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Officials warn residents about large utility tree‑clearing effort along transmission route
Summary
Village staff said a utility plans to clear a substantial easement along a transmission line—removing trees within about a 25‑foot easement on each side of poles—and urged residents to watch for outreach materials and to use the phone number on door‑hang tags or the utility/village website to report concerns.
Village staff told council that a utility company is planning a significant tree‑clearing operation along a transmission corridor that runs from the former gas station on Weaver Drive, along River Road and State Route 16 toward Newark.
"We've been made aware of a pretty significant tree clearing operation that ADT is planning in the coming, getting started in the probably week or 2," Speaker 2 told the council, noting the work would require clearing roughly a 25‑foot easement on either side of the poles. Speaker 2 said the utility is beginning outreach to impacted property owners and that the village is trying to get ahead of notifications and negotiations where screening for parks and neighborhoods (for example Raccoon Valley Park and Glenshire) could be affected. Speaker 2 urged residents to contact the phone number on the hang tag or the website for the utility or village as an initial step.
Several speakers expressed concern about the scale of clearing. Speaker 1 said the operation "is probably one of the worst clear cuts that I've ever seen" on properties that will face the highway, and asked how the village would address properties without occupants to receive door‑hangers. Speaker 2 said staff had already engaged AEP (later referenced in the meeting) and would continue daily dialogue with the utility and property owners; the speaker indicated the village may escalate concerns to higher levels within the utility if necessary.
What happens next: Staff said the utility may begin contacting residents imminently and indicated the goal is to complete the necessary clearing by March. Village staff will coordinate notifications and outreach and will work with property owners and the utility to seek mitigation where possible.
