General Etiquette > Life...in general

Letting neighbors have a say

(1/7) > >>

Shoo:
Here's our situation.  We live in a newer neighborhood with very few large trees.  Our backyard happens to contain two 100' cedars that were not cut down when the neighborhood was developed.  These trees provide a great deal of shade for not only us, but for many of our neighbors as well.

When we first moved here, a year ago, we met our neighbor a few houses down and one of the first things she asked me was if we were going to cut down the trees.  She hoped we wouldn't.  At the time, I said, of course we weren't.  We liked the trees.  End of discussion.

Now, a year later, there are new houses all around us that weren't here a year ago.  Very close, full of families with children.  And we've been enduring one severe windstorm after another.  We're in the middle of another one right now.

These trees are making us sick with worry.  We've had two arborists come to our house to look at them for us.  Each of them said the trees looked healthy, but that because of all the recent construction, their root systems could be affected by changes in ground water chemicals and other things.  Things that can take a few years to manifest.  Also, these are apparently only two trees left standing in what was once a forest of trees.  We were told that when trees are cut down all around, the remaining trees' root systems are left weakened.

We are seriously considering having the trees removed.  This would be a considerable expense for us, and a bit heartbreaking as well, but we feel like these trees are a castastrophe waiting to happen.

Should we inform our neighbors of our intentions and get their input?  Or should we just do what we feel we need to and just let them deal with it?  Everyone we talk to in the neighborhood loves our trees.  How do we tell them they're coming down?  Or should we?

fklwmn:
Honestly? they are your trees, and your liability. And even if you weren't worried they would fall, but were just tired of them, it would still be your perogative to remove them. Have them removed. If the subject omes up in general conversation, mention it to your neighbors, detailing the same concerns you have listed in your post here, if appropriate.  But I wouldn't ask permission, opinions, or even give a warning. That will just open things up for people to criticize your decision. I'm sure you'll get enough of that anyway, you don't want to make people think that you WANT to hear it.

BatCity:
My feeling on this is, if the trees are healthy, let them stay.  It sounds as if the arborists have both concluded that the trees are fine right now, but it may be a good idea to have them check back once a year or so.  Spend the money to have anything that looks like it may damage your house trimmed back.

In the meantime, go ahead and plant a couple more trees if you have room for them.  That way you have a head start if they do need to be taken down.

I am in sort of the same boat...newer neighborhood, not many trees, and a very hot climate on top of that.  Large trees are a precious resource that can usually be balanced with the risk they pose.

Lara

veryfluffy:
When we moved into our house, there was what seemed to be a lovely old apple tree at the end of our long garden. We then got planning permission to put up our cattery building. If the tree had been healthy and thriving, we would have tried to keep it, but it turned out to be rotten at the core with ivy strangling it from inside. So we cut it down. The backyard neighbour (who had strongly objected to us putting up the cattery) marched around the block and rang my doorbell, and ranted that I had promised to leave the tree. Well, we had said we intended to, but it certainly wasn't a promise. And I explained it was rotten anyway.

"We liked that tree, it always had birds in it, nice view from our upstairs windows, blah di blah..."

"Well, maybe you should plant your own tree in your own garden."

One thing I had done was leave an old dry-stone wall on our boundary, but had them sign a bit of paper saying that they accepted responsibility for it, and would sue me if it fell over.

On the other hand, I think that cutting down what are perfectly healthy trees is trying to bubblewrap the world. You've paid experts to look at them -- if anything happens now, presumably your household insurance would cover any damage.

sweedetobee:
Your yard, your tree.
I would not ask the neighbors their opinions and I would not inform them the trees would be coming down. You would just be inviting them to feel like their opinion mattered, which it doesn't. 

I did like what another poster said though - professionals said the tress are currently healthy so why don't you leave them and have the professionals check back in 6 months or a year? In the meantime plant another tree so you at least have a nice, healthy young one growing.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page