Southern California Edison is canceling a controversial program that allows commercial buildings under its high-voltage transmission lines, saying that the structures can interfere with line maintenance and future expansion.
The decision comes as county fire officials have grown increasingly outspoken about the safety of allowing structures on the wide rights of way that in the past have been left empty for safety reasons or used for farm fields, horse stables and plant nurseries. The utility will return to its former policy of reserving the rights of way under the lines for "low intensity" uses such as greenbelts and hiking trails, Edison officials said in a statement.
Los Angeles County Deputy Fire Chief Scott L. Poster reacted enthusiastically when told Edison was changing its policy.
"That's good. They may have their own reasons to do it, but it's definitely good for the Fire Department and public safety," he said.
Edison launched an aggressive program several years ago to lease land under high-voltage lines for dozens of planned self-storage centers, RV storage yards and other projects. In the last seven years, buildings have been proposed on Edison rights of way in at least 18 cities in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Many called for 65-year leases.
The Edison program reflects the growing scarcity of affordable open land in the densely populated region, as cities and developers strain to add new buildings in shoehorn fashion. Some industry experts hailed the program as an innovative way to reap more revenue from the long strips of vacant land lacing the Los Angeles Basin.
Several projects have been built, including one self-storage complex in Long Beach and another near Anaheim. Others have received city approval, and a small strip mall is now under construction in Rosemead.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department has fought the program for more than three years, saying that several California firefighters have been killed or injured while battling fires or training under high-voltage lines. Poster said he once watched a firefighter receive a severe shock when water from his hose hit a transmission line.
The department, which serves 58 of the county's 88 cities, revised its fire code in 2006 to forbid permanent structures under the lines.
Poster said in an interview Wednesday that county fire officials felt so strongly about the potential safety problems that they were requesting a similar change in international codes.
