UPDATE: IPL vs Trees

On March 15th, the mediation group of residents selected by Councilor Ike Randolph after the meeting with IPL at the Creamery on February 23rd met again with IPL and the Indianapolis forester along with Ike and Attorney Greg Silver. The mediation group calls ourselves Traders Point Green Preservation-TPGP). TPGP met among ourselves several times in preparation for the second meeting with IPL, and we developed our proposals for resolution of IPL's plan for tree removal and severe trimming. Those proposals,or talking points, were distributed via e-mail within Traders Point last week. We did not expect the negotiations to conclude at the March 15th meeting and they did not. IPL wants time to consider our proposals. Ike Randolph and Attorney Greg Silver are to coordinate with IPL and city forestry to take "field trips" to the Griffin, Huler, and Stevens properties (border south 86th Street). It was tentatively scheduled to meet again the first week of April. In the meantime, Councilor Randolph got IPL to continue the tree cutting moratorium until after the next round of negotiations.
Likely, the first activity of IPL after the March 15th meeting is to have a surveyor do a survey of the 86th Street corridor. In our preparations for these negotiations, TPGP and Greg Silver studied the Huler and Stevens mortgage surveys and the plat drawing of the Silver Leaf Estates (3 properties south of 86th on Moore's west side plus Silver Leaf Court, and Silver Ridge). Mr. Silver then had a surveyor of extensive Indianapolis experience do survey research and make a survey drawing of the Moore-86th intersection and areas east and west along 86th St. The surveyor's results confirmed the mortgage surveys that there is no utility easement on the south side of 86th Street west from the intersection at Moore, and the right of way is only 40 feet from road center then widening to 45 feet further west. Measurements made by TPGP of the power poles on the Huler and Stevens properties show them to be violating the right of way by many feet. Furthermore, running the length of Silver Leaf Estates along the south side of 86th Street is a 15 foot planting easement intended for trees to beautify 86th. IPL violated the planting easement in 1992 when they clear cut the trees from it to put in the power poles we now have.
TPGP has incurred more expense for the fee of the surveyor, but the expense has been very worthwhile. We still are in need for covering the attorney and, now, surveyor expenses so contributions are very much sought. Thanks to those of you who have contributed already.
The last point to make on the tree issue as it currently stands is a bit of suggestion: everyone go hunt up your mortgage survey and look for right of way and easement indicators.