After several residents said they never received notice of the plans to build the transmission line, the planning commission requested PacifiCorp, the parent company of Rocky Mountain Power, bring forth sufficient evidence that all affected property owners received such notice. 

The power entity is proposing to build the line from the Spanish Fork substation in Mapleton to the Mercer substation in Eagle Mountain. The project aims to provide additional capacity to support load growth in the state and increase system reliability. The line would go through 12.9 miles of unincorporated Utah County.

“I still am concerned that perhaps statutory notice wasn’t given. And with that issue out there, I’m feeling like, from my perspective, I’d like to push this so that the issue can be reviewed and to see if proper notice was in fact given,” Planning Commissioner Glen Roberts said.

Much of the five-hour meeting inside the commission chambers in Provo revolved around disagreements between Rocky Mountain Power and county residents about whether proper notice had been given.

Rita Ruderman, a project manager for Power Engineers, representing Rocky Mountain Power, said the power company complied with state code by sending out notices to stakeholders and landowners that were within the 500 feet area, 250 feet on each side of the preferred centered line.

She added that four in-person public hearings were held regarding the project last year, and that information was distributed through media outlets and communicated to government authorities. 

“We began this process in 2023 with the siting and routing to further our efforts with transparency and responsible communication to the communities,” Ruderman said. “We requested briefings with elected officials, with city and county staff, just to review the project and make sure that they were aware of what the plans were.” 

However, several property owners living within the affected area said they never received notice during the public comment period, only learning of the plan when Utah County sent out an announcement last week about Tuesday’s meeting.

Among these property owners was Steve Wilson, who said he owns 85 acres of property in the Spanish Fork river bottoms and that the power line is projected to be built through his property.

“Being a developer, I pay strict attention to (a notice) when I get it because I know the importance of being part of that process,” Wilson said. “I was not notified by Rocky Mountain Power. I was notified when the county sent me a letter and said this meeting was happening.”

Numerous property owners of the Salem Park neighborhood also addressed the planning commission, expressing concerns over the impact to their home value, surrounding wildlife and other potential detriments. Though not within the right-of-way to be granted for the power line, they contended they did not receive notice despite owning property adjacent to the proposed power line.

“Utah law is clear; utilities must provide direct mailed notice to every affected landowner and conduct a public workshop before seeking approval of high voltage transmission lines,” said Salem Parks Resident and Wildlife Coalition representative Joseph Ibarra. “Last Sunday night, our coalition gathered 40 declarations from affected landowners, each signed under penalty of perjury, stating that they never received required notice.”

Tami Moody, a principal regulatory permitting manager for PacifiCorp, said Utah state code does not give a specific distance on “affected landowners within the route,” and that Rocky Mountain Power goes off its own 500-foot study area.

She said houses north of Snowy Egret Road in the Salem Park neighborhood were on the mailing list.

“That is what is confusing to us as well, but we can provide those mailing lists to the commission,” Moody said.

The confusion kept the planning commission from making a decision.

“I understand there’s a lot of people who don’t check their mail. It just feels like there are a lot of people who came forward and have said they did not receive notice of any kind,” Planning Commissioner Seth Cox said. “I don’t know if there’s a gremlin eating the mail, but it seems to me like there are a lot of residents who didn’t get notified somehow.”

County officials said that according to a state statute, a land-use authority has to rule on a public utility application within 60 days. However, if the public utility does not satisfy the notification of the public workshop, the land use authority has the right to withhold the decision until they do so.

The planning commission will revisit the item at its September meeting.