RES 2025054 - Laserfiche WebLink

Maintaining adequate clearance between high-voltage electrical equipment and nearby vegetation is the responsibility of the electric utility, which is PG&E within Pleasanton City limits. Within the WUI areas of the City, PG&E is responsible for maintaining at least four feet of clearance between its high-voltage equipment and nearby vegetation for wires carrying 22.5 kV or less, 6 feet of clearance for wires carrying from 22.5 to 72 kV, and 10 feet of clearance for lines carrying more than 110 kV. The utility is also responsible for removing branches likely to fall onto their equipment regardless of distance. Healthy, stable trunks and major branches are exempt from this requirement since they do not readily ignite. Electrical utilities are not required to maintain specific vegetation clearances around low -voltage wires and service drops. However, they are required to maintain vegetation near their electrical lines, including low voltage lines, if the vegetation is abrading or damaging the line. If you have concerns regarding trees around electrical lines or tree pruning work that PG&E or their contractors are conducting, you can contact PG&E's customer service department at 1-800-743-5000. Inspections Public and private trees within the City's WUI areas should be inspected annually for conditions or defects that will make the trees more likely to ignite, pose a high risk to public safety, or obstruct public and private roads. Annual inspections should be performed before the beginning of the fire season in May, ideally sufficiently early that there is adequate time before the fire season begins to complete any needed tree maintenance work. Annual inspections should be focused on identifying the following conditions or defects: ■ Large dead areas of the tree crown, large broken branches that are hanging within 10 feet of the surface, and significant accumulations of leaf litter in the crown. ■ Dead trees or dying trees with no hope of recovery. ■ Branches in contact with high-voltage electrical equipment. ■ Branches overhanging the roadway less than 14 feet above the road surface obstructing vehicle traffic on public and private roads. ■ Trees near buildings and roadways with root or trunk defects that are a high risk for whole tree failure and are likely to strike the building (or other crucial infrastructure like well tanks) or land in the roadway. ■ New branch growth on trees within 10 feet of buildings, The above conditions and defects are generally readily detected by a short visual inspection. These annual inspections are expected to be incorporated into the routine inspections performed by property managers and by tree maintenance crews while performing routine tree trimming or removals. Tree Removal & Replacement Standards Tree Removals All trees in both urban and natural areas have a lifespan within the landscape that is partially dependent on the care and maintenance they receive. When a tree's related costs (maintenance, watering, pruning, or hazard level) outweigh its benefits (aesthetics, energy conservation, air quality, etc.), tree removal should be considered with a replanting plan. Dead, declining, or diseased trees should be removed from the urban forest before they present a hazard. However, tree removals should be justified based on a condition assessment, a cost -benefit analysis, a hazard evaluation, or other fact -based methods that justify removal as the best approach. Removing large trees results in losing valuable environmental and economic benefits that are not easily or quickly replaced. For trees APPENDIX A -WILDFIRE 21 of 219