I can only wonder at the reasoning of a company that alienates public oopinion by allowing negative comments by their employees. They are being paid to trim trees and a shade tree in a persons back yard seems a good place to build good community relations.

If you check out the tree trimming that is done but Consumers contracting, it is usually a slaughter job. They leave a mess along side the road & don't always clean it up. The contractors get paid by the job, so it's easier for them to just cut the tree down. When Consumers had their own trimmers, it was different.
The trimmers aren't really qualified to work near the hot wires, so it's much easier for Consumers to have them cut the trees down. That way there is no hassles, except with customers.

It is my understanding that included in your Consumers Energy bill each month there is a charge for tree maintenance. I have also read recently that there is a class action suit filed against Consumer's Energy where they are suppose to refund their customers for tree trimming that they DID NOT do for a five year period! SO WHERE IS OUR REFUND? Any why now is Consumer's so concerned about DOING their tree maintenance and being COST EFFECTIVE by removing trees instead of trimming. We as paying customers need to stand up for our rights and not let big business take advantage of us.

I worked for a contractor for bell telephone for quite a while and one thing to keep in mind, they have an easmeent they do not have the right to step even one inch onto property not covered by the easement, if they do its criminal trespassing and prosecutable, you can make them tear down a neighbors fence,garage etc to gain clear access to your property many times they relincguish when they have to do stuff like that
also like one property i gave an easement to they had to run through a swamp to follow thier easement which meant normal tree cutting gear would get easily stuck and cost much in towing etc that was also a deliberate action on my part to assure they didnt damage the rest of my property, remember they are illegal to be even one inch off their easement use video cams to keep a watchfull eye on them, they cannot legally even let a branch from tree in easement fall off their easement dont make it easy on them make it hard, they will try to lie to you and tell you they can but they cannot file a complaint with your local prosecutors office if need be, if you video them at any point or witness them at any point off their easement immediatly call the police in and press charges make them aware ahad of time of your intentions as well sometimes that will deter the needless killing of private trees,
the utility companys are out of control on what they do this is one of those rare payback times.and most jurys award big money on property damage complainst when it involves the big crooks like consumers power, i know the contractor/and bell telephone i worked for was sued and lost 1.3 million for a small dirt pile 2 inches off easement that caused no damage to anything.if the actual easement is to small for their behicles which easmeent made in the 40s commonly are do not authorize them to use an inch of your land to bring in eqt...
most 1940s era easements are 3 feet their vehicles need 6 to 8 to manuever, make them walk in eqt that again takes time and lots of extra money they dont like parting with.....

it sounds like this tree is in the middle of your yard if so and you never signed a paper giving them easement rights they prolly cannot cut the tree, the state dont give easement rights for the middle of a yard, its usually front or very back, consumers power on various phone companies are notorious for pushing their easements, lieing aboiut them etc,call the state and find out just what their rights are when it comes to easements that the power company pays the state for they do have more authroity on your property than you do But there are limits to distance from road and property lines on where they can takeover your property, if you authorized the easement you can merely pull that easement,make them remove their lines etc, but you needed to have in the agreement that no tree cutting, property damage etc was allowed i have done this on several properties in the past.

But keep in mind if it is a state easement your tree is prolly toast, the state allows easement owners more rights to the land then the owner whom pays taxes on that easement.
even though we were all taught in school the difference between the USA and the communist USSR was we owned our property and they rented it was ll propaghanda we do not own our property we merely rent it from our Government they will take that property away from you for private business,roads,profit,and if you dont pay your yearly rental on it (taxes)
good luck to you......

I am sorry to say that her tree would look better removed than to try and trim it. There is no way that large of a tree can be trimmed properly to look good.Consumers came to Bear Lake and I was also going to have a private co. trim my trees because of the diseases that Consumers spreads. I was told by their boss in Cadillac {Joe} that they were not coming to trim until Sept 14, so that gave me plenty of time for my private Company to come in. They showed up 2 weeks early and I told the driver about the situation. He told me to mark the trees with caution tape and put signs on them stating that I talked with the boss {Joe} and they would not be cut.I had then left my cottage for about 10 days and when I came back they had cut my trees! They Flat out lied to me and you cannot even trust the main man in charge.

