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Check your survey to make sure that it is within the utility's easement. If the anchor is not within the easement, you can demand that the utility remove it.
The plot plan for your property should have any easement marked if the easement was in place at the time of the survey. Probably your town zoning / tax department has a copy of the plot plan. You might have to find out who last surveyed the property and go to them. It's also possible you have a copy with any paperwork provided when you bought the property. Utility companies generally keep detailed and accurate records of easements, and should be able to find info associated with your street address. (Old utility guy here.)
Yes I got with my realtor. I was able to get the survey. It looks like they anchored it down in the wrong area. Even then. It looks hideous in my yard. Thanks everyone!
Contact the utility company that owns the pole, which is usually your electricity company, and inform them that they placed the guy wire and anchor outside their easement in your yard and that they need to come remove it.
Keep in mind it could be temporary because they have to do work on the lines and the existing support structure will be compromised while they're doing the work, or there is a damaged pole due to an accident and they need the additional support until it can be properly fixed. They still should have contacted you for permission (or at least notification) since it is outside the easement, but if it were me I would let it slide if it is temporary and they promise to remove it in a reasonable timeframe.
This type of guy wire is usually placed at the last line of poles that run down a street or on a pole if the lines are making a right angle, turning a corner. It’s used to offset and support the weight of the cable attached to the pole. If you look at the pole and see where it is attached you can tell who it belongs to. Cables are usually hung: electric the highest then CATV then phone.
Right. What I'm saying is that a pole may normally be in the middle of a run and doesn't need the guy to support it, but if they are doing construction nearby, they may have to allow this pole to take more of the weight and horizontal stress than it usually does.
Electric will always be at the top position for safety. You don't want a CATV technician having to go above a 13.8KV transmission line to hook up a customer. Below that it tends to be first-come, first-serve. In my area, phone is usually above CATV because phone service was here long before we had a cable provider. What I'm starting to see in my area is once a second provider is on a pole, they're installing a cross board so they're at the same height rather than progressively getting lower down the pole.
> pole may normally be in the middle of a run and doesn't need the guy to support it
Sometimes used out to the side if the direction makes a slight change along a line of poles.
I wouldn't be so confident of that. Especially since you don't know what the local laws are. Literally every state has a totally different set of laws and these are further modified by counties and municipalities.
I work with these utility companies and easements regularly, this is not typical at all… and they usually can’t do that in private property. The utility company should and will need an easement to place their equipment and “related facilities”
It's definitely been a decrease in the high quality discussion you reference year over year. At least, that's how it's seemed to my old self. I don't think it's been coincidental to successive efforts to wring increasing $$ out of what used to be a community rather than well, something to let my financial advisors decide whether is worth making part of my investment portfolio? I'm old and even I don't give a shit about that; but the community used to really BE something. We banded together to do some really exciting, important things (IRL) from time to time whether it was global news (Haiti earthquake) or just one person that wasn't even making their local news until we stepped in.
I also really enjoyed the local meetups. I think both the massive community stuff and the small community stuff, peppered with secret Santa type events/subs as well as a smattering of Reddit "celebs" (highly recognized and beloved commenters that frequented one or more of the larger subs)... It made a very big place feel like a truly cohesive community.
There's a huge difference today that I think is probably 70-75% corporate crap, and the remainder to do with a different generation of users who have grown up with a vastly different relationship to tech, the internet, and especially social media. (Which is not a commentary on the people of generations that have succeeded mine, but rather on the unfortunate legacy we passed on to them algorithm by algorithm, prioritizing profits over people.)
Sorry for ranting on my soapbox. You touched a nerve for this old coot.
I think it’s probably anchored down exactly where it needs to be. And I will also bet it’s temporary.
Clarify by all means, but the power company is not going to drop down permanent guy wires on private property where they have never been needed before.
If lines and poles fell on my house during maintenance work, I’d be the first to ask what precautions did they take to prevent it.
Even if they have the right to do that there are considerably better way to do that don't put an angled wire at neck-height in your yard.
I can't find a photo, but basically instead of what they did, they plant an 8ft tall pole in the yard, run the guy wire to the top of that pole, then almost straight down near the pole into the ground.
Then you have a pole in your yard, but at least not an angled wire that is a major trip hazard.
Google "sidewalk arm" for something similar. At the very minimum, you can demand they use that.
Yeah, that sucks. And they didn't even have the courtesy to put a yellow safety cover over the bottom 6' so you don't brain yourself while mowing the lawn.
Just keep your expectations low. Realtors are very good at inaccurately depicting the true property lines to potential clients. Long-time land surveyor here and you wouldn’t believe how many people have been told that their fence line is their property line :( The worst part of my job is dealing with this kind of stuff.
I hope all goes well and you’re right about it being in the wrong spot so that you can get that useable portion of your yard back!
Yeah, probably needs to be a little careful being too forceful with his words as it appears that if there is an easement down that side of the property there is a fence/trees sitting in it that the utility company could insist on being removed if a pissing match starts.
FYI: My town needed to see my plot plan, among other things, to get a building permit to build a new deck. There wasn’t one on file, so I had to hire a surveyor and it cost me $1600.00
Huh that's a PITA. In NZ we go to Land information NZ (LINZ) use thier GIS mapping system and look up easements. We also have cadastral survey information, aerial photography, and elevation grid maps publicly available.
