Residents urge Tualatin to seek injunction as PGE installs high‑voltage poles on Stafford Road

Dozens of Stafford Road residents told the Tualatin City Council on Jan. 26 that Portland General Electric’s (PGE) new transmission poles will scar the rural Stafford corridor, threaten property values and pose fire‑safety risks unless cities intervene.

Ed Wagner and Kelly Bartholomew of Safe Stafford Road presented photos and analysis they said show existing pole heights of roughly 65–70 feet and new poles planned at about 100–130 feet, including a run of roughly 55 industrial towers. "PGE is already building during this appeal," Bartholomew said, and asked the cities to "file an injunction with the court to stop construction until you can at least evaluate what is your role in this."

Other residents framed the issue as a public‑safety and land‑use concern. Wanda Lichtenberg, who said she has lived on Stafford Road since the 1980s, cited lack of public water in the area and prior power‑line fires and asked the council to oppose the P.G.E. project south of I‑205. Jim Walker warned that transmission lines (which he said are about 112 kilovolts) differ from residential distribution lines and said downed lines could trap residents on single‑driveway properties and delay fire response.

Speakers also raised economic and aesthetic impacts. Lanille Vandermolen told the council she had realtor estimates that property values could drop "30 to 40%" and said PGE had provided inconsistent accounts of routing options. Residents urged use of the intergovernmental agreement (IGA) that guides urban reserve development and asked the city to assert its role in the county permitting process.

City staff and counsel responded that the process is under review. The city attorney said Clackamas County notified the planning commission on Aug. 26, 2025, and the mayor told residents that the city attorney is coordinating with the attorneys in neighboring cities and that a formal approach is "TBD." The mayor said there would not be a resolution that night.

What happens next: residents asked the city to consider filing an injunction to pause construction until pending LUBA appeals and cities’ roles are clarified. Council staff indicated they are reviewing the matter with other city attorneys but did not commit to a specific legal action at the meeting.