On May 17, 12:45*am, aemeijers wrote:
wrote:
* *I would like to put a fence up at the back of my yard, but it
would need to go in over existing underground high voltage wires. *Not
the usual 220V but the main underground lines to the local
transformers. *

* *I have had the crew out to mark the line locations, but they
are unable to tell me how deep they are. *I would guess they know
where they should be, but because of various problems, they may not be
as deep as the should.

* *Any suggestions?

* * * * *I am thinking of several possible fence types, generally
decorative but also I am interested in keeping the neighborhood kids
out of my yard and since I am on the local foot path, eliminate the
foot traffic of kids taking a short cut.

1. If you have not already done so, check your easement. The actual long
version, spelled out or included by reference in your bill of sale or
deed. Don't rely on what neighbors or guy on power company truck said.
They can get rather specific on allowed and disallowed structures, and
on allowed plantings. Easement also sometimes addresses access rights,
especially if the right-of-way is across the back edge of a lot buried
in the middle of a block. (which your footpath comment implies.) They
may have the right to drive a baby backhoe or ditching machine up your
driveway and through your back yard, especially if one of those green
cubes is sitting there.

2. *Did the locator service folks also mark your corner pegs for you?
Make sure you know where the exact corners of your lot are, to avoid
future neighbor and setback disputes. I grew up in a subdivision like
that, footpaths and all, and the kids took offense (like any roaming
herd animals would) at barriers put in their way. I also grew up in
construction, and know that corner pegs often get lost, especially where
there aren't those big brown smelly poles to act as permanent monuments.
(and they were not always on the exact property line either.)

3. And on a pragmatic basis, make sure YOU can get to the part of yard
between fence and lot line. Remember, you have to mow back there, pick
up blown trash, etc.

4. Can't see your lot, so hard to recommend a suitable barrier. Need to
look at it from kid point of view- it just needs to look like a barrier
from the approaches to the foot path. Something that interrupts the line
of sight between the houses may be enough. Kids usually won't stray too
far from the lot lines, lest they get trapped in a back yard with a dog
or something. If they can't see from curb to curb, they will usually
walk elsewhere. A shallow-rooted hedge, alternating rows of dwarf pines,
or even vines on a light wooden trellis, may be all that you need, and
still be cheap and easy to replace if power company has to tear it up. I
would avoid a metal fence on metal poles- some say it is urban myth, but
many have reported induced current problems with putting those parallel
with power lines.

--
aem sends...


The devil is in the details. What exactly does "but it would need to
go in over existing underground high voltage wires" mean? If the
fence would just cross the wires, meaning it's mostly perpendicular to
them, then if the lines are marked, you should be able to plan the
posts accordingly to avoid them. On the other hand, if it runs
parallel to and on top of them, well that's a whole different story.

I agree with the above advice that is is critical to check in writing
for what easement the power company has. That may rule out placing
anything permanent, like a fence, over the entire easement area. And
whatever easement they have, I would not want to be in violation of it
if anything should go wrong. If you happen to hit something that's
not where it's marked, but you're in the right, that's bad enough.
Of course, if it's high voltage, maybe it won't matter.