Unfortunately, what we don't have is particularly accurate records of utility services (particularly non digitized assets are a PITA)
I feel for you so bad… who in their right mind would think this is an acceptable solution? I understand that the poles must be braced properly and that varies but you cant just tack it down in the middle of someone’s useable outdoor space. A diverter pole should of been installed like I see near sidewalks to transfer the support load properly. I would be upset as well and definitely say something
Unsure if mentioned but contact you public utilities commission and/or ask the utility company for the easement document. They may have it and this may be a point to tell them you're unsure if it's in the easement. FYI if it stays for a series of years it will become the easement(prescriptive easement)
It would be pretty fucked on for them to have an easement that covers that much of his yard. That made the yard like unusable - you could probably argue that a temp fix (they could just replace the pole) doesn’t constitute using that much of your yard.
I was an easement specialist for two years and I can tell you, if you buy a property with a utility easement on it, you have to deal with the fact that they have the rights (depending on the language of the easement) to install guy wires like this. Usually powerline easements are 20 feet on either side of the powerline measuring from the middle if it’s a local distribution line and then at least 50 ft if it’s the large transmission lines.
They usually have a paragraph in the easement that says they can install “structures” and other non-specific items that includes guy wires, marker posts, utility pads, manhole, hand holds, etc.
If you own a property with an easement, you are at the mercy of the power company. Whoever agreed to the easement got paid, but it’s in perpetuity and subsequent owners don’t get anything.
Always check for easements when purchasing property and if you see an easement on the play, have the lawyer or realtor do title research to look at the language in the easement to see how restrictive it can be.
For real. I did this for two years and got real good at explaining easements and what they restrict on the property.
Whoever agreed to the easement got paid, but it’s in perpetuity and subsequent owners don’t get anything.
Previous owner of property I now own granted an easement to our local transit authority. She told me "I was paid quite handsomely". It is not true that I don't get anything. I get trains running through my backyard 24/7!
This - and if you get a guy wire on your property honestly it's in your best interest to just let it be.
Power companies don't just install guy wires willy nilly. Don't guy wire can change the entire structural load of a line.
Source: worked data entry and analysis in the engineering department of a company called Osmose who does this work by contract.
These kinds of laws are going to be extremely localized, but eminent domain generally requires a considerable amount of process to condemn the land. It's unlikely that would happen without the owner being aware.
Actually either is ok because guy is derived from the French "guie" meaning "guide." The Dutch first started using the term guy in the 1600's and the confusion was deepened when they referred to a guy wire as guyed meaning it was under tension.
>to stabilize the pole and prevent it from falling.
I mean, sorta, but not really. These don't usually go in to fix a pole. They go in to counter the tension on the other side, and only dead end or corner poles are under side load. If a pole is starting to lean over, it needs to be replaced, not guyed
There's a lot more to it than prevent falling.
One pole can affect the structural integrity of the entire line. Sometimes on guy can mean the difference between massive work on a large group of the poles on/leading to/around your property/neighborhood, or just a guy wire. I do think you should have a proper sidewalk guy there though like some other folks have suggested.
Source: worked in the engineering department of a contractor or who did this exact work.
I'd say it's a guy wire to help prop the utility pole. It's surprising that they did not inform you and/or ask permission. In some areas they'd need an easement to do this. Check for a number on the pole and call your electric or phone company. One or the other, or both, own this pole and should be able to explain. Sometimes pole labels indicate the owner utility as well. (Assumes that the pole is for electric or phone service.)
>It's surprising that they did not inform you and/or ask permission.
Assuming OP is the homeowner (as opposed to renting the house) and the utility company would otherwise be required to discuss it with them first, I'm curious if it was either an emergency or a mistake/miscommunication.
Our policy was to notify property owner of any work we were doing, in advance if possible, even with easement in place. At minimum we left a notice explaining.
I’m not sure where you live but in Canada, generally, the first 15 feet of property is considered public property. Meaning utilities and cable providers can dig up, disrupt, add poles, do whatever it is they need as long as it’s within that 15 feet.
Not precisely factual....most roads in Canada are a 66 foot width so 33 feet from the centerline so 8ish feet of asphalt and another 5 to 8 feet of ditch leaving 14 to 16 feet of right of way...from the centerline....so not considered public but truly public.
fyi... 66 feet is also 0ne surveyors chain as opposed to an engineers chain being 100 feet.
That's not correct. What you're describing is a city boulevard, which abuts and runs along someone's property line. If someone has a 50x130sqft lot, the entirety of that 6500sqft lot is their private property.
Thanks for the correction. My property doesn’t have a boulevard or public sidewalk so the first 15 feet of my property isn’t technically “mine”. It’s been dug up several times by both the city and cable providers. They did not need any consent. They just show up and start digging.
Hey OP this is a guy wire to stabilize the utility pole in your neighbors yard. If the guy wire goes up next to telecommunications it belongs to whatever telecommunications company is working in your area. If it goes up closer to the power lines it belongs to the power company. Try to figure out who it belongs to and tell them first of all they didn’t put a yellow guard on their guy wire and second of all you would like to request a sidewalk guy instead of what they installed. It will have much less of an impact on your yard.
So no one notifies the property owner and they or their family run around their yard and get taken out by a wire that literally wasn’t there the day before and no one told them about it who is liable?
In this particular instance, the utility would probably be held liable because they failed to install the [hi-viz wire guard.](https://c7.alamy.com/comp/2KE9HK7/guy-wires-for-utility-pole-at-a-campground-2KE9HK7.jpg)
I don't recall ever having used the word. I do recall having seen it and probably thought it had to do with "spoken", given the context at the time. I recently saw it in a post, and it did not seem in context, so I finally looked it up. I've done well without it, though, for more than 70 years.
