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Lexington council hears Dominion Energy27s 2026 tree-trimming plan; members ask about burying power lines
Summary
Planning Director Jessica Libran told the Lexington council that Dominion Energy will conduct right-of-way tree trimming across the town in 2026, identified several trees to be removed ahead of a planned road project, and described clearance standards; council asked staff to evaluate whether more lines could be moved underground.
On March 23, 2026, the Lexington Town Council received a presentation from Planning and Building Director Jessica Libran on Dominion Energy27s planned 2026 right-of-way vegetation maintenance within the town. Libran said the work is intended to reduce storm-related outages and safety hazards and that Dominion and its certified line-clearance contractor will begin trimming in the town center after starting work on the eastern edge in January.
Libran said Dominion follows national industry standards for line clearances and provided the council with the contractor27s plan and map. She recited the clearance guidelines Dominion will use: a minimum 10-foot side clearance from the outermost primary line, 20 feet of overhang clearance above primary lines, and 4 feet below the neutral wire for ornamentals. Libran said Dominion manages roughly 37.9 miles of distribution lines and about 3.6 miles of transmission lines inside the municipal boundary.
The presentation identified specific trees along North Lake Drive and Sunset Boulevard in front of the Lexington Town Center that are in the right of way and must be removed; Libran said the town27s landscape reviewer and certified arborist, Shannon Smith, found signs of decline, fungal/lichen growth and decay in several trees. Libran noted the town has a transportation improvement project planned for the corridor (planned to be advertised late this summer with construction expected to start in early 2027) and said allowing Dominion to remove those trees now would avoid redundant work and save the town roughly $1,000 per tree.
"Trees planted directly beneath power lines may need to be pruned or removed," Libran said, adding that Dominion will provide advance notice by postcard or email to affected customers and that the contractor will remove and haul away trimming debris. She also said the town has applied for a Trees for SC grant through the Southeastern Forestry Commission to fund a tree study that will help identify suitable replacement planting areas that will not interfere with power lines.
Council members thanked staff for the coordination. Council member Gavin Smith asked whether the town could require Dominion to place more lines underground in the downtown/main-street district or to do so when repairs are made. "Could we evaluate our franchise agreement to require future power lines, or when repairs are made, to start putting those lines underground?" he asked.
Libran responded that new developments and large redevelopments are already required to place service lines underground as part of the town27s review process, and said burying existing lines is "very expensive." She recommended staff examine available options and the limits of the town27s authority, noting that some constraints could involve the franchise agreement and the state public service commission.
The council did not take final action during the work session; staff will follow up by studying options for undergrounding and continuing coordination with Dominion and the contractor. The council also plans to use the upcoming Trees for SC study to guide future replacement plantings outside of power-line corridors.
