Full Text
CITY OF CODY ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT TREE TRIMMING PROGRAM PURPOSE OF THIS PROGRAM • This Tree Trimming Program was put in place to establish guide lines and procedures for City of Cody personnel and outside contractors to follow so reliable service and customer relations are at their highest. This Program will outline the purpose for tree trimming, the manner in which the customers will be notified, the amount of clearance needed between power lines and vegetation, the type of tree trimming used, clean-up procedures, and review proper planning before you plant trees. TREE TRIMMING PROGRAM • Purpose: The City of Cody Line Clearance Program trims tree branches away from electric wires and equipment which helps ensure public safety, minimizes electrical interruptions and outages, and limits damage from severe weather. It also provides a safety zone in which line workers can do their jobs. Our line clearance program focuses on trimming trees along our entire electrical system. Circuits that experience the most outages are handled first. Line clearance work is preformed all year long, but mostly during the fall through the spring months. Pruning of dead branches can be done at any time of the year as live tissue is not impacted. For most species, it is best to prune live branches during the late winter or early spring while the tree is still dormant. This allows the plant to replace lost branches and foliage during the coming growing season and allows wounds to close and seal faster. The City of Cody’s electrical system is divided into six sections. Two or three sections a year will be trimmed on a rotation manner. This should put our entire system on a two to three year cycle. • Customer Notification: The customers will be notified whenever possible before any tree trimming takes place for regular tree trimming. One or more of the following methods will be utilized for notifications: newspaper, door hangers, or the black board ---PAGE BREAK--- system through e-mails, texting or telephone message. In the event of a power outage or a threatening situation, trees will be cleared to safely restore power as well as to address any safety hazards without notification. • Line Clearance: There are different clearance requirements depending on tree species and voltage of the line. For our distribution high voltage lines (2.4 kv to 69 kv) clearance will be as outlined herein following: A. Tall fast growing trees like cottonwoods and elms require at least 12 feet of side clearance, at least 10 feet overhanging clearance, and 10 feet of clearance underneath the distribution lines. B. Slow growing trees like pines require at least 8 feet of side clearance, 10 feet of overhanging clearance, and 10 feet of clearance underneath the distribution line. Limbs overhanging the high voltage lines will be removed whenever possible. Low voltage lines or secondary lines (less than 2.4 kv) and street lights will be trimmed back at least 5 feet. This is just enough clearance to keep the line from rubbing any vegetation and to allow proper lighting. • Type of Trimming: Directional Pruning is the method adopted by the City of Cody. These methods were developed by the National Arborist Association and approved by the National Arbor Day Foundation. There are four types of directional pruning, top trimming, side trimming, under trimming, and through trimming or v cutting. These trimming practices strive to train the tree limbs to grow away from and around the lines and equipment thus reducing frequency of required trimming. This style of trimming works well on most trees but not all. Some species of trees like elms and willows are hard to train. For this reason they require more vegetation to be removed. • Cleanup: The City of Cody’s crews and contractors will be responsible for the cleanup of debris caused as a result of trimming. The cleanup will take place when the work is completed which in most cases will be that same day. In the event of a power outage or a storm, tree trimming debris will be removed at a later date. In this situation restoring power is always the primary focus. ---PAGE BREAK--- Thoughtful Tree Planning • Overhead Lines: If you are thinking about planting new trees around your home, take in consideration the location of overhead lines .Overhead utility lines are the easiest to see and probably the ones we take most for granted. Although these lines look harmless enough, they can be extremely dangerous. Children and adults playing or working in trees that come in contact with power lines can be seriously or even fatally shocked. Trees that grow into power lines can also cause unnecessary power outages. Proper selection and placement of trees in and around overhead utilities can eliminate potential public safety hazards, reduce expenses for utilities and improve the appearance of landscapes. • Underground Lines: Trees are much more than just what you see overhead. Many times, the root area is larger than the branch spread above ground. Much of the utility service provided today runs below ground. Tree roots and underground lines often coexist without problems. However, trees planted near underground lines could have their roots damaged if lines need to be dug up for repairs. The biggest danger to underground lines occurs during planting. Before you plant, make sure that you are aware of the location of any underground utilities. To be certain that you do not accidentally dig into any lines and risk serious injury or a costly service interruption, call One Call of Wyoming (811) first. The utility companies are notified through this service and will locate their lines if involved. In some cases, utility lines are very close to the surface.