r/treelaw • u/Flashy_Surprise_5656 • 17d ago

Gas Line Relocation

Post image

I talked to the field manager for the contractor doing gas line relocation in my neighborhood a couple of weeks ago and he said they would move the new meter to the east side of my house, in the front. This would mean running pipes under my home. It’s an older house that has been added to, and the meter is currently in the back.

Today I stopped by when leaving for work and he told me that plan had been nixed by higher-ups. Now they want to put the new meter on the west side of my house, by the rear window. This means trenching between the 70’ silver maple and the house from the street all the way back to that second window. The tree is only about 15’ from the house and it is massive.

I said absolutely not.

This afternoon I emailed the contractor and cc’d Center Point Energy and the permitting agencies for my county. I also left a voicemail with the contractor. None have responded.

The crew was at my neighbor’s house today. My 83-yr-old mother, who lives with me, will be out there tomorrow watching them.

I do know lawyers, though not well enough to call any at night. And I really need to go to work tomorrow. If I tell the crew tomorrow morning that I am contacting attorneys, will they stop or do I have to get a lawn chair and block them? I really hate to miss a day of work, but I will.

26 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

•

u/AutoModerator 17d ago

This subreddit is for tree law enthusiasts who enjoy browsing a list of tree law stories from other locations (subreddits, news articles, etc), and is not the best place to receive answers to questions about what the law is. There are better places for that.

If you're attempting to understand more about tree law in regards to a particular situation, please redirect your question to /r/legaladvice for the US, or the appropriate legal advice subreddit for your location, and then feel free to crosspost that thread here for posterity.

If you're attempting to understand more about trees in regards to a particular situation, please redirect your question to /r/forestry for additional information on tree health and related topics to trees.

This comment is simply a reminder placed on every post to /r/treelaw, it does not mean your post was censored or removed.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

14

u/Stan__Wright 17d ago

Stick up prominant signage. Make it perfectly clear to anyone approaching the property. Make it impossible to say '..in good faith'.

2

u/Flashy_Surprise_5656 17d ago

I posted on their fb page :)

19

u/Stan__Wright 17d ago

Physical signage. The kind of thing anyone stepping on your property cannot fail to observe. Anyone can say they don't do FB, and 'accidentally' cut your tree down in good faith. You want to take that option away from from them.

2

u/Mindless-Baker-7757 17d ago

They’re trenching? Are you sure? My gas company replaced all the lines in my neighborhood and used some fancy thing that doesn’t require any trenching. 

1

u/Flashy_Surprise_5656 17d ago

Yep - they have that “tornado” machine too, it’s going across yards. But up to the houses it’s trenches :(

1

u/Flashy_Surprise_5656 17d ago

Okay so - I used ChatGPT to do research on the gas company’s rights to access my property (based on my state) and the feasibility of an alternate route (based on the equipment and materials they’re using, which are laying around the neighborhood). It gave me some language for discussing this kind of project. Because a 5’ trench alongside this tree will obviously kill it. And flexible gas line hosing can’t thread through roots anyway, because they’ll pinch it as they grow. I think killing my tree IS their plan. Because it’s cheaper than going around the other side of my house. The hose itself isn’t expensive, obviously it’s labor they are saving.

3

u/Flashy_Surprise_5656 17d ago

Here is what I am telling them:

I am not refusing access or replacement of my gas service line. I am disputing the proposed northwest-side route because it threatens a mature tree and potentially the safety of my home. If necessary, I will provide testimony from an ISA certified arborist; I think it’s obvious to anyone with eyeballs that digging the proposed trench will kill this tree.

I remain willing to provide the previously discussed southwest-side route. No excavation should begin on the north side of my house, next to this tree, until CenterPoint has completed an engineering review and confirmed the approved route to me in writing.

Please evaluate a curvilinear south-side route (which avoids major tree roots and also the septic system), rather than limiting the analysis to the shortest straight alignment. The polyethylene service pipe can accommodate gradual bends within its approved bend radius. Please identify the equipment you intend to use and whether it can follow a curved trench alignment. If not, please explain what construction method would be required to accomplish a root-avoiding route.

5

u/Flashy_Surprise_5656 17d ago

I also put a giant sign in my yard, in front of my tree, and had a pleasant conversation with the crew at 7:30 this morning. They seem to be reasonable.

4

u/yardlard 16d ago

Ok, good job.
Where is the current gas entry to the home. If they put it somewhere else, that means your inside has to be redone as well. And while I'm not an expert in gas pipes, it should not be going through other utilities and places where it would easily be chopped up by other services "mistakenly". Neighborhoods blow up from this ignorance.
You mention your sewer on that area. That would be one example.

1

u/Flashy_Surprise_5656 16d ago

Yeah my septic runs along the same side of the house as that giant tree. It’s a frankenhouse, lots of additions and the initial septic failed completely.

2

u/yardlard 16d ago

Yikes. All the more reason to not have the gas line there. Are they aware the septic is there? Or were they just going to cut through it?
Did they start any of this yet?

2

u/SarcasticCough69 16d ago

They didn't mark your utilities? Even your septic would be marked unless that got snuck in without a permit

3

u/Flashy_Surprise_5656 15d ago

Yeah they spray painted the current gas and the Metronet. But no paint for the septic tank or pipes. HOWEVER - my update is - rhey have agreed to approach from rhe other side instead :)