Utility Company Cut Down My Blueberry Bushes!

[JP]

Hey guys and gals my wonderul utility company cut down three of our 6 blueberry bushes that were planted in the 1970's. They are trying to compensate me but how do you put a monetary value on something like that, they were trying to offer me $30-$50.00 per tree but I said I don't know what they are worth but I believe a whole lot more than that.

I called the cooperative extension and they are looking into putting a dollar value on the trees.

I will be planting as mature trees as I can find but I know I won't be able to find anything really mature.

Anyone have any say, opinions welcomed, thanks.


...JP

[reinbeau]

No opinion on the blueberrys' value but my opinion of them is they are idiots!  :roll:  That's too bad, JP, I hope you can buy many replacements with what you get from them!

[JP]

No opinion on the blueberrys' value but my opinion of them is they are idiots!  :roll:  That's too bad, JP, I hope you can buy many replacements with what you get from them!

Let me tell you what else they did. This past Monday my wife and I were in our little cabin on our 20 acres. The cabin is in the middle of the property. Well its mostly wooded and we at times have walked to the car or whatever in our birthday suits because well, its 20 acres and we should be able to do that.

The utility guy drives down the main road in and gets out of his truck to check the meter which is on our back porch right next to the bathroom.

My wife was in the bathroom with the door open because you should be able to do that on your 20 acres.

The idiot has to walk past the car that is in front of the cabin to check the meter, he doesn't call out, bonk the horn, nothing. What he does do however, is surprise the heck outta my wife!!!

I caught up with him about 3 miles down the road and he was apologetic but now we will be checking our own meter!

They also cut the powerline 3x as wide as they ever did and wiped out one of my favorite spots on the property. We had privet that grew up next to the trails and it created a rather unique tunnel effect that I just loved, GONE!!!

Later that same day is when I discovered the cut down blueberry bushes as we were picking blueberries from our remaining other three.

I had a guy from the company come out Monday and he was not apologetic in the very least (complete horse's ass) and insisted on telling me that they had the right because it was an easement.

I told him the %$*$5ing blueberry bushes were there since the 1970's!!!

Of course I had to go over the dimwit's head, so now I have talked with 4 other people who are lending an ear BTW, so hopefully there will be a decent outcome, but you know those bushes can never really be replaced.


...JP

[Bill W.]

How big was the annual harvest?  What was the market value of that harvest?  How many years will it take to bring new bushes into similar production?

The annual value of the harvest times the number of years you lose is the damage.

[JP]

How big was the annual harvest?  What was the market value of that harvest?  How many years will it take to bring new bushes into similar production?

The annual value of the harvest times the number of years you lose is the damage.

Its more sentimental value than anything and I don't think you can really put a price on that. We are very good friends with the older couple that we bought the property from and we four have enjoyed picking the berries together, they just cringed when I told them what happened.


...JP

[Bill W.]

I understand what you are saying.  I had a similar thing happen this year when the road-side maintenance people came by and cut back a huge Salmonberry hedge for no apparent reason.  It made me sick.

But, if you are looking for a tangible value that you can back up, I'd go with the harvest value.  It takes five years to get a blueberry to good size and you could probably get $10 per pound.  A mature plant might produce 15 pounds under very good circumstances, so you have an annual market value of $150, times five years = $750.  Since you would have replaced the plant, you are increasingly off-setting your loss each year, so divide in half to account for that.  Call it $375 per plant.  See how they like that.  ;)

[MollySuesHoney]

Man, what a mess.  To properly assess the value of the bushes required Calc III.  I'm sorry to hear about your run in with the power company. I've had my share of run ins with utility companies.  It really gets them when you prove that their idea of easement and the reality after a survey is much different.  That can cost them and they still aren't careful at times.  I hope it all comes out all right.

The blue berries over here are having a banner year.

[JP]

Man, what a mess.  To properly assess the value of the bushes required Calc III.  I'm sorry to hear about your run in with the power company. I've had my share of run ins with utility companies.  It really gets them when you prove that their idea of easement and the reality after a survey is much different.  That can cost them and they still aren't careful at times.  I hope it all comes out all right.

The blue berries over here are having a banner year.

Lawrence, the thing is, is that I just love the pipeline company. They are so cool to deal with, heck they gave me two large gates. Its the other company that's giving me fits.

Molleysue, thanks for your feedback!


...JP

[Jerrymac]

You need to tell them to up date their meters. Our meter is read remotely by a computer through the power lines. I don't really know how it works but they are never out here to read the meter.

OR..... they have to abide by the property rules..... and the dress code is enforced.  :shock:  :-D

[eri]

JP, that is so sad. Up until last year the power company had just bushhogged in the easement every 7 years. Last summer they came through with both bushhogs and an army from south of the border wearing plastic backpacks spraying lethal herbicides. It is still ugly. The owner fortunately intentionally left young pines on either side of the easements so it is hidden somewhat on our property. I hate seeing trees topped for power lines -- especially those species that would never interfere -- like the blueberry bushes. On the bright side, the power company did the same thing on a friend's property in the mountains BUT they obviously intentionally left a lone, gorgeous mountain laurel in the path of destruction. Local crews who knew the local landscape and that that mountain laurel would never get tall enough to cause a problem.

If it were me, I'd take the route of figuring the crop value, etc. to finance replanting. In another 20 years you, or someone else, will benifit.