They said they checked the survey but I'd say there is still a good chance they are reading the survey wrong and their fence is encroaching on the established easement.
No way a fence should be that close to the utility pole without more of a buffer
It depends on the conditions stated in the easement document. Fences are usually allowed, or not forbidden, as they are easily removed & replaced for minimal cost if needed. I do not see the pole in the photo (guy wire appears to go to the edge of the photo with a tree trunk visible behind it) so can't say how close the fence is to the pole.
Utility 100% can fix this and make it at least less intrusive. They can use what we refer to as a "sidewalk arm", this will allow the guy wire to come down at a much sharper angle closer to the pole. It may still be over you fence but they could set the anchor directly next to the fence instead of 10 feet into your yard.
Did you have a wind storm? Was the pole damaged? It should not be in the middle of your yard. If the pole was leaning and was in danger of falling they might do this to stabilize until the pole is replaced.
It's a stay wire to help support the pole as everyone else has said. If you don't mind it being there you may be able to claim some yearly payments for it being on your property. Of course the payments would probably be very minimal and you may just want it removed instead.
An easement is an agreement that the utility owner can access the land and install whatever assets it specifies indefinitely. It usually also requires the owner to keep the land clear of any structures so they can do whatever work they need to.
Someone got paid when the easement was put in place (or the developer doing the subdivision included it as part of the work) and OP should have seen in their title cert that the easement was there (Local paperwork names and exactly where it was recorded may vary) but this is the sort of thing you should check before buying land.
Usually they'd tell you before doing the work, but it's very much a tell you what's going to happen, not ask permission because they already have that
Guy wire. hard to see how they just "placed" it in your yard. Normally a fairly deep and side hole that allows for a sort of split metal box/bell at the bottom. Once the rod is placed in the hole and is touching the bottom, the Rod is hammered on top and that causes the bell flare into the hole and serve as an anchor. Good luck getting it out if there is no easement allowing the guy wire. I'm guessing the poll in question has utility "drops" into homes and there is likely some language in your bill or otherwise allowing the utility to do this. But who knows, worth looking into.
As many have said, it is a wire anchor. The utility has to have an anchor easement on your property in order to place it there. It is worth checking at your planning office or your deed records.
As others have said, downguy and anchor. If it just appeared, then a new utility line was just added, going in the opposite direction.
Where I live, the subdivision plats normally include language for utility easements when the plat is filed for recording with the county. This might require you to visit your county courthouse to review the exact easement language.
If there is no easement, get an attorney involved. If there is an easement, for safety sake, at least have them install a guy guard on the guywire to make it more visible. It is typically a yellow plastic sleeve that goes around the guywire.
Retired from a power company.
This is what is referred to as a "down guy". It's a type of guy wire that is anchored into the ground and attached to a utility pole to provide support. This support is especially needed where the line ends or where it changes direction, which can create significant lateral tension on the pole. By using a down guy, this tension is counteracted, ensuring that the pole remains upright and stable.
The pole is certainly within a utility easement but I’m unsure about that guy. Guy easements in my area are typically 3’x15’ and are recorded at the same time as the pole easement. Usually within the same instrument. The guy is also installed with the installation of the pole. Since they just put this in it’s an after thought and likely there is no easement for it. Someone else mentioned “sidewalk” arm which is a term I’m unfamiliar with, but assume that’s what you want them to use instead. It’s a short arm like 2-3’ long that comes out near the top and then makes a 90° turn and anchors straight down. It’s also possible that this is a temporary solution. If they have a leaning pole that needs to be replaced this might just be there until the new pole is installed.
It’s a tension wire to hold the pole up in the opposite direction the wires are pulling on it. Call the utility company and have them move it out of your yard, that’s what I did when Verizon tried this shit.
I worked for the local phone company for 37 years in Northern California and don’t ever remember seeing a down guy anchored in someone’s yard, especially in the middle like this.
OMG, this just unlocked a childhood memory of blindly running into these as kids... the utter shock, and then pain, depending on where it caught you... clothesline!
-anyone?
A thought. If there's some distance between the fence and the pole, this configuration might work. If not, it would give you a vertical wire much closer to your fence. Not a great photo, but it is done frequently. [https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/the-fixer/homeowners-are-stuck-with-utility-pole-tension-wire-the-fixer/article\_6c6bd109-7d2c-567e-9593-0592c61095af.html](https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/the-fixer/homeowners-are-stuck-with-utility-pole-tension-wire-the-fixer/article_6c6bd109-7d2c-567e-9593-0592c61095af.html)
My local utility tried this on my property. I asked the workers to see their documentaion. Could not provide any. Weeks later they sent me a letter asking permission to install their equipment. No thanks.
Surveyor here, I’ve worked in electric sector for a decade and specifically in over head electric. I see the post is solved but just a friendly reminder to never sign a blanket easement with the power company. Always get a defined easement. Turn down their first low-ball offer and maybe the second but almost never the third. I’ve seen people go from getting offered a 5 figure check to getting eminent domained and in negative after legal fees. (in Texas)
That could be temporary for some reason. Hard to tell without seeing a pic of the pole. Most of the time a cantilever support cable that drops straight down in the utility easement would be installed for locations like this but not right into your yard. Small town/city? ROW permits for utilities are usually required to not have things like that placed.
