Glen Ellyn residents oppose ComEd tree-clearing

Residents in Glen Ellyn's Danby Woods neighborhood are unhappy with a ComEd maintenance project that calls for removing trees and other vegetation from behind their homes.

Residents in six houses that border the Great Western Trail and ComEd power lines recently received letters about the project, resident John Nilles said.

Danby Woods Homeowners Association President Bob Orlikowski said ComEd wanted to remove all the plant and other growth beneath its power lines in the area, reaching out 10 feet on either side.

He said residents oppose the plan because it removes vegetation "that's kind of a natural barrier for our neighborhood."

Nilles, whose property sits along the trail, said the move would negatively affect aesthetics and property values and open the view of a neighboring industrial area. Residents would have a clear and unwanted look at a school bus yard, a construction yard, a motor pool and a salt storage facility, Nilles said.

"It would give the subdivision a bad name real estate-wise, and then you have to realize this is going to be a wasteland," Nilles said.

Orlikowski said the natural barrier also helps with security.

"It's also kind of a protection for our neighborhood, prevents people from wandering from the Great Western Trail into people's backyards," he said.

The work in the Danby Woods subdivision is part of a larger ComEd project to trim and remove fast-growing trees beneath and near transmission lines along the Great Western Trail bike path roughly from Bloomingdale Road, through Glendale Heights to the company's Glenbard substation, according to a ComEd news release.

The work is designed to "ensure safe, reliable electricity" for communities, the company says.

ComEd tries to eliminate any vegetation that grows more than 10 feet tall from under its transmission wires and on 10 feet on either side.

"Typically our routine maintenance would be to go in and take out everything beneath those lines and then on either side of the lines, 10 feet," ComEd spokeswoman Liz Keating said. "And then a little bit further than that ... we just typically trim trees."

Keating, who stressed that the work would take place on ComEd property, said ComEd has met with the residents and revised some of its plans. The buckthorn closest to the homes will not be removed until 2017. Also, she said ComEd will be planting some new vegetation in the area and will give residents time to move some trees.

Orlikowski said residents still haven't agreed to the work plan.

"We don't feel that they need to take all of the vegetation, so we don't agree with what they want to do," Orlikowski said.