Crews cut down treetops on Ypsilanti Township resident Bill Riney's property

dading...funny, see ya at Sam's this weekend? He's ususally there!

If ITC really wanted access, they should have dressed up their employees as a motorcycle gang. I don't think he'd take one of those on again.

I was on pines and needles awaiting this outcome...but now I think he should be grateful fir the electric company sprucing up his property. That's deciduously better. They kick ash. I know that's not a poplar view but oh well. Life's a beech.

Wonder when they'll be able to energize those lines again. They've been trimming under high-tension lines in Saline, too.

Ihope the comments stay, Mr. rinney's doings just invites sarcasm.

treetowncartel: yes, that's a larch part of the problem.

John (of Saline), do you have an approximate location where the high tension lines in Saline are being trimmed? I have a call in to ITC to get more information about the portion of their network that has been de-energized, and it's not straightforward for me to tell just what is connected to what in that network.

It was several weeks ago, the lines that cross Marlpool near its eastern end; they continue south to cross Willis. My dad saw a resident arguing with crews on Marlpool.

I want a healthy dose of whatever Laura Bien had for birchfast.

@John of Saline: The spokeswoman for ITC said it's not clear yet when they'll be able to re-energize the lines. They weren't able to complete the work today, so they're reassessing when they can finish the work first.

Top Cat: Just the usual, some Quaker oakmeal.

Riney leafs tree. I'm stumped.

LB: Get to the root of the problem.

I'm getting tired of his hot dog gig. He needs to branch out into other things.

Ypsidweller: Meh, turns out his bark is worse than his bite. Thanks to AnnArbor.com for this new story; I never get sycamore updates.

Wood he have stayed up there if the cops didn't show up?
He must have been board.

I may be going out on a limb on this theory.

Thanks, Amalie! I was just musing aloud (online, I mean) when I said that (although it's important, as that's the whole reason for the trimming of the trees: safety and keeping the grid going). I've noticed you and your colleagues often answer questions (even rudely-posed ones) quickly.

Ypsidweller's hot dog reference is still there.
how'd i offend someone w/this? maybe they were vegan?
now i'm hungry, coney anybody?

As hard as it is for some people, it is necessary to trim trees around power lines. The lack of tree trimming resulted a black across several Midwest states a few years ago. That certainly was a lot of fun.

Ypsidweller: No, I think you've filled in the planks. And no worries, that doesn't sound sappy; I like acorny remark now and then.

Yew would think he have known it was a main trunk line.

Ypsidweller: Yeah, really; no one tried to cypress that information.

I wonder why he split when he saw them coming?
Maybe he went to the maul.

Dunno, but I'm not judging. Olive and let live.

Here's a piece of a USA Today story on new federal rules on tree trimming:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2008-08-11-outages_N.htm

Utilities trim trees near power lines or risk big fines

Updated 8/12/2008 1:10 AM

Enlarge By Ernest Coleman, The (Cincinnati) Enquirer

By Oren Dorell, USA TODAY

A nationwide order to trim trees near power lines could decrease significantly the kinds of power outages that plunge whole states into darkness, energy industry experts say.

"We have confidence it will have an impact," says Jim Owen, spokesman for the Edison Electric Institute, a trade group that represents private utilities.

"Now for the first time ever, you can be formally sanctioned and penalized and have to pay serious money" for letting trees grow into lines, Owen says.

Ed: That's quite the plum article! But (advice from someone alder if not wiser) sometimes things are not as they a pear.

p.s. sorry, didn't mean to sound holly-er than thou.

@Laura - I know it's a larch problem when tree limbs fall on power lines, especially in storms; we have reported trees falling on lines near town before e.g.

http://www.annarbor.com/news/fallen-tree-causes-4500-power-outages-in-superior-township/

I'm still chasing down the original regulations that might have motivated power companies to move big ash trees out of easements.