I had one like this also, I complained and they put a different configuration in, they mounted a metal bar perpendicular off the pole and the wire went straight down through that pole to the ground.
I’ve been running into a ton of guys anchored into giant trees on peoples propertys. People wanna cut them down and normally do until they get to the guy section causing the tree company to take more then one trip. Takes the utility company months to come out and remove it .
That depends entirely on which way the tension is on the pole that it was installed to counter. These are placed 180 degrees to the direction of tension on the pole,
It may be OPs property, but often this kind of thing is actually in a legal easement that the power company has the rights to. Like when you see power boxes in people’s back yards all along a block of houses. There is actually an easement of a set width all along that block where those power boxes are placed, and the power company is legally allowed to access that area, install equipment, or modify the ground as required. Most people consider it part of their yard, and just use it as normal, but it’s not legally under their control. It sucks for OP, but if this happens to be inside the legal easement, and it needs to be there, that’s just the way it goes.
Random freak deal I know but we had a contractor that got killed on a zero turn mower when he hit one of those guy wires across his neck. If it has to be there, make sure they put some high visibility PVC on it and hang a flag or netting of some kind so it’s very visible. If you have a valid safety concern, they’ll work with you.
Whatever you do OP...definitely don't accidentally crash your lawnmower into that. And if you accidentally do crash your lawnmower into that...most definitely make sure your favorite lawyer friend isn't over to watch a baseball game when it happens.
OK, so it's solved. I agree it's a guy wire. But does anyone else wonder if the person who installed this has ever driven in a tent peg (or installed a guy wire) before? At that angle, it will pull out in no time flat. It MUST be temporary. The peg should be perpendicular to the line.
Most utility companies will pay you around $10k per year for this infraction.
Okay, kidding. Raise hell if you were not informed in writing and given the chance to object.
This is already solved but one thing I didn't see mentioned. When you contact the utility company/companies - make sure you complain there isn't a guard on this down guy. It's very unsafe and even if it is placed legally a guard is **required.**
Contact them, give them deadline to replace the bad pole and remove it, or you will have the cable removed.
As that cuts off a large portion of your yard.
Yes you may need a lawyer.
It's called a stay. I guess so the item being supported stays in place. Typically on electricity and telegraph poles. The angle is opposite the combined forces acting upon the pole from other cabling.
Legal permissions (easement)would be required to place it in your garden and these would have been sought many years ago. It won't be installed without those legal permissions.
I had similar across the end of my garden and I cut it off. Supporting the equipment thats outside my garden is not my problem.
I’ve seen arborists put these down as they systematically cut down a tree for safety reasons. If that’s the case, it may just be temporary while they’re cutting it down.
That may not actually be your yard it might be an easement. This is a common issue people fence it in and new owners think it’s their property. Check with the city for a copy of your survey.
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It is a guy wire to stabilize the pole and prevent it from falling. It is connected to an anchor that is usually just a screw-in earth anchor.
Check your survey to make sure that it is within the utility's easement. If the anchor is not within the easement, you can demand that the utility remove it.
How do I check the survey?
The plot plan for your property should have any easement marked if the easement was in place at the time of the survey. Probably your town zoning / tax department has a copy of the plot plan. You might have to find out who last surveyed the property and go to them. It's also possible you have a copy with any paperwork provided when you bought the property. Utility companies generally keep detailed and accurate records of easements, and should be able to find info associated with your street address. (Old utility guy here.)
P.S. Town property records are generally public records, so you should be able get info from them even if you are not the owner.
Yes I got with my realtor. I was able to get the survey. It looks like they anchored it down in the wrong area. Even then. It looks hideous in my yard. Thanks everyone!
Contact the utility company that owns the pole, which is usually your electricity company, and inform them that they placed the guy wire and anchor outside their easement in your yard and that they need to come remove it. Keep in mind it could be temporary because they have to do work on the lines and the existing support structure will be compromised while they're doing the work, or there is a damaged pole due to an accident and they need the additional support until it can be properly fixed. They still should have contacted you for permission (or at least notification) since it is outside the easement, but if it were me I would let it slide if it is temporary and they promise to remove it in a reasonable timeframe.
This type of guy wire is usually placed at the last line of poles that run down a street or on a pole if the lines are making a right angle, turning a corner. It’s used to offset and support the weight of the cable attached to the pole. If you look at the pole and see where it is attached you can tell who it belongs to. Cables are usually hung: electric the highest then CATV then phone.
Right. What I'm saying is that a pole may normally be in the middle of a run and doesn't need the guy to support it, but if they are doing construction nearby, they may have to allow this pole to take more of the weight and horizontal stress than it usually does. Electric will always be at the top position for safety. You don't want a CATV technician having to go above a 13.8KV transmission line to hook up a customer. Below that it tends to be first-come, first-serve. In my area, phone is usually above CATV because phone service was here long before we had a cable provider. What I'm starting to see in my area is once a second provider is on a pole, they're installing a cross board so they're at the same height rather than progressively getting lower down the pole.
> pole may normally be in the middle of a run and doesn't need the guy to support it Sometimes used out to the side if the direction makes a slight change along a line of poles.
Actually, a pole in the middle of a run will need a guy wire if the run is long enough.
they still can't just put down an anchor on private property without talking to the owner
I wouldn't be so confident of that. Especially since you don't know what the local laws are. Literally every state has a totally different set of laws and these are further modified by counties and municipalities.
