Homeowner seeks town help after power line becomes entangled in large tree on conservation land

Mike Deslitz, who said he and his wife recently purchased a property on Pembroke, told the commission a large tree on adjoining conservation land has a history of failure and now has an electrical cable running through it, which has prevented the electric company from upgrading service.

"We recently purchased a property on 448, Pembroke" and "the current tree, recently had a branch a branch break off of it that came down and took out the cable," Deslitz said, describing an earlier 2024 incident in which a tree pierced a roof and attic.

Town staff advised the Deslitzes to confirm whether the tree lies within the town’s right-of-way or on conservation land. A staff member said the town’s right-of-way generally extends beyond pavement and that if the tree is in the right-of-way the town would be responsible for its removal; staff confirmed they would check the boundary and follow up.

Commission members and staff agreed to inspect the site the next morning at 10:00 a.m. and to solicit estimates from private arborists. Committee members suggested known local vendors (Collins, "Tree Fellas") and offered to coordinate contacts; the group asked staff to also confirm what Eversource would require to permit a service upgrade.

The commission agreed by consensus to move forward with outreach to tree services and to follow up with the homeowner after the site visit. No formal ordinance change or town-funded removal was pledged; the committee's next step is to confirm ownership/right-of-way and obtain bids for review.