Posted by Rich-CA on April 25, 2007 at 09:07:57:
Like anything else, it depends on the people involved. I used to work for the phone company (CA) and between them and the electric company, the had entire units who spent all their time making sure nobody messed with their easements, even if they weren’t currently using them. Being private companies, the local government has less influence (and less is needed) than if they were government run utilities.
Property Easements–UREGENT ANSWER NEEDED - Posted by Michele
Posted by Michele on April 23, 2007 at 12:53:08:
After have a utilities pole and fire hydrant on an easment for over 50 years, someone has bought the vacant lot in front of my parents home and now wants to move the privacy fence that was built on the easment/property line over 20 years ago. They want our power pole and hydrant moved after 50 years. THis is at the end of a one lane dead end street. At the end of the street is a man on life support. Interrupting his services would cause him to possibly die. This would also mean that if there was an emergency and we had to get him out in a hurry, there is no way the fire department or the ambulance could come down the street and manuever and turn around etc. The street would be torn apart from moving the fire hyrdant. Is there any way to block this man from having the utility pole moved?
Re: Property Easements–UREGENT - Posted by Rich-CA
Posted by Rich-CA on April 24, 2007 at 18:37:08:
Who owns the fire hydrant and utility pole? If its the electric or phone company for the pole, contact them and let them know you have a lifeline issue. Contact the Fire Chief and let him know. If the fire dept. owns the hydrant, the new owner may not get very far unless he pays for the move. Utility companies are notoriously cheap when moving working facilities for no good reason and are likely to make the person asking for it pay. They are also good at protecting their easements. The cost alone should make him back down.
If its private, is the easement recorded? If so, it will state if he has any rights to make such a demand.
Re: Property Easements–UREGENT … - Posted by Frank Chin
Posted by Frank Chin on April 24, 2007 at 05:02:22:
Michele:
Hard to give an answer in such a case.
I think you’re better off seeking a local leader, in my area the councilman, who might be in a better position to help. Also, the other neigbors on the street who might be affected by this may be enlisted to help your case.
Frank Chin
Re: Property Easements–UREGENT - Posted by Frank Chin
Posted by Frank Chin on April 25, 2007 at 08:54:09:
Rich:
We had a problem in my old neighborhood a while back, I came home one day, and saw a group of neighbors yelling and screaming out on the sidewalk. They called the sanitation, fire, police departments, and went round and round with these people for weeks.
I piped up, and said “why not call the city councilman”. They looked at me and said “we don’t know who he is”. It was a few days before elections, and I took the group down to the corner and showed them the sign “relect councilman L…”.
One guy said “it’s your idea, why don’t you call”.
I did. The place was crawling with inspectors from various city departments, the next day, and the problem was taken care of immediately.
Told this story to a friend of mine in a NJ town, and he said had a neighbor that comes home late at night all the time, roaring in on his motocycle. The police told him there’s nothing they can do as it’s not against the law.
He called his councilman, and a noise ordinance was passed that called for fines, etc.
I find that when politicians call the local utility, fire dept, police, they hop on things right away. I gave up going after municipal agencies myself years ago.
Frank Chin