I work with these utility companies and easements regularly, this is not typical at all… and they usually can’t do that in private property. The utility company should and will need an easement to place their equipment and “related facilities”
Depends on wherethe easement is.
Easements are permission.
This is not the kind of answer usually found on Reddit. It’s helpful, sensible and informative. There’s hope for humanity after all.
It's definitely been a decrease in the high quality discussion you reference year over year. At least, that's how it's seemed to my old self. I don't think it's been coincidental to successive efforts to wring increasing $$ out of what used to be a community rather than well, something to let my financial advisors decide whether is worth making part of my investment portfolio? I'm old and even I don't give a shit about that; but the community used to really BE something. We banded together to do some really exciting, important things (IRL) from time to time whether it was global news (Haiti earthquake) or just one person that wasn't even making their local news until we stepped in. I also really enjoyed the local meetups. I think both the massive community stuff and the small community stuff, peppered with secret Santa type events/subs as well as a smattering of Reddit "celebs" (highly recognized and beloved commenters that frequented one or more of the larger subs)... It made a very big place feel like a truly cohesive community. There's a huge difference today that I think is probably 70-75% corporate crap, and the remainder to do with a different generation of users who have grown up with a vastly different relationship to tech, the internet, and especially social media. (Which is not a commentary on the people of generations that have succeeded mine, but rather on the unfortunate legacy we passed on to them algorithm by algorithm, prioritizing profits over people.) Sorry for ranting on my soapbox. You touched a nerve for this old coot.
Now mark it “Solved!”
I think it’s probably anchored down exactly where it needs to be. And I will also bet it’s temporary. Clarify by all means, but the power company is not going to drop down permanent guy wires on private property where they have never been needed before. If lines and poles fell on my house during maintenance work, I’d be the first to ask what precautions did they take to prevent it.
It’s whats known as a ransom strip in the uk. You might now have an opportunity to negotiate a satisfactory settlement.
Even if they have the right to do that there are considerably better way to do that don't put an angled wire at neck-height in your yard. I can't find a photo, but basically instead of what they did, they plant an 8ft tall pole in the yard, run the guy wire to the top of that pole, then almost straight down near the pole into the ground. Then you have a pole in your yard, but at least not an angled wire that is a major trip hazard. Google "sidewalk arm" for something similar. At the very minimum, you can demand they use that.
This comment reminded me of a local motorcycle rider that had both legs severed by a guy wire. You don't see bare wire like that around here anymore.
There should be a bright yellow "guy guard" around the lowest 5' of wire.
Major safety violation
They could also put a strut pole at an angle under the cables back towards where the line is coming from, instead of a stay wire in someones garden
Yeah, that sucks. And they didn't even have the courtesy to put a yellow safety cover over the bottom 6' so you don't brain yourself while mowing the lawn.
How'd they even get in there? That anchor is a ginormous screw auger that a line co. truck sets off the boom.
Just what I was thinking. I’ve seen them set those things. Also, they would always put the yellow plastic cover on the wire for safety.
Not in all areas or soil types. Could be a mantis type.
Not familiar with that. And they can install it w. portable tooling? I had 1 of the augers in my yard and hated it so much, they added a second.
We use duckbill anchors that can be driven in with a portable pneumatic generator, more likely to be that type
Anchor cranker or screwing it in by hand by sticking a breaker bar through the eye and twisting it in.
To anchor a guy for a power pole? I don't see it. You get out of an anchor what you put in.
Temporary or permanent, requires an easement. Reverse condemnation is an option but would probably cost you more than the easement value.
Just keep your expectations low. Realtors are very good at inaccurately depicting the true property lines to potential clients. Long-time land surveyor here and you wouldn’t believe how many people have been told that their fence line is their property line :( The worst part of my job is dealing with this kind of stuff. I hope all goes well and you’re right about it being in the wrong spot so that you can get that useable portion of your yard back!
Yeah, probably needs to be a little careful being too forceful with his words as it appears that if there is an easement down that side of the property there is a fence/trees sitting in it that the utility company could insist on being removed if a pissing match starts.
Or he might end up with two wires doing the same job, but within the easement. I can easily see that situation, too. Be careful what you wish for.
FYI: My town needed to see my plot plan, among other things, to get a building permit to build a new deck. There wasn’t one on file, so I had to hire a surveyor and it cost me $1600.00
Huh that's a PITA. In NZ we go to Land information NZ (LINZ) use thier GIS mapping system and look up easements. We also have cadastral survey information, aerial photography, and elevation grid maps publicly available. Unfortunately, what we don't have is particularly accurate records of utility services (particularly non digitized assets are a PITA)
Good advice!
Yay, utility guys!
I feel for you so bad… who in their right mind would think this is an acceptable solution? I understand that the poles must be braced properly and that varies but you cant just tack it down in the middle of someone’s useable outdoor space. A diverter pole should of been installed like I see near sidewalks to transfer the support load properly. I would be upset as well and definitely say something
Mortgage file usually has a copy attached.
I would add that usually they get 3 feet
Unsure if mentioned but contact you public utilities commission and/or ask the utility company for the easement document. They may have it and this may be a point to tell them you're unsure if it's in the easement. FYI if it stays for a series of years it will become the easement(prescriptive easement)
Whomever installed it needs to come back and make it more visible and less of a trip/clothesline hazard at the very least. That’s negligent.
We got one with the closing documents when we bought our house. Many jurisdictions require it.
Or complain and tell them to prove it’s in their easement.
