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NES's new tree-trimming policy draws council scrutiny over notice and property impacts
Summary
Nashville Electric Service described a post-storm policy that expands clearance to a roughly 15-foot —ground-to-sky' zone; council members and residents pressed NES about limited advance notice, potential tree removals and property risk, and called for clearer, data-driven communication.
Nashville Electric Service (NES) outlined an enhanced tree-trimming policy at the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee meeting on April 20, 2026, telling the committee the utility widened lateral and vertical clearances to reduce vegetation-related outages after Winter Storm Fern.
Daniel Johnson, NES—s vice president of engineering, said the policy increases lateral clearance to about 15 feet and removes any overhang above distribution lines, describing the approach as a —15-foot ground-to-sky' clearance intended to allow room for future growth. Johnson said ornamental and low-growth plants beneath the communication space generally will remain, but any vegetation inside the 15-foot zone will be trimmed or removed.
Committee…
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