Entergy tells Orange council temporary Gunstream laydown yard will support storm-hardening; promises aesthetic and dust controls

Entergy project staff told the City of Orange council on Jan. 13 that a temporary laydown yard off Gunstream Lane is part of a storm-hardening effort to replace and prioritize poles across the county and speed outage recovery. Jim Malane, Entergy customer service manager, introduced project manager Wesley Bushnell, who said the yard stores materials and equipment needed to restore service quickly after severe weather.

Bushnell acknowledged residents’ complaints about dust, damage to Gunstream Lane and uncertainty about the yard’s purpose. He said the contractor has capped and compacted the road base to reduce dust and that, once compacted, the material will produce “minimal dust, if any.” He added that crews will repair blowouts on Gunstream and will meet with city staff to align repair scope.

To address appearance concerns, Bushnell said Entergy increased its fencing budget and will offer two aesthetic options for homeowners adjacent to the site: a vinyl fence with either a faux-stone finish or a stained-wood look. He said slats can be installed on the side next to a nearby window to preserve sunlight and sightlines "if the homeowner wants it." He also said a temporary widening of the road at the T-intersection was installed to help wide vehicles turn and could be made permanent if the city requests it as part of remedial work.

Mayor and council thanked Entergy and offered a city community room for resident meetings about the project. The mayor invited residents to inspect the site and said city staff would coordinate with Entergy to ensure repairs and drainage work align with municipal plans.

The presentation closed with an offer for residents to visit the capped yard to observe dust and road-base work in person and a promise to communicate scheduled remedies to the neighborhood.