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Designing around rights of way

Pollination corridor beneath power lines in Richmond.
A BC Hydro transmission right of way in an industrial area of Richmond not only hosts a popular pedestrian path, but a riot of wildflowers that serve as a pollination corridor for bees and other pollinators.

With good design, land owners can use ROW to their benefit

With effective planning and design, land owners can benefit from power line corridors. Good design can also lead to better, more aesthetically pleasing communities near our rights of way.

Individual property owners can take advantage of a private property ROW to enjoy a larger lot, potentially with a large garden and additional outdoor space. Public ROW corridors can accommodate walking trails, playing fields and bike paths.

Before beginning design, you should conduct a thorough survey of the site and the surrounding area, including a detailed analysis of views of power lines from the site. You should also review the ROW Agreement to clarify rights, responsibilities and restrictions.

Learn about pollination corridors under rights of way

Here are some tips that can help reduce the visibility of towers, poles, and power lines:

  • Place non-residential buildings nearest to our infrastructure, to help block the view from most public and residential areas.
  • With new subdivisions and communities, vary the alignment of streets and paths.
  • Try, wherever possible, to design communities on ground higher than neighbouring transmissiontowers, as towers on hills can appear far more prominent.
  • Keep in mind that towers set across the ridge of a hill will be silhouetted against the sky and will appear more prominent than towers set in a similarly elevated position but with rising land or development behind them. Even subtle level changes across a development site can make a significant difference.
  • Use landscaping outside of the ROW boundaries, such as groups of strategically placed trees, to block or diffuse views of towers and other works This can create a more pleasing series of silhouettes that help to reduce the visual impact of towers.
  • Designate high voltage transmission lines in orange and distribution lines in pink and blue colors.