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Arvada homeowner says multiple buried utility lines, easements limit use of his backyard; asks council for notification and compensation rules
Summary
Stephen Paulson told the council he has seven buried cables and multiple service boxes in his Arvada backyard after recent Quantum Fiber work and asked the city to require developer notification and consider compensation or limits on easements.
At the City Council meeting on Sept. 16, resident Stephen Paulson described extensive utility activity in his backyard and urged the council to require notification and to consider homeowner compensation for permanent access rights. Paulson said Quantum Fiber recently drilled in his yard and that he now counts seven buried cables belonging to multiple providers including Comcast, CenturyLink and Quantum Fiber, plus three XL cables and an unidentified cable.
Paulson said contractors repeatedly asked him to unlock his gate to mark lines and install equipment, and he described municipal easements and prior city projects that he said have reduced his yard. He said the city controls more than 2,400 square feet of what used to be his backyard because of right‑of‑way and easement acquisitions, including an 800‑square‑foot area for West 70 Second Avenue and another 800 for a new easement. He said the city removed eight apple trees and left stumps after promising restoration and that a ham radio antenna the city removed cost him $1,000 to replace.
Paulson said a contractor warned that if homeowners refused access, they might call police, and he said he was told he would be liable for damage to utility cables. He described damaging an unidentified cable with a lawnmower and said a proposed drilling machine would tear down his fence unless work was limited. Paulson said city regulations prevented him from installing xeriscaping without permission from all seven companies with facilities on his property and asked the council to "please stop auctioning off my backyard for franchise fees," urging the city to require notification of homeowners before drilling and to consider compensation for perpetual service access.
Ending: Paulson’s remarks were part of the public comment period; council did not take immediate action on the complaint at the meeting. He asked staff and council to explore ordinances requiring homeowner notification and appointment scheduling before drilling and to consider compensation mechanisms for homeowners with multiple utility easements.