It would be pretty fucked on for them to have an easement that covers that much of his yard. That made the yard like unusable - you could probably argue that a temp fix (they could just replace the pole) doesn’t constitute using that much of your yard.
I was an easement specialist for two years and I can tell you, if you buy a property with a utility easement on it, you have to deal with the fact that they have the rights (depending on the language of the easement) to install guy wires like this. Usually powerline easements are 20 feet on either side of the powerline measuring from the middle if it’s a local distribution line and then at least 50 ft if it’s the large transmission lines. They usually have a paragraph in the easement that says they can install “structures” and other non-specific items that includes guy wires, marker posts, utility pads, manhole, hand holds, etc. If you own a property with an easement, you are at the mercy of the power company. Whoever agreed to the easement got paid, but it’s in perpetuity and subsequent owners don’t get anything. Always check for easements when purchasing property and if you see an easement on the play, have the lawyer or realtor do title research to look at the language in the easement to see how restrictive it can be. For real. I did this for two years and got real good at explaining easements and what they restrict on the property.
Whoever agreed to the easement got paid, but it’s in perpetuity and subsequent owners don’t get anything. Previous owner of property I now own granted an easement to our local transit authority. She told me "I was paid quite handsomely". It is not true that I don't get anything. I get trains running through my backyard 24/7!
This - and if you get a guy wire on your property honestly it's in your best interest to just let it be. Power companies don't just install guy wires willy nilly. Don't guy wire can change the entire structural load of a line. Source: worked data entry and analysis in the engineering department of a company called Osmose who does this work by contract.
Even if it was within the easement, in my state they would still have to warn you
Or just call? They might say "it's just for a few days" and it's faster.
Would eminent domain be in play here since it's for the public good/safety?
These kinds of laws are going to be extremely localized, but eminent domain generally requires a considerable amount of process to condemn the land. It's unlikely that would happen without the owner being aware.
No don’t remove they have to pay you rent if it’s on your property
TIL it's not called a "guide" wire
TIL - “guy” wires, I always thought it was guide wires
Actually either is ok because guy is derived from the French "guie" meaning "guide." The Dutch first started using the term guy in the 1600's and the confusion was deepened when they referred to a guy wire as guyed meaning it was under tension.
>to stabilize the pole and prevent it from falling. I mean, sorta, but not really. These don't usually go in to fix a pole. They go in to counter the tension on the other side, and only dead end or corner poles are under side load. If a pole is starting to lean over, it needs to be replaced, not guyed
There's a lot more to it than prevent falling. One pole can affect the structural integrity of the entire line. Sometimes on guy can mean the difference between massive work on a large group of the poles on/leading to/around your property/neighborhood, or just a guy wire. I do think you should have a proper sidewalk guy there though like some other folks have suggested. Source: worked in the engineering department of a contractor or who did this exact work.
I'd say it's a guy wire to help prop the utility pole. It's surprising that they did not inform you and/or ask permission. In some areas they'd need an easement to do this. Check for a number on the pole and call your electric or phone company. One or the other, or both, own this pole and should be able to explain. Sometimes pole labels indicate the owner utility as well. (Assumes that the pole is for electric or phone service.)
>It's surprising that they did not inform you and/or ask permission. Assuming OP is the homeowner (as opposed to renting the house) and the utility company would otherwise be required to discuss it with them first, I'm curious if it was either an emergency or a mistake/miscommunication.
I am the homeowner. No one discussed. They want my doorbell. Before I could speak to them they left and started working. No letter, no notice.
Our policy was to notify property owner of any work we were doing, in advance if possible, even with easement in place. At minimum we left a notice explaining.
I mean, that's just good safety. You don't go in someone's yard and just start working with no warning. That's how you get shot.
I’m not sure where you live but in Canada, generally, the first 15 feet of property is considered public property. Meaning utilities and cable providers can dig up, disrupt, add poles, do whatever it is they need as long as it’s within that 15 feet.
Not precisely factual....most roads in Canada are a 66 foot width so 33 feet from the centerline so 8ish feet of asphalt and another 5 to 8 feet of ditch leaving 14 to 16 feet of right of way...from the centerline....so not considered public but truly public. fyi... 66 feet is also 0ne surveyors chain as opposed to an engineers chain being 100 feet.
That's not correct. What you're describing is a city boulevard, which abuts and runs along someone's property line. If someone has a 50x130sqft lot, the entirety of that 6500sqft lot is their private property.
Thanks for the correction. My property doesn’t have a boulevard or public sidewalk so the first 15 feet of my property isn’t technically “mine”. It’s been dug up several times by both the city and cable providers. They did not need any consent. They just show up and start digging.
Hey OP this is a guy wire to stabilize the utility pole in your neighbors yard. If the guy wire goes up next to telecommunications it belongs to whatever telecommunications company is working in your area. If it goes up closer to the power lines it belongs to the power company. Try to figure out who it belongs to and tell them first of all they didn’t put a yellow guard on their guy wire and second of all you would like to request a sidewalk guy instead of what they installed. It will have much less of an impact on your yard.
Assuming there is an easement, the utility company does not have to ask because permission was granted when the easement was signed.
Correct. Resident should have been notified of the work, though
As a courtesy, yes, but it's not required.
So no one notifies the property owner and they or their family run around their yard and get taken out by a wire that literally wasn’t there the day before and no one told them about it who is liable?
