[Schenk]

So...Avista was called out due to some arcing between some lines and a tree on the back side of my property. I was not there when it happened and I think it was a subcontractor, Asplundh, who did the "trimming". I understand their need and "right" to cross my property to service their equipment and lines but they created some problems for me. 1) They broke down my fence and left it down after they were done. it is not repairable the way they left it and some posts must be replaced. it is a good thing I did not have a pet in the back yard or it would be gone now. 2) They broke a large branch on a large Doug fir in my yard, a nice one. They broke it leaving the property as their truck hooked it and they just kept going until it broke. It was a lower branch on a 100' tree that provided some nice privacy for my porch. It cannot be saved and must be removed. I can tell how it happened by the 3' long scrape that took the bark off of it. 3) They took out parts of trees in my yard not encroaching, nor in danger of encroaching, on their power lines. 4) they left some large branches (8") that are still in danger of encroaching (actually touching the bottom lines) and did not remove them. The tree has been shocked now and will send suckers straight up into the power lines within 2-3 years and they will have to come back and mess up my yard again. 5) They left me no note or message they had been there. They completely trashed my yard and trees, left a mess, and left no notification or courtesy note explaining why they were there... So, they had a right to cross my property to access their lines, but did they have the right to: 1) leave the mess and indiscriminately drop limbs onto my fence and crush it? 3) Leave dangerous "hang-fire" up in the remaining part of the tree? One piece was a chunk of limb 6"in diameter by 2' long with a branch still attached that hung up on a branch still left on the lower part of the tree. There was such a mess that I did not see it and when I tried to move some debris on the ground so I could walk around and inspect the damage it hooked the widow-maker and it fell down and it missed my head by an inch and still hit my shoulder. Ouch! left a mark but I am glad it did not hit my head. There was a lot of other "widow makers" left once I took a better look. Someone could have been killed if they were in the wrong place when one came crashing down. 2) do damage to, and remove major portions of, trees that were not part of the problem nor even near the power lines? 3) Remove and ruin a different part of my fence to gain access and leave it down? I called Avista and inquired and I after a bunch of runaround someone finally said the standard "we don't do clean up"...but that wasn't really my main concern or question. My real concern is the dangerous condition and hazards they left up in the tree and the remaining large branches still in contact with the lines. I would also like to get some dump passes so I can clean up, otherwise I am looking at a large dump bill...the mess is pretty big. Any suggestions? I appreciate any insight or suggestions on how to at least get some dump passes...and hopefully my fence repaired. They are lucky that widow maker didn't hit me more severely as I am pretty certain that would not be my fault...

[Ski]

I would be on the phone raising hell with every party concerned: Asplundh, Avista, the Mayor's office, my city councilman, the city arborist, and anybody else's ear I could bend. Just my lousy two cents, as always. I seriously hope you are able to get things back in order to your satisfaction without any out-of-pocket costs incurred on your part. bk

[MadCapLaughs]

Document it all with pictures. Call everyone and complain, as Ski suggested. Send the pictures. Will your homeowner's insurance try to recoup damages . . . for the fence, for instance? They might have something to say about this. File a BBB complaint. This has worked for me in the past when nothing else would. I know: they are utter butchers. They should be forced to use actual arborists.

[Slide Alder Slayer]

Get Jesse!

[Magellan]

That is completely whack. Yeah, I would document it, and start yelling at anyone who picked up the phone. Especially letting the city/county know what a crappy job they did.

[IanB]

So sorry to read your story. Unfortunately, what you describe is still so typical of "tree trimming." It's inexcusable. And the incidental damages done to your fence and the trees unrelated to the line clearing is vandalism, plain and simple. If you have photos of the site as you found it before cleaning up, I'd be tempted to take it to the police as a criminal act. Proper arboricultural practices are well-documented, but typically somewhat more expensive to employ than hackery. The bottom dollar line is probably the only way to get the utilities to pay to have such work done properly. Being taken to court and forced to pay damages, along with the bad publicity, might be what it takes to get them to reconsider who they hire. I don't enjoy suggesting the heavy-handed approach - I know it gets you into a lot of additional headache. But when dealing with people that only view trees as inconvenient or as a source of profit, having to pay money seems to be the only way to get through to them.

[NacMacFeegle]

It's horrible to think how much money counties and the state must waste employing these tree butchers. Every year they endeavor to make the whole state as ugly as possible. One incident in particular irks me: recently a local county park decided to build a campground, and the county arborist required them to cut down nearly every tree in the park before they could build it. What trees were not cut down initially were damaged, and were subsequently removed. Now we have a lovely parking lot masquerading as a campground.

[Ski]

just a note: If you drive around the island of O'ahu you will notice that the overhead power lines are routed around the monkey-pod trees alongside the roads, as opposed to cutting the trees to accommodate the power lines. In a place whose motto is "The Evergreen State" you would think we would be able to do better.

[FailsToMeetExpectations]

+1

[Schenk]

Thanks Everyone! Avista has blown me off and the last conversation I had with anyone they essentially have put the onus on me to file a Civil lawsuit if i want any satisfaction. An Avista "Forestry Engineer" was supposed to contact me this morning and come to my house and look at the job they did but he has apparently blown me off. Typical: Lip service and then failure to follow through. I did write our mayor, mayor David Condon", and all I asked for were some dump passes so I can afford to haul off the mess Avista left me. His office has not responded but I am not holding my breath. So I either need to pony up for an attorney who can file a civil suit for me, or suck it up and deal with the damage and mess Avista left me. This would NOT have happened in a more affleunt neighborhood and Avista can tell I do not have the resources to call them out on their disregard for my property so "suck it up" it will have to be. Perhaps this is just another example of how a PUD in Spokane would benefit the citizens.

[Bedivere]

How extensive is the damage to your property? I'm talking the debris they left, damage to your fence, and any other landscaping repairs that might be necessary in terms of dollars? While it's a big hassle for you, I can't imagine the dollar amount exceeds the limit for small claims court. You don't need a lawyer to file in small claims. I'd go after them, and make them pay to fix your damaged property. You probably can't do a thing about the tree butchery, but you should at least get your fence repaired and yard cleaned up.

[Schenk]

Thanks for the suggestion. You're right...the damage is probably under a small claims threshold. If they continue to maintain they are not responsible and hold their position after I talk with them one last time I will look into that.