IT SEEMS FUNNY THAT THE TREES IN HARBOR SPRINGS OR PETOSKEYS BAY HARBOR, DON;T GET CUT THE POWER CO. RUNS TREE CABLE OR RUN UNDER GORUND ON, STATE LAND NOT CUTTING TREES. THERE ARE MANEY TREES IN THESE ARES THAT ARE NOT CUT. THEY WOULD NOT DARE CUT THE RICH MANS TREE.

Trees don't last forever. Cut it down and have furniture made out of it to last several lifetimes.

The power line was there in 1945. She planted the tree 25 years ago (1984). She should of planned ahead and realized that the tree would grow. Now she is trying to pass the blame onto someone else.

I think that they should work with the homeowner, that is a very beautiful tree and took a lot of time to grow that size. Beautiful shade and pleasing to look at. Come on work with this homeowner. Will it really put a bind on the electric company if they don't cut it down. The homeowner is willing to pay for the trimming. Mediate this matter.

For those who callously say "cut the tree down" will never understand. Your types are what is wrong with this world. It only goes to show the government can make laws to cover anything they want.

Recently Cherryland Electric did work in my back yard. Drove where they felt and also urinating in my yard as my children watched. Not only did they have no regard for my property, they left numerous wires with sharp edges where we walked. They want to raise our rates and then their workers have no regard for where they go, do they think they are the government?? When will it ever stop??!!

20 years ago when we moved into this house, I took a shovel out to the Maple grove behind our house, selected a small tree, dug it up and replanted it in our yard. I was very careful to select a location free of power lines.
Two years later, Cherryland Electric decided to reroute the power lines in our yard. They installed two new poles and routed the new lines directly over my new maple and my Mountain Ash. I objected to their choice of locations and I was assured that the poles were only a temporary arrangement - they would be burying the lines "within a year". Twenty years later, the lines are being brushed by the trees and I am in danger of losing my trees.
On the other side of the house, the lines run directly through a large Oak and a huge Black Walnut. I have called numerous times to have them trim the trees, but have gotten no response. Two years ago a limb from the walnut broke off and tore the lines loose from my house and left them laying across the garage roof. Cherryland came out and reattached the lines to the house, but did nothing to prevent the same problem reoccurring.

Dear Up North, Northern Michigan - the tree was there before the power lines- no easement was in place for these lines.
I had a tree cut down that wasn't even 10 feet from the lines. All my other trees were cut way back -way more than 15 feet from the lines more like 20-25 feet. I don't think that tree will make it. I did call and asked for a review or for the trimming to be only the 15 feet needed. I was laughed at.
I wish I would have had more power over this.
Oh, yah in revenge I planted over 20 trees to replace the 7 they cut down. I measured 15 feet from the lines then measured the est. reach of the branches on these trees... They touch these trees I already have a lawyer on retainer to save them.

CUT IT DOWN. Sorry its just a tree, there are only billions more out there for you to love.

The tree can be saved. I own Best Price Tree Service in T.C. and recently encountered a problem with a powerline myself. I am installing a new pole building for my company and have a problem with a line going directly over my property. I contacted Consumers and they are "side stepping" that direct line by adding another pole away from my building. I will now be able to work on my bucket trucks without having to worry about the overhead lines. I dont understand why they can offer this service to me but then keep it from you? Especially if you're willing to pay for it.

First of all lets get the wording correct its not 'tree trimmer' its tree RAPIST.

I found that making sure that the field supervisor was present during the actual cutting and without his presence they did not have permission to be on my property.

