Utility Installations in Windsor Park

AT&T is putting in fiber lines in the neighborhood.  Unlike the google fiber who dug trenches in the streets, which have their own problems, ATT is laying large 3” pipes along the easements.  This work is being done by a subcontractor ADB Companies 

An easement for those who don’t know is an area where certain utilities can do work. From what I’ve been told by a the city telecommunications inspector, the easements are a total of 10 ft wide and that is usually split across a property line, 5 ft on either side of the property line along which the easement is tunning. 

This is not EVERY property line around your property; there are specific places where there are easements. To find out the easements that may cross your property you can go to:

https://maps.austintexas.gov/GIS/PropertyProfile

To see the property lines:

1. Go to the “Search and Identify Data” Tab
2. Click on “Change Visible Layers”
3. Uncheck All of the top level boxes
4. Then Check the top level “Property”
5. Then click the “+” symbol next to the “Property” 
6. Then click the “+” symbol next to the “Address Information” 
7. Then Check the “Addresses”, “Easement Annotation”, “Easement Lines”

From what I understand, these companies do not have a right to just come across your property dragging these large pipes damaging landscaping and potentially other structures on your property.  They have a right to work within the easement.

It is important that you confront the installers before they start doing the work. Because they are boring the tunnel under the dirt, you may not even know that they have installed these pipes if you aren’t watching. Most importantly, the pipes that they are installing should be within the easement. Since it is under the dirt you may not know for years that it is there, but if you are digging to put in a structure or a pool that goes right up to the easement line, and they have come over that line by a foot, there could be conflict with AT&T at some point, and while you may have every right to insist that AT&T is not in compliance, it will be a much bigger problem then, than making sure to confront the contractor who’s installing the pipe now.

If you have trouble with the installers or need the city inspector for telecommunications development to get involved, call 311 and ask for a Inspection Supervisor from the City of Austin Development Services Department: https://www.austintexas.gov/directory-services We are in district C8 and the Commercial Code Supervisor is David Cruz whose email is David.Cruz2@austintexas.gov

Nifty map: https://maps.austintexas.gov/GIS/CodeOfficerDistricts/