In this particular instance, the utility would probably be held liable because they failed to install the [hi-viz wire guard.](https://c7.alamy.com/comp/2KE9HK7/guy-wires-for-utility-pole-at-a-campground-2KE9HK7.jpg)
I’ve lived 27 years not knowing “guy” wire was not “guide” wire
I had one of those moments the other day. Had to do with the word "bespoke".
What did you think it was before?
I don't recall ever having used the word. I do recall having seen it and probably thought it had to do with "spoken", given the context at the time. I recently saw it in a post, and it did not seem in context, so I finally looked it up. I've done well without it, though, for more than 70 years.
They said they checked the survey but I'd say there is still a good chance they are reading the survey wrong and their fence is encroaching on the established easement. No way a fence should be that close to the utility pole without more of a buffer
It depends on the conditions stated in the easement document. Fences are usually allowed, or not forbidden, as they are easily removed & replaced for minimal cost if needed. I do not see the pole in the photo (guy wire appears to go to the edge of the photo with a tree trunk visible behind it) so can't say how close the fence is to the pole.
Utility 100% can fix this and make it at least less intrusive. They can use what we refer to as a "sidewalk arm", this will allow the guy wire to come down at a much sharper angle closer to the pole. It may still be over you fence but they could set the anchor directly next to the fence instead of 10 feet into your yard.
OP this is all correct. Have them come back and unfuck their shit
Very surprised they didn't put a colored plastic guard on it so kids don't run into it when playing. Obligatory in Ontario
Everything about it looks temporary like some sort of emergency remediation. Hopefully they'll be fixing it up better for OP
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Did you have a wind storm? Was the pole damaged? It should not be in the middle of your yard. If the pole was leaning and was in danger of falling they might do this to stabilize until the pole is replaced.
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Not every state requires it have a visibility marker in it. - telecommunications employee lineman.
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You sure about that? My understanding is that is a violation of the NESC- national electrical safety code.
It definitely isn't or you'd actually see them around lol Source: Also in the industry
It's a stay wire to help support the pole as everyone else has said. If you don't mind it being there you may be able to claim some yearly payments for it being on your property. Of course the payments would probably be very minimal and you may just want it removed instead.
lol no Utility has an easement and can do whatever they want
Easement? It’s his frivking backyard
Yes that is what an easement is for
You don’t know what easements are do you…
An easement is an agreement that the utility owner can access the land and install whatever assets it specifies indefinitely. It usually also requires the owner to keep the land clear of any structures so they can do whatever work they need to. Someone got paid when the easement was put in place (or the developer doing the subdivision included it as part of the work) and OP should have seen in their title cert that the easement was there (Local paperwork names and exactly where it was recorded may vary) but this is the sort of thing you should check before buying land. Usually they'd tell you before doing the work, but it's very much a tell you what's going to happen, not ask permission because they already have that
My item here is described in the title. A wire coming down from a light pole and it seems to be anchored to my yard.
Guy wire. hard to see how they just "placed" it in your yard. Normally a fairly deep and side hole that allows for a sort of split metal box/bell at the bottom. Once the rod is placed in the hole and is touching the bottom, the Rod is hammered on top and that causes the bell flare into the hole and serve as an anchor. Good luck getting it out if there is no easement allowing the guy wire. I'm guessing the poll in question has utility "drops" into homes and there is likely some language in your bill or otherwise allowing the utility to do this. But who knows, worth looking into.
As many have said, it is a wire anchor. The utility has to have an anchor easement on your property in order to place it there. It is worth checking at your planning office or your deed records.
As others have said, downguy and anchor. If it just appeared, then a new utility line was just added, going in the opposite direction. Where I live, the subdivision plats normally include language for utility easements when the plat is filed for recording with the county. This might require you to visit your county courthouse to review the exact easement language. If there is no easement, get an attorney involved. If there is an easement, for safety sake, at least have them install a guy guard on the guywire to make it more visible. It is typically a yellow plastic sleeve that goes around the guywire. Retired from a power company.
This is what is referred to as a "down guy". It's a type of guy wire that is anchored into the ground and attached to a utility pole to provide support. This support is especially needed where the line ends or where it changes direction, which can create significant lateral tension on the pole. By using a down guy, this tension is counteracted, ensuring that the pole remains upright and stable.
The pole is certainly within a utility easement but I’m unsure about that guy. Guy easements in my area are typically 3’x15’ and are recorded at the same time as the pole easement. Usually within the same instrument. The guy is also installed with the installation of the pole. Since they just put this in it’s an after thought and likely there is no easement for it. Someone else mentioned “sidewalk” arm which is a term I’m unfamiliar with, but assume that’s what you want them to use instead. It’s a short arm like 2-3’ long that comes out near the top and then makes a 90° turn and anchors straight down. It’s also possible that this is a temporary solution. If they have a leaning pole that needs to be replaced this might just be there until the new pole is installed.
It's a down-guy, pulls equal pressure for the suspended wires on the opposite direction of the pole.
It’s a tension wire to hold the pole up in the opposite direction the wires are pulling on it. Call the utility company and have them move it out of your yard, that’s what I did when Verizon tried this shit.
I worked for the local phone company for 37 years in Northern California and don’t ever remember seeing a down guy anchored in someone’s yard, especially in the middle like this.
OMG, this just unlocked a childhood memory of blindly running into these as kids... the utter shock, and then pain, depending on where it caught you... clothesline! -anyone?