The second thing is that when they threatened to bring in police, i suggested that was a great idea so they could see how the tree rapists were taking free liberties and doing what they wanted instead of following the guidelines and the second the cops showed up i would be calling a lawyer to start a CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT to have the rules changed so that property owners had more of a say in the process.

The way it turned out you ask?
I had my tree's trimmed to almost exacting length,they didnt hack whatever wasnt really needed. The field supervisor understood that i would make their life a living hell and it wasnt worth their time to deal with me and my trees rebounded beautifully the very next season.

My neighbors tree's you ask?

Its been a few years...i dont think they will ever recover. But then again when you cut down whole sides of trees they have a tendenecy not to grow back on that side. Cool tree on one side absolutely nothing on the other.

I still say a CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT to reign in the tree RAPISTS will bring some sense to the horror that they bring yearly to residents.

I agree that bury the cable is the best option..deal with it once and stop spending millions every year on a no win process.

Oh by the way....When my power kept going out instead of calling the company to let them know..i called the president of the company..AT HOME-AT ANY HOUR OF THE DAY OR NIGHT. Once to let him know when it went out once to let him know when it came on.
I think the streak of 11 straight days of various power outages meant we BOTH didnt sleep for 11 days. Amazingly enough, we got 1.7 million dollar upgrade about 2 weeks after that.
The lesson you ask??

NEVER LET BIG BUSINESS MAKE YOUR LIFE MISERABLE, THE DOOR ALWAYS SWINGS BOTH WAYS AND THE MISERABLE THAT YOU INFLICT BACK NEEDS TO BE TENFOLD TO GET THINGS DONE.

Hi Marc:
I live right under the power lines, and a tree right behind my house has been a problem for over a year, I have called the power company and reported it, a guy come out and looked at it, but nothing was ever done about it, some gal from the power company came by this spring and was checking for trees that were a potential problem, I called her attention to it, there are branchs that hit the wires everytime we get a hi wind, there are branchs laying on the groud that have literly been burned off by hitting the hi powered lines, which causes power surges in my house, but heck no they won,t cut it down, maybe I should cry and tell them i want the tree left standing, because it means so much to me, then by golly they would be out in the next day saying it was a danger and will have to come down. stop by I will show you branchs up to 3 in. in diamiter that have been burned off by the wires.

walt

'They took all the trees, and put em in a tree museum
And they charged the people a dollar and a half to see them
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got till it's gone
They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot..'

It's a shame that Consumers Energy can't work with property owners to develop or recommend a reliable tree trimming service at the property owner's expense. We recently had seven trees chopped down on our tiny little road by contractors hired by Consumers. Our association has a professional tree trimmer come in every spring and trim all the trees on our road - including the tops of the trees to prevent them from growing too much and interfering with the power lines. The trees that were cut down were beautiful maples and majestic pines that were planted years ago - some as memorial/remembrance trees for loved ones. No notice was given by Consumers - they just came in and chopped them down. The fact of the matter is there ARE companies that are certified to trim trees around power lines and Consumers should alert property owners of their intentions to remove trees, give the property owner the option to hire a professional certified tree trimmer within a reasonable period of time. If the property owner doesn't hire the certified trimmer and have the trees trimmed within the alloted time frame, then and only then should they have the right to chop down the tree. Let's use some common sense here - preserve the beauty that we appreciate and enjoy in our area and work together.

It sounds like the tree will come down no matter the value to the home owner. All I can say is, if the tree has to come down and she has no other choices I suggest that she takes the wood from the tree made into some nice furniture so she will still have something to remember her dad by. This does not shade her deck or provide cover while in the hot tub but it will be something to hold onto and to pass on to other generations.

What about taking the line down, burying it across the property, and save the tree? Power companies bury lines all the time. If she is willing to pay to have the tree trimmed, maybe she could offer to have the lines buried. That would seem to me to be a good compromise.

I guess my question is: Why would consumers put a line over a tree that is as big as this one seems to be? Did it occur to them that this may cause problems?

