Have a Happy and Safe Labor Day Weekend!
 
"Laughter is an instant vacation."
 -- Milton Berle
From SC Clips


Remember the Farmers Market 
in Pigeon Point Park 
Wednesday Afternoons
Billy Keyserling





Events in and around Beaufort


 Tree Trimming is Not a Pretty Sight
 
While I hate to have to admit it, I feel helpless that there is nothing City Council can do . . .  about our trees seemingly being butchered. Over the past week, I have walked and ridden throughout the city taking an overview of the five year trimming of public and private trees that impose upon utility lines. I do not like what I see, but understand there are certain realities I have to accept. 

If I could stop it I would.  But I cannot. I have considered getting between the saws and the trees as some committed residents did five years ago, but learned it will only prolong the pain. The trees will be trimmed.

Some have asked why restrictions on trees removal and care imposed on residents cannot be imposed upon the utilities?  A good question! 

The rights of way are controlled by SCEG which for many, many has years owned easements on public and private property and has a longstanding agreement with the City to make sure their lines are clear and safe. 

Five years ago, I pledged that we would do everything possible to try to avoid what we saw back then. We explored relocating power lines underground and, thanks to a study by the Tree Board composed of several licensed arborists, (now the Parks and Tree Advisory Commission), we realized that the cost to the city and SCEG customers would have been astronomical, something the City could not afford the taxpayers could not tolerate. The Tree Board did create a proposed "pilot" project spread througout several neighborhoods, but that too was financially out of reach but is not off the table. 

Whlle all new subdivisions and projects in the city require undergrounding of utility lines, there are many more than I would like towering over existing neighborhoods and along the thoroughfares. The city staff has an ongoing search for outside funding for burying lines but so far we have found none. We will not stop looking.
 
Having received the expected calls and emails when the saws started buzzing I answered many calls and emails from concerned residents.  I also referred them to the city arborist who is supervising the operation to do what we can do to protect the trees.
 
To help you better understand the situation, I have cut and pasted from an email from Eliza Hill, the City's Landscape Architect to a resident to whom I referred her.
 
"Utility line pruning occurs on particular circuits within the city every five years.  SCEG is charged with adherence to OSHA standards with required clearance of the area 10' to the right and 10' to the left of their electric lines.  Any limbs from public or private property trees that fall within this zone are pruned to ISA (International Society of Arborists) standards.  The city has a contract with the utility which dictates time of pruning work, number of trucks to be staged in any one area, level of training required for technician performing the pruning work, etc.
 
Each time this pruning cycle occurs, I host a seminar and demonstration pruning workshop for all members of Lewis Tree Service (public is always invited but we rarely have anyone attend) to be sure their credentials are up to date and that they understand proper cuts and what we expect to see upon conclusion of trimming work.  Any stubs or flush cuts (detrimental to future health of trees) found after inspection of work in an area requires a return by the company to correct.  I receive daily notification as to the area where pruning work is to occur and inspect the work.
 
The clearing of the lines has to be done to protect the public and maintain service.  While it appears 'deplorable' it is necessary.  So long as there are high voltage lines, there will be tree trimming to ensure your lights stay on during a storm.  The city is extremely involved in ensuring the techniques used are appropriate for guarding the future health of the trees.
 
I have been in contact with another resident about her Water Oak that is directly under the lines.  This is a case of the wrong tree in the wrong place.  I have had discussions with her both this cycle and the cycle of cutting that occurred 5 and 10 years ago.  As I told her yesterday, while very disheartening, the pruning will occur again as needed in 5 years. Lateral buds naturally flush out following pruning so the tree appears to be 'recovering'.  It is actually these very sprouts that will be pruned again in 5 years.  Her best course, as we discussed, is to allow SCEG to remove the tree and I will help her with selection of a species that can grow under the power line without necessity of pruning in the years to come.  She is also aware of a 'trick' that is employed in the City of Charleston whereby the city forester there plants Live oaks under the power lines on purpose.  This species of tree can be trained to grow in a wide arc around the lines so only small limbs and sprouts are trimmed as needed and the benefit of the large shade tree under the lines remains.
 
So long as the clearance requirement must be met, the final shape of the tree due to utility pruning will never match pruning that is seen following a canopy thinning or structural pruning work on a tree.  These are two entirely different operations.  If it didn't have to be done to protect the public, this form of pruning would never be performed on any tree.
 
And Liza answered another question about duplicate utility poles from the same resident.

Lastly, SCEG is not leaving double poles.  As poles require replacement, SCEG sets a new pole and transfers their electric lines from the old pole to the new.  They then inform the communication companies, Centurylink and Hargray that they need to relocate their lines to the new pole.  Once the communication companies perform their work, SCEG is informed and they return to remove the now empty pole.  It has been a problem getting the communication lines transferred.  It sometimes has taken years because they are not as responsive as we want them to be.
 
Several years ago, we started a program to help keep SCEG stay informed when poles were completely cleared.  If you see a pole that has no connections at all, please email me the tag number on the pole and I will be sure to get SCEG to remove it.
 
Please don't hesitate to contact me if I can help further.
 
Eliza C. Hill
City Landscape Architect
Department of Planning and Development Services
843-525-6348

If you see something that appears to be going wrong, please do not hesitate to call Liza.  Meanwhile, if you have any ideas where we might find the millions and millions of dollars required to bury the lines, please let us know. We are looking.
  






















































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FINAL DAY
30% OFF ALL EVENTS TICKETS
BEAUFORT INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL  2016!!!









September 11th is just around the corner, 
coordinated every year since it's inception by Donnie Beer, 
this is an important annual event.

On the 11th day of September at 8:30 am  there will be a program at the Henry C. Chambers 
Waterfront Park commemorating the 14th anniversary of the attack on America.   
This event is to remember and honor the 2,985 people that died that day in the 
destruction of the New York Twin Towers, the attempt to destroy The Pentagon, and the 
loss of US Flight 93 and all of the first responders that were killed trying to save them.
 
Please join us at the Park to Celebrate and Commemorate the lives of heros.  






Get Ready for an Exciting 30th Anniversary Season of the 
Beaufort Symphony Orchestra





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