Lexington council condemns KU’s ‘extreme’ tree removal, asks utility to hit pause
In a rare move, the Lexington council is considering a resolution “roundly” condemning Kentucky Utilities for its “extreme and unilateral tree removal practice” in the city’s rights of way and in neighborhoods where branches posed no immediate threat to power lines.
The resolution, which was unanimously approved during Tuesday’s Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council work session, will be on the council’s agenda for first reading at Thursday night’s council meeting. It will likely get a final vote at the Nov. 12 meeting.
Residents and city officials have complained for months about KU’s tree-cutting practices. Kentucky Utilities said the policy to cut trees that grow taller than 10 feet near transmission lines — which are the larger lines — and 15 feet for distribution lines — lines that typically go to houses and businesses — is not new. The company is now enforcing the policy.
But residents and tree professionals say instead of trimming those trees, which was the practice in the past, KU is taking the cheaper route — axing trees and leaving only stumps.
The resolution under consideration asks the utility giant to reconsider its policies and urges KU officials to come to the city and explain what it’s doing and why.
“We’ve got neighbors and frankly whole neighborhoods throughout Fayette County that are affected,” said Councilman Bill Farmer Jr. Farmer and Councilman Mark Swanson sponsored the resolution.
A spokesperson for KU said the company is following regulations and it has been in contact with council members, homeowner associations and residents who have had concerns.
“We only recently became aware of the resolution and are still reviewing it, but all our work is consistent with regulations we must follow,’ said Dan Lowry, a KU spokesman. “We make every effort to preserve those trees that, at maturity, will maintain an appropriate distance from lines and are not expected to pose a threat to the lines.”
KU’s tree-trimming policies are meant to keep power outages at a minimum, he said. KU has long been a supporter of the environment, Lowry said.
“We are committed to enhancing the environment and landscape across the communities we serve, and that is why since 1981, we have donated more than 760,000 tree seedlings for planting across our service territories through our annual tree seedling giveaways,’ he said. “ We continue to be engaged with local leaders and always strive to work with them as much as possible.”
Several council members have tried to talk to KU officials about its tree-cutting practices. To date, those attempts to get KU to slow down or pull back on its tree cutting have not resulted in changes. The resolution will hopefully jump-start a conversation, Farmer said.
“We need to talk about this,” Farmer said. “They need to know that people want transparency and a seat at the table.”
Swanson said he understands that keeping tree limbs from power lines helps stop power outages. “I’ve lived through several ice storms,” he said. But there is a middle ground between keeping the power on and keeping trees.
“There is a balance issue here,” Swanson said. “And right now, it’s clearly just on one side.”
Councilwoman Susan Lamb, whose district includes several neighborhoods with trees cut to stumps, said she wholeheartedly supported the resolution. Lamb also tried to get answers from KU about why trees that KU’s rules appear to allow under power lines were axed.
Other council members said KU’s tree-cutting policy is destroying major corridors.
“I went down Versailles Road the other day and they tore every tree up,” said Councilman Richard Moloney during Tuesday’s meeting. “I thought a storm had come through. . . . They cut the trees in half.”
Versailles Road is a key entrance into the city, he said. It now looks horrible.
The city has worked to increase the urban tree canopy, particularly on city-owned property, such as the public rights of way where many KU lines are located. KU is undoing years of that work, Farmer said.
Preservation and growth of the urban tree canopy was a passion of late Councilman Jake Gibbs, who died unexpectedly of natural causes in early March. Swanson was appointed to fill Gibbs’ seat.
“This is also about Jake,” Farmer said. It was Gibbs that pushed the city to do more to protect trees. The council must continue Gibbs’ efforts and honor his legacy, Farmer said.
This story was originally published October 21, 2020 at 3:32 PM.