Ed: Point well taken. Some say big limbs aren't a problem; I don't know how they can lilac that.

Funny that the Obama hot Dog man had his trees taken down as a result of the rule from the Obama administration

Shoot, if you axe me, Riney deserves a crown. It's clear cut.

Ypsidweller: That's the plane truth. He saw through the nonsense they were trying to palm off. It was just a veneer.

I wonder why the lines weren't buried if the argument truly was for a safety/reliability upgrade.

Mr. P.: Good point; apparently they walnut comment on that.

Fred, the power running through the lines causes heat, which would build up underground instead of dissipating in the air.

Am lichen this so much, but have to log off.

Thanks Bill, we love you.

Ypsidweller: Me too; I gotta do some work now, although I couldn't help pecan at the comments. That's the way it (gink)goes.

lines weren't run underground, that subdivision is about 40 years old.

It is disgusting to think that this fascist judge Swartz would grant access to a company that didn't have an easement. That judge should be horse-whipped.

These lines are not suitable for placement underground.

I've noticed there hasn't been an outage of more than an hour out here in the country since last summer. I'm glad they're doing more tree-trimming. It was pretty bad in 2007 - seemed like every time someone sneezed, the power would go out.

LAND DIVISION ACT (EXCERPT)
Act 288 of 1967

560.190 Public utility easements.

Sec. 190.

The proprietor shall provide public utility easements in accordance with the provisions of section 139. The following shall apply to all public utility easements included in a subdivision:

(a) Easements intended for use of public utilities shall not be deemed to be dedicated to the public but shall be private easements for public utilities and shall be equitably shared among such utilities.

(b) The public utilities first using an easement shall be reimbursed by later users for all rearrangement or relocation costs.

(c) Permanent structures may not be erected within easement limits by the owner of the fee but he shall have the right to make any other use of the land not inconsistent with the rights of public utilities, or the other uses as noted on the plat.

(d) The public utilities shall have the right to trim or remove trees that interfere with their use of easements.

(e) Nothing in this act shall be construed to limit any regulatory powers possessed by municipalities with respect to public utilities.

History: 1967, Act 288, Eff. Jan. 1, 1968
Popular Name: Plat Act
Popular Name: Subdivision Control

Someone better watch what they are eating with those hotdogs Riney is handing out. Likely to give folks a serious case of the squirts. (Pine intended)

If my power went out because of this nut and his antics I would be upset. He also needs to stop the giving away hotdog campaign gimmick since there is nothing for him to campaign for right now. It's creepy.

Most of you guys on here appear to be fascists and mean to boot. I hope the government finds it's way into your lives and destroys things you love and paid for. I will be here to cheer it on because it seems that is what you guys like.

The reality is corporate greed controls every aspect of our lives, and most people seem to love it. For not much more money then was given in the easement, the lines could have been buried. The reason the federal regulations were passed was because the public utilities lobbied to have them passed. They don't want to pay more to bury lines, and instead would prefer to force private land owners to allow them to cut their trees without compensation.

Thanks for your voice of sanity, Terrin. This story reeks of eminent domain, and it's creepy. The government will team with big business, turning law enforcement and neighbors (the one's not losing *their* property) against you. What a nut Bill Riney must be to protest the government seizing *his* property against his will: He refused the offer, so the judge forced the completion of contract. It's perfectly legal and backed by our US constitution. Bill should just be glad that Big Brother didn't want to create a park, build a mall, or pave a street through his home, 'cause that would've been legal too. It's such a treat to see some of his neighbors rip him to shreds for protesting his rights (or is it really his political affiliation?) while at the same time claiming *he* is inconsiderate of *their* needs. Thanks, Bill, and keep the wheel squeaking so that these actions don't go unnoticed.

