OTISFIELD – The selectmen agreed to stand by the new ordinance calling for underground power lines during a meeting with planning board members and a power company representative Wednesday night.

In mid-June, Central Maine Power representatives met with the board to discuss the building ordinance adopted by voters during the annual town meeting in March. That ordinance calls for one telephone pole per private property.

CMP representatives noted there are several roads in the community down which they have to run power lines for miles to get to a home. Under the new ordinance, home owners will need to run power lines underground.

Bob Fickett of CMP reviewed his numbers and again stated underground power lines are three times more expensive than overhead.

“Your ordinance is unique because it requires the individual home owner to go underground,” Fickett said.

There are many towns that require underground lines for subdivisions, he noted. Fickett suggested the selectmen get estimates from private contractors for underground costs as well as overhead.

Planning Board member Rick Micklon gave the selectmen cost estimates for underground power lines from private contractors he works with. They showed the costs to be approximately the same or lower.

Planning Board Chairman Stan Brett noted costs would increase if installation requires blasting through ledge but the ordinance does allow a variance in such cases.

“I agree there could be certain circumstances that could triple the cost,” Micklon said.

The selectmen plan to ask Code Enforcement Officer Rodney Smith to track underground versus overhead power line installation costs.

“Then we will know the real cost,” Selectman Lenny Adler said. “We’ve got an ordinance that we’ll stand by.”

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