Power poles perturb East Valley resident

Dave and Susie Welsh purchased their home on the southeast fringe of Carson Valley five years ago, a bucolic setting with sage, piñons and jackrabbits. Now there's a brand new power pole right next to their front driveway.

"I don't feel like I have my country view anymore," Susie Welsh said.

Designed to bring power to a proposed development just down the road, the poles skirt both the south and east sides of the Welsh's 3.5-acre lot. The couple spends a lot of time on their front porch in the evenings. Just moving the pole away from her driveway could have mitigated the issue, but Sierra Pacific Power did not work with her, she said.

"We are very frustrated and angry with the lack of communication on this subject and total disregard for our property rights," she said. "We request that all activity be halted until this issue has been fully evaluated."

The neighborhood is a mix of older homes with above-ground power just west of the Welshes and newer, high-end homes with underground power on large lots to the southwest.

Welsh's home offers an expansive view of Jobs Peak to the west. Horses can be seen grazing on the east side and beyond the fence, the first foothills skirting Carson Valley lead into the Pine Nut mountains.

"The biggest frustration for me, is the fact that someone can do this without consulting us. They had plenty of time to involve us," she said. "It affects us profoundly, but we were never informed."

When the Welshes purchased the property, Realtors said the area was restricted to underground utilities. When the excavation began, Welsh said she assumed the work was for underground utilities. The Welshes started getting suspicious and after a few more queries, found out that a waiver for above-ground poles had been obtained from the county.

"I feel the person paying for the power poles is probably a developer selling lots for custom homes," she said. "He will make more money because he paid less for underground utilities at our expense. That really bothers me."

Sierra Pacific Power spokesman Karl Walquist said the poles were placed next to the Welsh's driveway for easier access and because it was cheaper for the customer requesting the service.

"We have an obligation to provide the most economical design for a customer," he said. "We try to accommodate customers when we can."

Welsh said they spent hours trying to confirm what was planned by calling Sierra Pacific, Charter and Verizon. They were always referred elsewhere and received only one return phone call, she said.

The issue was addressed by Sierra Pacific area manager Eric Troska on Aug. 11 and again on Aug. 14.

"I know he spoke to her on the phone on a couple of occasions and explained why the poles were located on the east rather than the west side," Walquist said.

"I called him (Troska)," Welsh said. "He said there was nothing I could do. It had all been handled legally. My argument is, I was never notified. We never had the option to talk about other ideas."

She also argues that she was not advised or consulted regarding the waiver request awarded by the county.

"Since the poles directly affect our home and property appearance as well as value, we should have been given an opportunity to respond to the request for a waiver," Welsh said.

The neighborhood has changed dramatically since the Welshes first purchased their property. Sage has been replaced by development along Jo Lane to the southeast, and the view to the west now includes scores of new homes, Welsh said.

"It just seems like the city is moving out here," she said.

"We used to see wild horses all the time, but they've been gathered up," she said. "I think if you live out here, it should be because you love the country and everything that comes with it.

"I'm one of those people who moved out here for those reasons," she said. "You should be there because you love the country and everything that comes with it."

Susie Vasquez can be reached at svasquez@recordcourier.com or 782-5121, ext. 211.