Title: Tilley v. Green Mountain Power Corp.

State: vermont

Issuer: Vermont Supreme Court

Document:

NOTICE:  This opinion is subject to motions for reargument under V.R.A.P. 40
as well as formal revision before publication in the Vermont Reports.
Readers are requested to notify the Reporter of Decisions, Vermont Supreme
Court, 111 State Street, Montpelier, Vermont 05602 of any errors in order
that corrections may be made before this opinion goes to press.


                                No. 90-044


Russell Tilley and Helen Tilley              Supreme Court

                                             On Appeal from
     v.                                      Chittenden Superior Court

Green Mountain Power Corporation             December Term, 1990


Richard W. Norton, J.

Suzanne R. Brown of Perry & Schmucker, South Burlington, for plaintiffs-
  appellees

David T. Austin of Sheehey Brue Gray & Furlong, Burlington, for defendant-
  appellant


PRESENT:  Allen, C.J., Gibson and Morse, JJ., and Barney, C.J. (Ret.),
          Specially Assigned


     MORSE, J.   Plaintiffs, South Burlington property owners, sued
defendant Green Mountain Power Corporation (GMP) to prevent GMP from running
additional power lines along an existing easement across their property.
The trial court granted plaintiffs a permanent injunction preventing
construction.  The court found that when the easement was initially created
in 1961, a GMP representative, in conversation with Helen Tilley and Russell
Tilley's father, Rollin, had assured them that "the power line would not be
enlarged in scope."  Relying on Isbrandtsen v. North Branch Corp., 150 Vt.
575, 579,