I guess my question is: Why would consumers put a line over a tree that is as big as this one seems to be? Did it occur to them that this may cause problems?

Hellloooooo,

Do you realize how much more it would cost to move the lines than it would to cut the tree?

Not only would they have to move the wires, but they would have to acquire a new easement from another property owner.

It's not just that simple to move a power line.

I think we can all agree that we already pay too much for our electric bills. Do you realize that they already incorporate in to our monthly bill the cost of tree trimming? It is called maintenance. You don't just put the lines up and walk away. You have to maintain them.

On the subject of cutting or trimming the tree, With the money she is offering to pay, and the money it would cost to cut the tree down. Why can't they move the wires?

Do you people not understand what an easement is? If the power line is located within the "easement" it is technically not on your property, therefor it is not trespassing.

How would you feel, Janice, if during the next storm this tree falls on the power line and thousands and thousands of people are without power?

Would that really be worth it?

And to those of you who say relocate the tree, it depends on what type of tree it is. Most trees this tall have a root system that you cannot believe and moving it would kill it anyway.

Get over it, plant another tree away from the power line.

My boyfriend -as well as several friends & other family members- work for one of the companies contracted by Consumer's Energy to trim or remove trees around powerlines. Everyday, before he leaves for work, I kiss and hug him and tell him "BE CAREFUL". I understand the position of the MANY homeowners facing losing a tree. I used to give my boyfriend a lot of grief about "killing the trees" until he shed some light on it for me.
I am certain that the woman in the story, as well as "K.N." that commented below, do not live without electricity. Consumer's provides a service. Only when that service is interupted do we realize how much we depend on it. If you use electricity, you need to accept that the lines need to be free of trees! Period! If they are not, you are running the risk of someone being electrocuted.
KN- you mention that the trees you fought to have trimmed rather than removed are now sparking in the lines. Are you aware that should someone (a child or grandchild perhaps) walk up and touch that tree while it's touching the lines, they could die by electrocution? Is that worth a tree to you?
My boyfriend (soon to be husband) risks his life 40+ hours a week to allow you to have electricity AND to keep people safe. Someone risks their life everytime your tree needs to be trimmed. Let the tree go!!

It shouldn't take a union electrical worker to figure this one out; why not just bury the line?

If Consumers Energy was ignorant in the first place and put the power lines over an already growing tree, then they lose the right to clear it. Anyone coming out to cut down the tree should end up as fertilizer for the tree. Move your damb power lines to the other house. Just because it's easier and cheaper to cut someones tree down doesn't mean it's right. Shoot, with Consumers Energy the power is out 50% of the time anyway.

We have lived at our current address for about 10 years. During that time we have planted close to 100 trees and watched neighbors plant trees. When we bought our Crimson King, my husband carefully measured out the spaces to center it where we could see and enjoy it. Then we sat on our porch to see and enjoy it. That's when we noticed it was directly beneath the electric wires. Within an hour he had dug it up and plunked it down nearby but not under the wires. It's amazing how carefully you can work out where you want something to be without every looking up.

I don't know what the solution is to informing planters about easements, but as we drive to our daily destinations we notice trees in other people's yards that will either not be there in just a few years, or look odd due to pruning. And, just like the woman in your story and my husband, they planted their tree without looking up.

When you buy property with an easement you accept the terms of the easement. If an easement didn't stand up in court then they wouldn't exist.

I don't think Janice will be happy if they trim the tree. The trimming isn't for aesthetics and it usually results in a very lopsided and ugly result.

I think Janice should contact Milarch's nursery in Copemish and see what it would cost to have them clone the tree for her. It won't save the original tree, but it would give her the chance to replant a tree with so many memories in another location.

