Title
Resolution to Approve a Grant of Easement through Riverside Park to DTE Electrical Company for Electrical Utility Service (8 Votes Required)
Memorandum
There is a resolution before you to approve a grant of easement to DTE Electrical Company (DTE) for the construction and maintenance of an electrical utility service located in Riverside Park.
In February 2012, PAC recommended allowing DTE to plant 23 trees in Riverside Park to satisfy the Conflicting Land Use Buffer section of Chapter 62 of the City Code. DTE has indicated a need to construct a new substation, to be called Buckler Substation, at their Ann Arbor Service Center property at 984 Broadway to provide a necessary increase in electrical power in the downtown area to address the increased community utility needs. The Buckler Substation abuts Riverside Park.
DTE’s construction of the substation and related infrastructure is slated to begin in the summer of 2013. Total construction time is anticipated to be 4 - 6 months, but activity will be intermittent with gaps needed to coordinate activity. The placement of new utility poles, removal of old utility poles, and overhead lines require that an easement granted, so that construction and future maintenance can occur. Currently utility poles and overhead lines exist on Riverside Park - the proposed construction replaces the existing utility poles with new ones, and generally impacts the park in a similar manner to existing conditions.
As part of the project, 15 trees will need to be removed by DTE. The trees proposed for removal are generally of poor quality and have been deformed over the years due to trimming necessary for the existing utility poles. The tree removal work will likely be performed by a DTE contractor, Davey Tree, under the direction of DTE facilitator and arborist. When the 15 trees are cut down, branches will be chipped and removed from site. The trees will be cut at ground level. The stumps will be ground down below grade by a lan...
Click here for full text