Neighborï¿½s power line across my backyard

12 years ago

Hi Everyone,

We are building a home in Brooklyn, NY and we are just about ready to start on the pool. The electrician noticed that the neighborÃ¯Â¿Â½s power line runs across my back yard to the utility pole located on the easement directly behind my house. WhatÃ¯Â¿Â½s more interesting is that this particular pole is much shorter and much more decrepit than the typical pole. As a result, the power line is only about 10Ã¯Â¿Â½ above the ground in my back yard at its lowest point. I was wondering if anyone here has had any experience dealing with Con Ed regarding a matter like this. We requested a meeting with them and we are waiting for an answer. I just have a feeling that Con Ed will want me to pay for moving the power line until I get a lawyer and a politician involved.

Any advice would me most appreciated.

Thank you.

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Comments (5)

bus_driver
12 years ago
Another possibility is for the line to be raised to create enough vertical clearance to comply with the applicable codes- I do not know the codes for your area. It also might be that your proposed pool location is an easement for the POCO and they may protest your plans. Be nice when talking to the POCO, they hold the trump cards.
suero
12 years ago
Our community had an issue with a cable installation. We contacted the county, and they determined that the utility was in error and issued a citation. The good news is that the utility corrected the error. The bad news is that it took over a year to get the problem resolved, and this was with the county on our side.

I would contact your borough president's office. They might be helpful and let you know which agency to contact about a possible easement violation.
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User
12 years ago
Are you sure about the size of the easement? The line could be located within it and meet all applicable guidelines. I say that because you say it's "decrepit", meaning that it has been there for a long time. If it violated the easement, your survey should have shown that when you took possession of the home. If it was not notated on your survey, then it is probably in compliance and you are mistaken about the easement.
gregi30
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks everyone for your advice.
live_wire_oak, my survey does show an easement directly behind my back yard and the utility pole is well within that easement. However, the electric line that stretches from the neighborÃ¯Â¿Â½s house to that utility pole crosses my backyard. The easement would have to be my entire backyard for the POCO to be in compliance.
brickeyee
12 years ago
"The easement would have to be my entire backyard for the POCO to be in compliance. "

The line should have been indicated on your plat as an encroachment, even if it had an easement.

Just from memory, I do not think any power line is allowed over a pool at any height.

This is not an electric code issue though.

The regular electric code does not cover distribution wiring (the POCOs stuff).