A PROPOSAL TO UPGRADE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (AND THE POWER POLES) FROM PINTO LAKE IN WATSONVILLE, TO APTOS HIGH SCHOOL, IS MEETING WITH RESISTANCE FROM SOME LOCALS. IT’S NOT THAT THE PEOPLE IN THE FREEDOM, DAY VALLEY, AND COX ROAD AREA DON’T UNDERSTAND THAT THE AREA NEEDS UPGRADES, IT’S THAT THE CURRENT 39-FOOT TALL WOODEN POWER POLES WOULD BE REPLACED BY FOUR 98-FOOT STEEL POLES AS WELL AS A SLEW OF 89-FOOT POLES. AREA RESIDENTS SAY THAT MEANS THE NEW POWER POLES WOULD NOT ONLY CHANGE THE NATURE OF THE RURAL AREA, BUT WOULD REQUIRE THAT MANY TREES ALONG THE ROUTE BE TRIMMED (OR CUT DOWN ENTIRELY)….INCLUDING SOME HERITAGE TREES. THAT’S WHY THOSE RESIDENTS SAY THAT A FULL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REVIEW SHOULD BE DONE, BEFORE THE PROJECT GETS ANY FURTHER.
