Frisco Homeowners Head To Austin To Fight Power Lines
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FRISCO (CBS 11 NEWS) - The fight to stop massive power lines near Frisco neighborhoods is about to go before a judge, and homeowners are ready to make their case to bury them all.
The median along Main Street has become a battleground between homeowners, an electric co-op, and the city. This space could be used to widen Main Street to ease traffic congestion, or it could be used to plant giant poles for transmission lines -- something many local homeowners oppose.
The sign outside Meredith Held's home says it all: "bury the lines." That's the name of a coalition formed demanding that Brazos Electric Cooperative install transmission lines underground instead of overhead, where many feel they would make an eyesore that would decrease property values.
"Our side of the story is not being heard. It's being shut down by Brazos and by the PUC staff," Held said.
An Administrative Law Judge in Austin will ultimately issue a recommendation on whether the lines should be above or below ground after a hearing next week. Both Brazos and The Public Utility Commission staff argued that information about the impact on property values should be excluded from testimony.
"I don't think they're shooting straight in that they thwarted our expert testimony on what it would do to housing values. They said it's irrelevant. They're not living here. It's not irrelevant to me. It's not irrelevant to my neighbors," Held said.
Although the coalition disputes the numbers, some estimates show installing the lines underground could cost nearly $30 million more than above ground. A spokesperson for the PUC tells us the rules don't allow for the consideration of property values in the decision and that the main consideration is the cost to all customers served by the electric grid, not just the homeowners near the proposed site of the transmission lines. However that won't stop Held from testifying herself about the impact.
"I intend to make my voice heard for everybody in this neighborhood, everybody who belongs to the West Frisco Homeowners Coalition," Held said.
After next week's hearing, the judge has until October to issue a recommendation. After that the Public Utility Commission has until January to make a decision. Coalition members say no matter what the judge recommends they will continue to fight to bury the lines.
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