First Cut or Trim Notice

FIRST CUT OR TRIM NOTICES

Tree interference with power lines

Trees that grow too close to powerlines can cause problems with the local power supply and be a danger to the public.

If it is noted during a survey of your area that trees on your property have grown too close to the overhead lines, you will be issued with a notice requiring the trees to be cut or trimmed in accordance with the Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations 2003.

Under these regulations Unison will provide the first cut or trim for these trees at our cost if the following conditions apply:

according to Unison records the trees have not been subject to a previous cut or trim at our cost
the trees do not form a shelterbelt
the trees have not been the subject of a previous agreement

In these circumstances a First Cut or Trim Notice will be issued.

Before this work is carried out you will need to complete and sign the first cut or trim notice and return it to Unison.

Failure to complete, sign and return this notice within 7 days may result in you missing out on this first free cut or trim and you may be charged for any work needed to clear the trees from the power lines. Please read the back page of the notice as there are several important points about the tree regulations that you need to know, including the following information.

Ongoing responsibility is yours

Once we have done the first free cut or trim, you as the tree owner are responsible for keeping your trees away from the power lines. The zone tables and diagram below show the growth limit zone and the area that you will need to keep the trees outside of in the future.

You can declare no interest (not applicable to shelterbelts)

How to declare no interest

You need an approved contractor

Cutting and trimming trees in the vicinity of power lines is dangerous. Touching the live power line or a tree close to the line, can result in serious injury or even death by electrocution.
Under the Electricity Regulations no person is permitted within 4 metres of a powerline without approval. In the Hawke’s Bay, Taupo and Rotorua regions this approval can only be granted by Unison.

Contact Unison Contracting Services’ trees team - specialised contractors fully qualified and experienced in tree trimming around live powerlines.

An approved contractor must be used if any part of the tree is within 4 metres of the powerlines.

CALL UNISON FIRST | 0800 2 UNISON | 0800 286 476

Action to be taken codes

Code	Description	Code	Description
ST	Side Trim	FT	Fell Tree
HR	Height Reduction	DT	Dismantle Tree
SH	Side and Height	NA	No Action Required

The above table explains the action codes that may appear on the notice.

Growth Limit Zone

Overhead Line	Notice Zone	Growth Limit Zone
33kV - High Voltage	3.5 metres	2.5 metres
11kV - High Voltage	2.6 metres	1.6 metres
400V/230V - High Voltage	1.5 metres	½ metre

Note:

The above distances are from power line.
Distances must be maintained under all conditions eg. High wind.
Low voltage is the power line between the house/building and Unison’s transformer.