When tall-growing trees are planted under and near utility lines, they can cause power outages and potentially injure or kill someone when the branches come in contact with the wires. In order to prevent this, the Holland Board of Public Works has a comprehensive tree pruning program.
The Holland Board of Public Works signed a three year tree pruning contract with Asplundh Tree Expert Company that began January 1, 2009 and ends December 31, 2011. Their working hours are from 7:30am to 4:00pm. Asplundh prunes trees to keep them a safe distance from the overhead electric lines and to maximize the health of the trees.
The Holland Board of Public Works' tree pruning program trims around primary and secondary wires that are attached to our poles. The service wires to customers’ homes are not typically trimmed.
What can you do to prevent tree and utility conflicts?
At times, this pruning can make the tree have an unnatural appearance. In order to prevent this, when planting a new tree you should consider how large the tree will be when mature. If the mature height of the tree is greater than 15 feet, then it should not be planted within 15 feet on either side of overhead electric lines.
You should also remember that, many times, the root area of a tree is larger than the branch spread above ground. In areas where there is underground electrical service, trees planted near the lines could have their roots damaged if the lines need to be dug up for repairs. The greatest danger to underground lines occurs when new trees are planted and someone accidentally digs into an underground line. This can cause serious injury and a lengthy utility outage. Make sure to call MISS DIG at 811 or 800.482.7171 before planting in an area where there may be underground utilities.
Contact one of the local nurseries for help in selecting the right tree for the right place.
If you have any questions or concerns, and need to speak with someone concerning tree pruning, or have a request for tree pruning, please call Customer Service at 616.355.1500, between the hours of 7:30am and 4:00pm.