05-01-26 - City Council Special Meeting Minutes

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Lino Lakes City Council Minutes 7. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT A. Great River Energy Easement Maintenance The Environmental Coordinator reported that the City Council requested a meeting to discuss the ongoing maintenance and tree removal along the Great River Energy (GRE) transmission line corridor. GRE owns easements and operates power lines throughout the City of Lino Lakes. They are currently undertaking maintenance operations that include an area west of Lake Drive. The easement agreement for this location was executed on October 3, 1968. The easement is granted to Rural Cooperative Power Association and its successors; Great River Energy (GRE) and runs in perpetuity. The easement documentation allows GRE the right to cut down, trim, and remove trees within the easement. In this location, the easement is 45' on either side of the transmission line. The language of the easement document grants the utility the right to cut down, trim, or in any manner eliminate all trees, shrubbery or brush within the easement and to cut down from time to time all other dead, weak, leaning, or dangerous trees that are tall enough to strike the wires in falling. The easement width varies along the corridor between a distance of 45' to 50' on either side of the electric transmission line. GRE has completed routine maintenance, trimming, and removals throughout the city over the course of many years along the transmission lines. The City was notified in early March by Carr Tree Service of the work that was proposed as part of normal maintenance operations within the city, which included land owned or managed by the city within the transmission easement. The City met with Carr and GRE in mid -March to go over proposed removals of trees and shrubs within the city owned and managed areas. City staff walked the corridor with GRE and spoke with several residents onsite during the site visit. Lino Lakes was notified by GRE that they would be completing additional removals throughout the corridor to bring the area into compliance with federal regulations. The corridor was to be staked to show easement locations and GRE would inventory and list trees that were proposed for removals. It is our understanding the GRE door knocked and communicated with residents prior to the staking as feasible. The City received a letter dated April 13th from GRE further outlining the work that was proposed within the city -managed parcels. The letter was specific to the area managed by the city and outlined the removal and work to be completed. It is our understanding that each impacted resident received a similar letter from GRE. Page 3 of 8