A DIFFERING VIEW: Ruby Hill lines should be buried
After the Rocky Mountain News’ July 6 endorsement of massive new electric transmission lines that pierce the long-established mountain view plane at the crest of Ruby Hill Park (“Ruby Hill standoff”), its readers deserve another perspective.
Ruby Hill Park includes one of the highest points in Denver and provides stunning 360-degree views. Until Council Bill 306 was filed, these views were protected in all directions by two of Denver’s 13 view planes. Unlike other Xcel Energy transmission towers around town, the Ruby Hill park transmission lines blight the scenic crest of Ruby Hill from all directions.
It is specious for Xcel to equate transmission towers in a park with transmission towers anywhere else.
Unfortunately, the Ruby Hill neighborhood lags behind much of the city in revitalization and redevelopment. A comprehensive study by the Denver Parks and Recreation Department showed that residents of southwest Denver have fewer parks and green spaces than any other area of the city.
So why would the city pass up this opportunity to diminish the impact of an undesirable land use ? The Denver City Council just has to keep itself from subverting the decades-old view plane no matter how loudly Xcel whines.
Civic leaders are today lamenting the city’s failure to take care of the many parks it has developed in the past few decades. Responsible husbandry of such amenities includes taking advantage of opportunities for improvement that present themselves, rather than allowing further degradation on our watch. Don’t allow City Council to subvert the view plane, at Ruby Hill or anywhere else.
Kathleen MacKenzie is completing her second term on the Denver City Council representing District 7, which includes the Ruby Hill neighborhood.
Why? They're not buried now.......
Posted by on July 12, 2007 10:09 AMWhy? They're not buried now.......
Posted by on July 12, 2007 10:09 AMWhy? They're not buried now.......
Posted by on July 12, 2007 10:10 AMOf course they should be buried. If this was not a poor neighborhood there would not even be a discussion about it.
Posted by Obvious on July 12, 2007 10:14 AMDoes that mean I can get the transmission lines through my SE Aurora neighborhood buried too? Obvious say he'll pay for it.......
Posted by on July 12, 2007 02:36 PMAurora is so ugly that it doesn't really matter
Posted by on July 12, 2007 03:33 PM