They may have a "legal" right to cut your tree, but I'm on your side! I will personally stand in front of it on the day they are scheduled to come. Consumer's goes too far! In some circumstances they should put the wires underground or leave it alone. When my beautiful spruces were cut I was furious. Many around here are "decapitated" and they look ugly. There has to be another way. We really need to unite and express our anger at what is going on. Call me Janice at 231 843 8750 and I'll gladly join forces with you. These beautiful trees provide habitat for birds, etc., oxygen to breathe and beauty in an overdeveloped world. The trees were here first!

We're with Janice 100%. Consumers came out this summer and started marking trees along our powerline easement. My husband talked with the woman and was told anything within 15' on either side of the power line had to go. She marked trees that were easily 20-25 feet away and did not mark trees that were right underneath. There was no rhyme or reason. We complained to Consumers, they sent out a supervisor. My husband used to work in forestry and tried to talk some sense into the man. He was told that if he continued to argue he would just clear cut. The trimmers came out a couple of months later and that's exactly what they did. Even trees that were only 2 or 3 feet tall were cut. What especially has angered us though is the fact that the trimmers came from Texas. You said they spent $40,000,000 trimming trees, how nice for Texas. Consumers couldn't even be bothered to hire local companies and help the Michigan economy. The company from Texas left a mess. Drive down US-31 towards Bear Lake, all you can see along the road are cut down trees just laying there to rot. We're hoping to go solar within the next 5 to 6 years and then we can happily tell Consumers to go fly a kite!

I have seen utilities tree trimming trucks on the Boyne City Rd between Charlevoix and Boyne City for the last two weeks, trimming trees that have grown into the power lines. Some of the trees have over grown just like Janice's tree, but they didn't choose to cut down those trees. Instead they have trimmed them all back. Is it because it is State property? I don't know. But, I think that they should allow the tree to be trimmed and saved. Why celebrate Arbor day, if we do the opposite and just cut trees down instead of trying find a way to save them!

It's rather simple - move the power lines. Consumers Power has the right and authority to cut down any trees that are a safety hazard to the lines. The tree was planted in the easement, so the only way out is to grant another easement for another two poles to go around the tree. It's expensive and the property owner would have to pay for it, but if they want the tree it's the only way out. Don't blame the power company.

The lady is being ridiculous. I hope it gets cut while she's gone. She needs to be reasonable or the power company should just cut the power to her house.

It is possible in some cases for the customer to pay to have the powerline moved instead of trimming the tree. This may be an option for you.

Move the power lines and keep the tree!

I grew up with a guy who said they were finding dead birds in their yard. Not soon after his father was killed when he touched the tree that was growing into the lines. They found that the tree was carrying the current from the high voltage wire.

Sad but true when the orginal owner signed over easement then the utility company has the right to groom the easement as they see fit. The decision to cut down was cheaper than trimming and she is stuck. There may be one option, have the tree moved. Call a tree service and see what it would cost to move the tree.

Bye-bye tree!

Ive had the same problem as Janice. About 5 years ago consumers came through our town and trimmed or cut down all the trees that were touching power lines. My house is surrounded by trees and the trees that are in my front yard were marked to be removed. When it came time for them to cut down the trees I asked the gentleman who was to cut down the trees if he could just trim them because they had been there so long and it was the only thing that was shielding my house from the weather. After a few minutes they decided just to trim them. Now five years later they trees have grown up past the power lines again and when its windy outside the trees get zapped by the lines. I called consumers to tell them they should trim the trees again but no one has ever returned my calls. I am on Janice's side. I don't think that Consumers has the right to cut down her tree even though some previous owner signed over the rights to the easement long before she probably even owned the house. I think that she should fight this till the end. Why did consumers put in the power lines to the next property where they knew that the tree was growing. The tree was there in the first place. I believe that consumers should move their power lines or at least pay to have the tree replanted away from the power lines. Janice should fight this till the end. If they cut down the tree she should sue them for trespassing. Stand up for what you believe in. Don't let these huge company's who make crap tons of money each year and charge way to much for their product get away with anything!