Carson City upset over Pick-n-Pull's improperly placed power poles

Owners of a dismantling yard are nearing completion of their Highway 50 East project but are finding themselves stuck between a power pole and a hard place regarding their electrical needs.

The owners of Pick-n-Pull Dismantling Yard, based in Sparks, will have to mount a defense before the Carson City Planning Commission regarding the business' decision to bring power to the 13-acre site via power poles and not underground.

A condition of Pick-n-Pull's special use permit, issued in October 1999, says power into the site must be extended underground. The condition was added because the site is at one of the "gateways" to Carson City and planning commissioners were trying to reduce the visual impacts of the dismantling yard near Lyon County on Highway 50 East.

Dick Mills, Pick-n-Pull co-owner, said the condition was later changed to say power on the site would be underground. Mills, with the help of Sierra Pacific Power officials, brought power to the site via poles on the east edge of the dismantling yard on a road that is part of the property. All utilities on the rest of the site are underground, he said.

"From our angle on things, we have a choice of putting the poles on Highway 50 and coming across to our property or to bring them down the edge of the property the back way," Mills said. "We chose the visually less-intrusive route."

City officials say because the power poles are on the Pick-n-Pull property, they must be underground.

Juan Guzman, community development senior planner, said when the plans for the project were approved, the above ground power poles were shown to be underground. The city is asking Pick-n-Pull to either put the lines underground or bring power to the site along Highway 50. Planning commissioners may opt to allow Mills to leave the poles in the existing location.

In a letter to city planning officials, Pick-n-Pull neighbors Petrie and Marguerite Brown, owners of neighboring ABC Heating and Sheet Metal, noted their opposition to bringing power lines in front of their Highway 50 East property. The Browns would prefer to see the lines either left as they are, put underground or put behind their property.

"The city's hands are kind of tied. I do own the road," Mills said. "I think the planning commission will see it my way. If (planning commissioners) don't like where the power poles are, we'll have to bring them down Highway 50. I don't see the point of bringing them down Highway 50 when I can bring them in by a less intrusive way."

If you go:

What: Carson City Planning Commission

When: today, 3:30 p.m.

Where: the Community Center's Sierra Room, 851 E. William St.