Telephone Poles

[dmccarty]

Gary,

One thing you can do is go look for id stamps/plates
on the poles. In NC EVERY pole owned by the power
and communication companies is taxed as property by
the state. So the poles have an id that can be seen
from the ground. That way the tax man knows he is
getting what he is owed. Theorectically. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Tain't never seen anyone checking the numbers but
they are there....

Later...
Dan

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Hmmm... I'm guessing that, since I sure don't remember seeing any plates on these poles, I own them.

Maybe when they go I can get some of those nice, tapered aluminum light poles that get knocked over in car accidents. Usually the damage is only a few feet up so I could cut off the bottom few feet and be all set. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

One of the first things you can do is read your property deed. If the utility doesn't have an easement listed, bill them for rent on a monthly basis. Usually they will ignore your bills, because in the minds of most utility office workers, you are a nut.
Wait 120 days, and sue the utility for the rent in Small Claims Court, and make sure the Court is aware you are suing under the account stated rule.
It probably won't take long to move the poles after that.
If there is an easement, notify the utility by Certified Mail that the lines are below height standards, and pose a danger to horses & riders. That should get a ball rolling.

 

[gusg]

Thanks. I asked the title company when I purchased the property if an easement existed and they said no. However, the title company said based on their experience, they will just go down and record an easment if I make a big stink about it. I can always try.

 

[manganos]

If it is only phone service cables on the poles then they are owned by your phone company. If there is any power on them they are usually owned by the power company and we pay for joint use. Anything we put ON the pole itselt (not on the cable to either side of the pole) costs us more because it is taxed. It really is a weird system. We have to pay tax for cable we have sitting in our pole/cable yard because the state says we could be making money with it even though it is sitting dead. I know around here we would charge you to come bury the lines or put in new poles if it was your request. If the company comes to do it for just routine maitnence it would be no charge more then likely. This is the way we work it around here in VA.