The Power Line Path and CPS Transmission Easements

[Robert Davidson]

I had a very interesting meeting with CPS Energy today to discuss using its transmission easements to run the path. They said they had no objection to hike/bike trails using the transmissions easements, but I would have to obtain separate land use easements from each property owner in order to use the easements legally. They are working on providing trail building guidance - in order to maintain the towers they need to bring cranes in and trails would need to be built to support that or be repaired after transmission tower maintenance. There will also be guidance about provide 100' square around each tower to provide enough space for heavy machinery to work, landscaping (enough space to drive through) and so forth.

The owners of land on the west side of Bandera are

Information obtained from Bexar County Appraisal District
Property ID	Owner
239364	City of San Antonio
239434	City of San Antonio
239934	Bandera Rd/Leslie Rd Ptnrshp
239675	Sedona HOA Inc
583783	Sedona HOA Inc
239981	City of San Antonio
239967	Vulcan Lands Inc
240018	Vulcan Lands Inc
240019	Vulcan Lands Inc
240001	Vulcan Lands Inc
165401	City of San Antonio
165402	City of San Antonio
1065126	Braunridge Ltd
1065127	Braunridge Ltd

If anyone lives in these HOAs or has an "inside contact" please let me know so that we can put our most persuasive foot forward when we ask these property owners to give the City of San Antonio an easement for a hike/bike trail.

Best Regards,

Robert Davidson

[alex.b....@gmail.com]

These easements are a bit out of my area, but if you need a body to do
some advocating, let me know. I've always told Lydia Kelly that it's
much better to have bike paths away from traffic. Rather than
spending nickle and dime for non-contiguous bike paths that you can't
get to and can't get off of, like on Wurzbach Pkwy.

On May 12, 9:47 pm, Robert Davidson <rdavidson...@satx.rr.com> wrote:
> I had a very interesting meeting with CPS Energy today to discuss using
> its transmission easements to run the path. They said they had no
> objection to hike/bike trails using the transmissions easements, but I
> would have to obtain separate land use easements from each property
> owner in order to use the easements legally. They are working on
> providing trail building guidance - in order to maintain the towers they
> need to bring cranes in and trails would need to be built to support
> that or be repaired after transmission tower maintenance. There will
> also be guidance about provide 100' square around each tower to provide
> enough space for heavy machinery to work, landscaping (enough space to
> drive through) and so forth.
>
> The owners of land on the west side of Bandera are
> Information obtained from Bexar County Appraisal District

> <http://www.bcad.org/ClientDB/PropertySearch.aspx?cid=1>
> *Property ID*   *Owner*

[Robert Davidson]

There will be all kinds of advocacy opportunities listed in the next week. What is the take on running part of the trail on residential roads - perhaps with bike lanes instead of less accessible transmission path?

[alex bernardo]

In general, based on what I've seen over the years, the municipality does what it can to accomodate bike and hike facilities when there is money available.  But the push to have WHAT to put in has to come from the citizenry; as well as what to keep.  Like Hausman--there was documentation on what they were going to do there, but the citizens had to keep an eye on it to make sure it didn't happen.  Since there weren't enough eyeballs on it, it went through.  The city and state employees, I believe, are not tasked to be watchdogs for construction that may contradict mobility.  They just interface with the public.  WE tell THEM what we think should happen, which is exactly what you are doing.

 

So with that, I think the only impediment to running part of the trail through residential roads are potentially the residence themselves.  Because, as you know, there are still folks out there that don't like cyclists.  So if we want to run through a residential area, we have to sell it to the homeowners there and get their backing.  If everyone wants it and there is money, then it's downhill from there.

 

Hike and bike grassroots have a tough time taking hold here, but it's coming along.  I used to live in Seattle and in California.  Much different there.

--
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