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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]
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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, less drastic tree trimming practices could be utilized that would protect Kentucky Utilities’ electric service while also protecting Lexington-Fayette County’s urban forest and the public’s benefit thereof;
WHEREAS, Kentucky Utilities does not provide any notification to, or consultation with, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, prior to clear-cutting trees within the Lexington-Fayette Urban County right-of-way; and
WHEREAS, Kentucky Utilities’ offer to provide $1500 per affected property does not adequately compensate the public for the damage, economic or otherwise, caused by the Co.’s clear-cutting of trees posing no immediate threat to electric service.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE LEXINGTON-FAYETTE URBAN COUNTY GOVERNMENT:
Section 1 - That the preamble to this Resolution is incorporated herein as if set out in full.
Section 2 - That the Council of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government roundly condemns Kentucky Utilities’ extreme and unilateral tree removal practice of clear-cutting trees within Lexington-Fayette County’s urban forest and the right-of-way that pose no immediate threat to electric service, resulting in economic damage to Lexington-Fayette County and its taxpayers; demands reconsideration of this new practice; requests Kentucky Utilities’ practices be proportionate to the actual threat posed upon the Co.’s electric service; and requests that Kentucky Utilities enter into meaningful, collaborative, and cooperative dialogue with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government and other financially-invested civil organizations to discuss the Co.’s safety considerations as well as landowners’ aesthetic and economic concerns.
Section 3 - That the Council Clerk of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government be and hereby is directed to mail this Resolution to David Freibert, Vice President of Kentucky Utilities; Terry Snow, Senior Transmission Line Engineer; and Kent Chandler, Executive Director Of The Kentucky Public Service Commission.
Section 4 - That this Resolution shall become effective on the date of its passage.
PASSED URBAN COUNTY COUNCIL:
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MAYOR
ATTEST:
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CLERK OF URBAN COUNTY COUNCIL
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