[Brian D. Bray]

I had a guy from the company come out Monday and he was not apologetic in the very least (complete horse's butt) and insisted on telling me that they had the right because it was an easement.

An easement is not a right of way.  Tell the Aeshak (Turkish for Jacka$$) that easements allow access at the convience of the property owner.  Easements can be cancelled especially in regard to abuse of use, that would set there legal fund back big time. 

[JP]

I had a guy from the company come out Monday and he was not apologetic in the very least (complete horse's butt) and insisted on telling me that they had the right because it was an easement.

An easement is not a right of way.  Tell the Aeshak (Turkish for Jacka$$) that easements allow access at the convience of the property owner.  Easements can be cancelled especially in regard to abuse of use, that would set there legal fund back big time. 

That's how I see it as well Brian, and as I told the Aeshak as I looked him square in the eyes, it may be an easement but its MY PROPERTY and you will notify ME in the future of anything before you enter MY PROPERTY! :-x


...JP

[randydrivesabus]

communicating with your state legislative rep is very effective against those state regulated utilities.

[poka-bee]

JP I'm so sorry this happened to your plants!  They are irreplaceable emotionally & maybe genetically too as they were so old.  Lots of memories there for you and the people you bought from.  Most of my plants are from people, many now gone so I think of them & thank them every time I fiddle w/the yard. You get very emotionally attached to your plants, specially the ones the family has grown up with.  Having said that, use whatever equation you need to to get the most $$, at least that way you will have more choices on what you can replace with.  Don't know if there are heritage blueberries or not, others here will know.  Jody

[hankdog1]

Hey guys and gals my wonderul utility company cut down three of our 6 blueberry bushes that were planted in the 1970's. They are trying to compensate me but how do you put a monetary value on something like that, they were trying to offer me $30-$50.00 per tree but I said I don't know what they are worth but I believe a whole lot more than that.

I called the cooperative extension and they are looking into putting a dollar value on the trees.

I will be planting as mature trees as I can find but I know I won't be able to find anything really mature.

Anyone have any say, opinions welcomed, thanks.


...JP

Had a mess like that happen to me when one of the meter readers from the power company ran over my dog.  They weren't happy about the vet bill and having to pay it but they did.  Couldn't get anything out of them for the gas and the time i had to take off from work to take care of the dog though.  Good luck though i hope you have better luck getting all your money out of them then i did.

[Cindi]

JP, oh my heart goes out to you.  I know that value of the sentimental things, no money can ever replace those types of things lost.  This must be a beautiful place in time for you and your Wife to spend, such seclusion.  Being able to dress (or shall we say undress) as we were at birth, in the raw, is a special thing that not many of us in our lifetime will ever get to experience, and that is a beautiful thing.  This feeling of freedom, say no more, it is wonderful.

I hope that things work out with being reimbursed properly for the loss of the bushes, you will never be reimbursed emotionally, but that you will just have to deal with, it is sad.  The privot tunnel that you speak about sounds more than lovely, what a treasure that must have been for your heart and soul.  Good luck, have the most beautiful and wonderful day, groove on this groovey life.  Cindi

[SgtMaj]

Let me tell you what else they did. This past Monday my wife and I were in our little cabin on our 20 acres. The cabin is in the middle of the property. Well its mostly wooded and we at times have walked to the car or whatever in our birthday suits because well, its 20 acres and we should be able to do that.

The utility guy drives down the main road in and gets out of his truck to check the meter which is on our back porch right next to the bathroom.

My wife was in the bathroom with the door open because you should be able to do that on your 20 acres.

The idiot has to walk past the car that is in front of the cabin to check the meter, he doesn't call out, bonk the horn, nothing. What he does do however, is surprise the heck outta my wife!!!

I caught up with him about 3 miles down the road and he was apologetic but now we will be checking our own meter!

That's not the right way to handle that...

What you should have done was make them keep checking the meter... but place 3 of your most defensive hives right next to it.   :evil:

[JP]

Let me tell you what else they did. This past Monday my wife and I were in our little cabin on our 20 acres. The cabin is in the middle of the property. Well its mostly wooded and we at times have walked to the car or whatever in our birthday suits because well, its 20 acres and we should be able to do that.

The utility guy drives down the main road in and gets out of his truck to check the meter which is on our back porch right next to the bathroom.

My wife was in the bathroom with the door open because you should be able to do that on your 20 acres.

The idiot has to walk past the car that is in front of the cabin to check the meter, he doesn't call out, bonk the horn, nothing. What he does do however, is surprise the heck outta my wife!!!

I caught up with him about 3 miles down the road and he was apologetic but now we will be checking our own meter!

That's not the right way to handle that...

What you should have done was make them keep checking the meter... but place 3 of your most defensive hives right next to it.   :evil:

Great idea Sarge! When I come across the rare few colonies I remove that are out for bear I just might have to set them up, right where the meter man parks. I could have a string tied to a 1 x 2 that I used to seal the hive, then just as he gets outta the car, jerk the string back and out they come, looking for the meter man, it would be just horrid!!

Actually, he seemed like a nice kid, could never do that to him nor anyone else within reason, well, maybe a thief, I have no mercy when it comes to thievery.


...JP

[deantn]

Are we talking about LP&L?

[JP]

Are we talking about LP&L?

Nope.


...JP