 | | | PG&E electrical lines along Miner Road are highlighted in yellow. Photo courtesy City of Orinda | | | | | | To outline a vegetation removal project along Miner Road, the city of Orinda held a July 26 neighborhood meeting that included representatives from Pacific Gas and Electric Co., the city and the Moraga-Orinda Fire District. PG&E and the city explained that 110 trees needed either pruning or removal along the road in order to maintain a safe distance from electrical power lines and to provide adequate clearance for emergency vehicles.
At the meeting, not one neighbor complained about removing the trees, all located on private property. Not one neighbor threatened to sue the utility or the city. Not one neighbor objected that the project was approved without an environmental impact review.
Mainly because not one neighbor showed up.
"We have received very little negative feedback from the community," said Larry Theis, Orinda director of public works and engineering, noting that the city had done extensive outreach explaining the need for the project through council meetings, signage and social media.
MOFD Fire Chief Dave Winnacker concurred. "People have gone out of their way to assure me that this is a benefit to their community," the chief said. "It's a big help for us to secure these routes out of north Orinda."
According to PG&E representative Matthew McLain, a contractor will prune 84 trees along Miner Road and remove 26 of them. The work began Aug. 6 at the top of Miner and required the closure of the road. McLain said the company will finish the job by Aug. 10.
"After this, we will be done in Orinda," McLain said.
Theis said that because the paving of Miner Road will begin in the fall or next spring, the problem vegetation needed to be removed so that the construction work could be safely completed. The city also required that the work end before the start of school.
The city received no compensation from PG&E for the vegetation removal.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA