FARMINGTON -- They were wary, skeptical and not easily put at ease. Area residents, worried that trees lining their streets might be given the vegetation version of a "buzz cut," were among those turning out for a Utah Power-sponsored open house in Farmington Monday morning. The event explained the utility's pruning policy and demonstrated the techniques employed. Certified arborists were also on hand to answer any questions. Nearly a dozen residents took time to observe the activity, which was held ostensibly for local government and state representatives as a means of getting heads together on the best way to approach the issue.

A number of people from the State Forestry Department and Department of Natural Re-sources as well as TreeUtah were on hand to watch as crews from Wright Tree Service worked on a series of "demonstration trees." So was the Farmington Historic Pre-servation Commission, in the person of Chadwick Green-halgh.

The crews will be back to complete the job within the next one to three weeks.

Periodically, Utah Power must trim trees, mainly along Main Street, but also side streets, to make sure they do not interfere with power lines and, hence, power service. The trees, particularly the stately sycamores on Main, have become a symbol of the city and a source of pride for residents.

Greenhalgh said the intense citizen interest stems from an incident back in March when Utah Power had several trees trimmed. Some residents, he added, were surprised at the severity of the trimming, and annoyed by a lack of consultation.

"We understood that Utah Power's clearance standard was 12 feet," he said, "but it appeared that in some cases it was more like 18 feet."

Since then, residents, the city and the utility have been trying to work together more closely.

Jeff Hymas, media relations specialist for Utah Power, acknowledged that many residents have expressed concern about the way the trees are trimmed. But, Hymas said, the technique in place is not just best for keeping lines clear, but for the trees themselves.

"Arborists we work with are dedicated to preserving the health of the trees," he said. "They tell us this is the best way to maintain that. Topping the trees can threaten the health of the tree, over time, and open it to insect infestation."

Over time, he added, usually within a few weeks, regrowth from the tree tends to soften the effect of the trimming.

Residents, Hymas added, need to understand that Utah Power trims trees as a service to its customers. The goal is provide them with reliable electric service by reducing the number of tree-related outages. In a city like Farmington, known for its periodically powerful east winds, this is a major concern.

Utah Power is not only working to educate residents on its trimming techniques, but also to resolve any disputes that may arise with property owners. If economically viable, alternatives will be explored.

"We had a good turnout this morning, in fact, the program went on a lot longer than we had anticipated," Hymas said Monday. "I think we were able to address a lot of concerns."

Greenhalgh acknowledged the need for the work and said he appreciated Utah Power's response.

"We'll continue to watch them and make sure they follow their standards," he said. "I commend Utah Power for trying to provide a good balance of safety, reliability and aesthetics for Farmington's street trees."

Taking some advice from TreeUtah representatives, Green- halgh added he and other residents will approach the Farmington City Council about forming a city tree board or committee.

"We feel we need to set up a series of standards and procedures for Farmington," he said. "We feel this is the best way to get people involved."

bmickelson@davisclipper.com