Eastside Neighbors Sue PSE Over Power Lines

*Synced from Seattle and Real Estate Blog
People who own property between Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park in Renton and Newcastle Beach Park near Bellevue have filed suit against Puget Sound Energy over the placement of a stretch of the proposed 18-mile long high-capacity power lines between Renton and Redmond that are part of PSE’s Energize Eastside project, according to an article in The Seattle Times.
Their lawsuit stems from PSE’s suggested plan of installing power lines on parcels of land on Lake Washington that were originally intended for BNSF Railway use, and later sold to the Port of Seattle after the railroad plan was abandoned. The 74 property owners filing suit contend that the Port only had rights to the corridor’s ground surface, but sold the aerial and subsurface rights to PSE as well. The land owners, along with many other Eastside residents, are hoping to preserve the land as a pedestrian and bike trail, and say installing the power lines would require clearing vegetation and would obstruct shoreline views from the trail.
PSE is considering several alternative routes for the power lines, which are being installed to service the Eastside’s growing population, and the property owner group is encouraging the utility to choose one that doesn’t disrupt plans for the lakeside pedestrian park. PSE will not be applying for permits for the power lines until early 2015, and have said they are dedicating 2014 to gathering public input on the project. If you’re interested in learning more about Seattle Real Estate, contact your local real estate agent today.