider pole placement and pursue siting on the field owned by the neighboring concentrated animal feeding operation instead of along her frontage. At the close of her remarks, the commission chair said the matter did not qualify as an emergency item and moved on to the next agenda item.
The commission did not take formal action on the request during the meeting; Warner asked the commissioners to “please consider re addressing this because it seems like I'm getting nowhere on my own.”
