Plymouth Homeowner’s Proactive Phone Call Yields Tree Trimming Surprise
A Plymouth woman is frustrated after losing a beloved tree to an Xcel Energy tree trimming job. She said it wasn’t what she asked for.
Kristi Spike, a homeowner in Plymouth, said she filed a request back in May for the company to trim one of her honey locust trees, as it was getting close to the power lines. Spike said she didn’t hear from the company until the tree was down in her yard on Aug. 20.
“I stopped the car in our driveway and I left it running, and I got out because I was in such disbelief. What am I actually looking at here? Is the entire tree on the ground? And sure enough, it was,” Spike said, recalling the moment she saw the tree.
Spike briefly spoke with a worker wearing an Xcel shirt, who she said told her that this tree was on the list, and the trimming work required it to be cut down entirely.
“The whole tree was in pieces in our yard. The stump, at that time, was at least two feet off the ground. They didn’t cut that down or anything,” Spike said.
Her main frustration: she didn’t hear from Xcel that her yard was going to be visited, nor that the tree was going to be cut down that day.
“It’s devastating to lose a healthy, mature tree without any warning or consent,” Spike said.
The tree was one of four bordering the Spike family’s lawn.
The cut-down tree, left in pieces after being taken down in the Spike family’s yard. (Photo courtesy of Kristi Spike)
Xcel Energy Response
In response to a request for an interview with Xcel Energy, a representative sent the following statement:
“Safety and reliability for our customers and the public is our priority. We take a proactive approach to the maintenance of trees and other plants that grow near our power lines. Trees and plants that grow near power lines can be a safety hazard and are a common cause of power outages across the country when they come in contact with lines.
“When a homeowner contacts us to request removal of tree limbs from power lines, as happened in this case, our crews consider several factors when determining the work that needs to be done. These factors include the species’ growth pattern, future health of the trees post-trim and other factors before trimming or fully removing trees. Our crews’ efforts are consistent with best practices. In this case, our crew needed to remove a significant portion of the tree to prune it back a safe distance from the power line. Upon finishing this work, our crew decided for aesthetic and safety reasons to remove the entire tree. We are committed to improving our communication with homeowners in these instances.
“Often when doing this work, small brush and limbs are hauled away, but large limbs and logs are cut into manageable lengths and left on site for the homeowner’s use or disposal. In this case, we have since communicated directly with the homeowner and removed the debris from the property.”
Xcel said people can learn about its vegetation management program on its website.
Moving Forward
Spike said she hasn’t heard from the company herself, though she has filed a formal complaint. Spike told us that a week later, she found an Asplundh contractor to remove the tree parts. The contractor charged Xcel for the job.
“There was nothing wrong with the tree, was not an emergency situation where it was constantly touching the lines, it wasn’t on fire. It was just so unnecessary,” Spike lamented. “It was a 36-year-old tree, a fully mature tree that provided shade for our yard and our house. And that’s not something you can just run to the store and replace.”
She said this situation is disappointing– and, though shorter, the stump is still in her yard. Ideally, Spike said she hopes Xcel will grind and remove the stump, then reseed the lot. She contacted the city of Plymouth as well as other local governmental officials.
The empty space in the Spikes’ lawn after the tree was cleared away.
