Title
A Resolution condemning the tree removal practices of KY Utilities; demanding reconsideration thereof; requesting KY Utilities' practices be proportionate to the actual threat posed upon the Co.'s electric service; requesting that KY Utilities enter into meaningful, collaborative, and cooperative dialogue with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government and other financially-invested civil organizations; and directing the Council Clerk to mail this Resolution to David Freibert, Vice President of KY Utilities; Terry Snow, Senior Transmission Line Engineer; and Kent Chandler, Executive Director of the KY Public Service Commission. [Council Office, Maynard]
Body
WHEREAS, Urban forests positively contribute to a locality's economy by making urban retail more appealing; increasing consumer's willingness to pay higher prices for retail goods; raising home values; offsetting urban infrastructure costs, and improving residents' health and safety (Wolf, K.L. "City Trees and Consumer Response in Retail Business Districts." Handbook of Research on Retailer-Consumer Relationship Development, edited by F. Musso and E. Druica, IGI Global, 2014, pp. 152-172; Wolf, Kathleen L. "Trees in the Small City Retail Business District: Comparing Resident and Visitor Perceptions." Journal of Forestry, vol. 103, no. 8, Dec. 2005, pp. 390-395; Martin, Clay W. et al. "The Contributory Value of Trees to Residential Property in the Austin, Texas Metropolitan Area." (2006); Biron, Carey L. "Money Trees: U.S. cities find new ways of valuing urban forests, Reuters (Feb. 20, 2020); Wolf, Kathleen L et al. "Urban Trees and Human Health: A Scoping Review." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 17, no. 12. 18 Jun. 2020);
WHEREAS, Kentucky Utilities has recently started clear-cutting trees under certain utility lines throughout Lexington-Fayette County where existing trees do not pose an immediate threat to Kentucky Utilities' electric service;
WHEREAS, l...
Click here for full text