Mark Cooper has lived on the corner of Brooke street and Nacogdoches for more than 12 years… And now he says these utility poles that are pushing him to leave Corpus Christi.
“I’m worried about the resale value, my neighbor across the street is,” said Mark Cooper, a resident living near the poles.
He says it’s not just a few poles bothering him, but a “pole city.”
Seven utility poles were put up right in front of this neighborhood and that’s not counting the eleven that go all the way down the opposite side of the street.
“I understand all that but right here they could have gone underground over to the main poles,” said Cooper. “I wouldn’t have had a problem with it but don’t put it in my yard and in my back door.”
There are markings inches from his driveway where more poles are set to be placed. Cooper says what is most upsetting is that he was never notified.
“They did not meet with us at all,” said Cooper. “The city or anyone sent out a letter or anything that they’re going to ruin our neighborhood with all these power poles.”
AEP-Texas, the company in charge of installing these poles says putting up poles where needed is well within their jurisdiction, and right now those poles are set to feed new development.
“Usually if we have to go beyond that that’s when we will really do some outreach to customers but if it’s in the right of way this is part of our job that we do,” said Omar Lopez with AEP Texas.
“We’re building a new distribution feeder line and that’s going to support a lot of the growth that’s happening in the area,” said Lopez.
AEP- Texas says they try to work with residents and their engineers are looking at alternatives for some of the locations where more poles need to be placed.
