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Residents, officials clash after oversized utility poles placed across Homeell neighborhoods
Summary
Residents told the township they were blindsided by large utility poles and guide wires installed under the utility's easement; several reported property damage and lack of notice. Officials said legal options are limited because installation used utility easements, and the township has requested the utility's notification records.
Residents peppered the Homeell Township Committee with complaints about newly installed, oversized utility poles and associated guide wires, saying crews entered private property, damaged landscaping and provided insufficient notice.
"Coming home to a very large power pole laying on your property ... that's disturbing," resident Nate Brown told officials, describing a pole the utility delivered and left across his yard. Multiple residents said they received no postal notice and that at least one pole was physically dropped onto private property and left for more than a day.
Township staff said they have asked the utility (identified in public comments as JCPNL/JCP&L/First Energy affiliates in the project filings) to provide the list of addresses they notified and other documentation. "They told us they notified 360 residents who would be more directly impacted," Mayor Prevadutoo said; residents say they did not receive those notices and have asked the committee to produce the utility's notification documentation.
Legal and planning context: Committee members and legal counsel explained that the installed line appears to be inside a utility easement and was filed under state regulatory approvals, limiting the township's ability to block installation. The township said it has explored legal options, but staff told residents their authority is constrained when work is on the utility's easement.
What residents want: Affected homeowners asked the township to pressure the utility for two items: (1) evidence of the notices the utility provided, and (2) a cost estimate for burying lines or other mitigation measures, including whether selective undergrounding was feasible in sensitive areas. Residents also requested remediation for landscaping and proof of regulatory approvals.
Township next steps: Staff said they will request and publish the utility's notification list and follow up with counsel to confirm whether additional municipal remedies exist; the township also offered to host the utility at a future meeting to let residents ask questions directly.
Representative quote: "I was told they mixed up your house with 251 South Holland. There's a 251 Holland right around the corner. I went to the wrong house. I apologize. I was never notified," a resident quoted a utility representative saying during a subsequent site visit.