It is so rediculous that the media is giving any attention at all to Bill Riney. The only reason that he is putting on this show is for attention. Every election year he runs for a different political office and is hoping that people will remember him when an election comes again. Only the ingnorant buy into his BS. I live in the area and the only time he climbs his trees is when the media shows up and when he did it months ago in the summertime, ITC wasnt even going to cut the trees down at that time, they were just surveying! Again all a publicity stunt! I have also witnissed him hammering nails into his beloved trees in the hopes that when the company came with chainsaws, the nails would break their saws. So he is actually the one killing his trees, not ITC. And to all those people who agree with him and say that the lines should be burried under ground, how do you think they will bury the cables with trees in place? They would have to be cut anyways! Wise up people, dont be ingorant and feel bad for this moron!

I just saw him again on the news, and now he is threatining to sell his house and move bacause he is so upset. That would be great! Please leave the neighborhood and the entire community! The township would be a much better and safer place without him, he can pack up all his BS on the back of that stupid hotdog trailer that the ignorant look up to.

I thought he lived in his mother's house. Could have sworn I saw something to that effect this past summer.

What has me stumped is why the saps at Ann Arbor.com think this is a story. I can not cedar point for printing it. I you ash me the should leaf it alone.

Maybe Mr. Riney should get a job at a bank and become a branch manager....

Best comment tread ever!

This is why I have an issues with this story. 1) He has a right to say what gets done on his property. He has the right to protest if someone tries coming in there and do something that he does not feel right. Where does ITC get off telling a home owner they have to cut the tree down because its interfering with their line? Lines don't grow, trees grow. Tree's are one of our greatest resources here on planet earth. Yes I know you can plant another one but that is not the point. The point is that the High voltage lines need to be underground. Tree's have been around longer than ITC's lines(which they recently just acquired ownership of). ITC needs to re-think that out and develop a plan where they can get these lines underground because where there is one that has an issue with it, there will be more.

Reddog801: (1) No one has the absolute and exclusive right to control access to, and use of, their property. Sometimes the community's 'right' to a reliable source of some essential good (such as electricity) trumps a property owner's 'right' to enjoy free-growing tress located on that property. Too, you may own your property, but not for very long if you don't pay your taxes.

Another point-who would pay to put the existing power lines underground? Are you volunteering an X% increase in your (and everybody's) DTE bill for this purpose? Can you imagine the disruption all that digging would cause on your property?

I found it kind of ironic that he lives on Edison Street.

Awesome comment thread. Awesome story that finally helps get at the root of the problem of trees and powerlines.

Terrin,
I couldn't agree with you more. People love to make fun of anothers misfortune. We have all seen the devastation done to beautiful trees along public right-of-way. Those large lopsided trees, hacked back so growth is forced to one side of the tree. Many people purchase their property for the look and privacy grown trees provide. I only wish all you folks making light of Mr. Rineys situation, could see the before and after of this tree cutting. Maybe you would understand just what joy his surrounding brought to his life. Yes they were only trees, but his trees on his land. Would like AA.com to get some photos of the aftermath of this devastation to these trees.

I love that this guy has gotten like 60 posts, but the topic below, about how Ypsi is facing a 5.3 million dollar deficit within three years, has like 10. Which one is actually important and meaningful?

AndyYpsilanti: The fact that the government is walking all over people's rights is a hell of a lot more important than some budget issue. I don't know who Riney is, so I don't understand all of the comments on this page, but I've read enough to know that this Judge Swartz is a scumbag in the pocket of the utility company.

So ITC, has the police protect them while they go in and damage these trees. The whole infrastructure is at risk because these pirates invest nothing in it, while raking in our money. Let's face it, the grid should be modernized so that the residential lines are underground. Instead, I see from their annual report that they decided to spend the money on an $850,000 bonus for their CEO. Are there any lawyers out there willing to sue ITC?

To those who favor buried cables - it is not the panacea for property ownership. Is sounds great, but the utilities don't want roots growing around their cables! That is more dangerous than branches. If they started burying high voltage lines they would be digging up yards and trees to protect the lines instead of just topping the trees.