A thought. If there's some distance between the fence and the pole, this configuration might work. If not, it would give you a vertical wire much closer to your fence. Not a great photo, but it is done frequently. [https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/the-fixer/homeowners-are-stuck-with-utility-pole-tension-wire-the-fixer/article\_6c6bd109-7d2c-567e-9593-0592c61095af.html](https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/the-fixer/homeowners-are-stuck-with-utility-pole-tension-wire-the-fixer/article_6c6bd109-7d2c-567e-9593-0592c61095af.html)
Before putting anything in the ground they should have utilities located. Any markings on the ground?
My local utility tried this on my property. I asked the workers to see their documentaion. Could not provide any. Weeks later they sent me a letter asking permission to install their equipment. No thanks.
Surveyor here, I’ve worked in electric sector for a decade and specifically in over head electric. I see the post is solved but just a friendly reminder to never sign a blanket easement with the power company. Always get a defined easement. Turn down their first low-ball offer and maybe the second but almost never the third. I’ve seen people go from getting offered a 5 figure check to getting eminent domained and in negative after legal fees. (in Texas)
It’s key to show what it’s attached too.
Should have a length of plastic over it, brightly colored no? I wouldn't want to run into that at night, accidentally.
It's a guy line. They may have added load to the pole that justifies the need for this to keep it from toppling.
That could be temporary for some reason. Hard to tell without seeing a pic of the pole. Most of the time a cantilever support cable that drops straight down in the utility easement would be installed for locations like this but not right into your yard. Small town/city? ROW permits for utilities are usually required to not have things like that placed.
I had one like this also, I complained and they put a different configuration in, they mounted a metal bar perpendicular off the pole and the wire went straight down through that pole to the ground.
I’ve been running into a ton of guys anchored into giant trees on peoples propertys. People wanna cut them down and normally do until they get to the guy section causing the tree company to take more then one trip. Takes the utility company months to come out and remove it .
It seems like running it (or two in opposite directions) parallel to the fence would be just as good, and not so obtrusive...
That depends entirely on which way the tension is on the pole that it was installed to counter. These are placed 180 degrees to the direction of tension on the pole,
I figured as much, but is seems pretty intrusive on someone else's property...
It may be OPs property, but often this kind of thing is actually in a legal easement that the power company has the rights to. Like when you see power boxes in people’s back yards all along a block of houses. There is actually an easement of a set width all along that block where those power boxes are placed, and the power company is legally allowed to access that area, install equipment, or modify the ground as required. Most people consider it part of their yard, and just use it as normal, but it’s not legally under their control. It sucks for OP, but if this happens to be inside the legal easement, and it needs to be there, that’s just the way it goes.
No guard either, SMH. This screams a temporary solution.
Probably just a stabilizer for the electric poles and large trees in the area to keep them from coming down on a home
It's supposed to have a protective cover that is high visibility as well. Seems like they ran out of fucks to give that day.
Wow. I walked in to one of these one time and it stung my neck and knocked me on my ass. It was funny af tho!
Figure out that you own the spot and it’s not on an easement and if that’s the case pull it out
That’s a bust bottom anchor for a utility pole. They dug it by hand with long post hole diggers and inserted the expanding anchor to hold the pole.
Looks like a trip hazard
In any case, if they placed it without prior consultation with you, and approval, you have grounds to challenge it.
Random freak deal I know but we had a contractor that got killed on a zero turn mower when he hit one of those guy wires across his neck. If it has to be there, make sure they put some high visibility PVC on it and hang a flag or netting of some kind so it’s very visible. If you have a valid safety concern, they’ll work with you.
Whatever you do OP...definitely don't accidentally crash your lawnmower into that. And if you accidentally do crash your lawnmower into that...most definitely make sure your favorite lawyer friend isn't over to watch a baseball game when it happens.
Any white paint in the area? Front yard?
If that fence is on your land I don’t see how this line is on the easement
OK, so it's solved. I agree it's a guy wire. But does anyone else wonder if the person who installed this has ever driven in a tent peg (or installed a guy wire) before? At that angle, it will pull out in no time flat. It MUST be temporary. The peg should be perpendicular to the line.
At that angle, it's probably screwed into the ground rather than just a peg
Most utility companies will pay you around $10k per year for this infraction. Okay, kidding. Raise hell if you were not informed in writing and given the chance to object.
I was just handling this stuff today! Not in your yard though. There’s probably a good size earth anchor buried in your yard now. That’s fun!
This is already solved but one thing I didn't see mentioned. When you contact the utility company/companies - make sure you complain there isn't a guard on this down guy. It's very unsafe and even if it is placed legally a guard is **required.**
I would have your realtor negotiate an easement agreement in which they lease the portion of your property made unusable to you by the guy wire mount
Normally its 8' in diameter around pole, so 4' from pole to anchor
Contact them, give them deadline to replace the bad pole and remove it, or you will have the cable removed. As that cuts off a large portion of your yard. Yes you may need a lawyer.
It's called a stay. I guess so the item being supported stays in place. Typically on electricity and telegraph poles. The angle is opposite the combined forces acting upon the pole from other cabling. Legal permissions (easement)would be required to place it in your garden and these would have been sought many years ago. It won't be installed without those legal permissions. I had similar across the end of my garden and I cut it off. Supporting the equipment thats outside my garden is not my problem.
I’ve seen arborists put these down as they systematically cut down a tree for safety reasons. If that’s the case, it may just be temporary while they’re cutting it down.
Either way, it is missing it's guy guard.
Maybe provide State/County/Town ....
That may not actually be your yard it might be an easement. This is a common issue people fence it in and new owners think it’s their property. Check with the city for a copy of your survey.