Welp, didn't have a story until this morning. We live in an older neighborhood with very mature, large trees. about 5-6 years ago we remodeled and added on to our house and decided to remove 3 enormous silver maples(each about 60 feet...huge). I thought i'd be a great neighbor and also ask the arborist to trim up the neighbors, as he had some dead/dying branches coming over our yard. Was gonna be and extra $500 but I figured what the hell, just spent $5k on the other 3 and it'll help the view (plus, always had to pick up falling twigs, branches, etc). As he starts to trim they run out at say 'but we want the shade'....uh...what shade, shade from the dead branches (long story but in the end they were being stupid about it). I told them the arborist recommended as it would help the trees and look better and ultimately they would start dying quicker if not trimmed...dude was a magician swinging around and felling this huge trees...but i digress. I said I would happily pay for it but they didn't want it...oh well...didn't need issues with them so I let it go, but again stated that we would only trim the dead/dying branches.....and that they need to have it done as i don't want larger branches falling in my yard. For the last five years i've had to clean up dead twigs up to about 6 foot dead branches almost every time I mow....if they are outside I make sure they see me cleaning them up and look and point at the dying limbs...
Fast forward to this morning, finishing 18 at the golf course, wife calls freaked out, someone pounding on the door...she didn't answer as she was home with my twin 4 year olds and didn't know who it was. What she didn't know was that last night I noticed a very large Dead branch in the yard (about 12 foot, 4-6 inches diameter)...yep...same part of the branch I was going to remove. it chunked up my yard and there were hundreds of broken twigs all over
So about 6 am, big branch ended up back in his yard. Well, he must have noticed it yesterday as my wife said (after the pounding on the door, which really scared her because apparently it was excessive(we have a doorbell by the way), there was a "NOTICE" of me violating city ordnance(yeah, he misspelled Ordinance) and a bunch of language he copy/pasted, highlighting the portion that talks about anything that falls "naturally" in my yard is my responsibility, and if this "act" occurs again charges will be filed. Also a bunch of other stuff about how it takes little effort to keep things safe for kids and how this portrays a negative perception....you kidding me...my yard and house is immaculate and well, his...isn't. Safety for kids??? How about the dead branches that could fall on my kids that you wouldn't let me Pay to Remove For You.
Technically, it is my responsibility....and as the branch had fallen...and wasn't quite against the fence(if it had damaged the fence it becomes his responsibility...go figure)...it was on me. It bothers me given the history, but the law technically is with him(mostly as I haven't made an issue of His dead branches over My yard)
He did this same thing to our other neighbor after a Huge branch(.another dead one) fell in there yard, hit their house and car, but he took zero responsibility and would help pay for it to be removed (about $300). Luckily no major damage was done.
Well, he might get a "NOTICE" of his own. I've had some time to cool down, and actually can understand him being pissed about me put His Dead Branch Back in His Yard, for Him to clean up. That said, he might get notice for either now him to trim his trees, or the City can take look at the dead branches and force him to clean them up...cause brotha, while they are on the tree, they are His responsibility.
He can put it back in my yard, and i'll cut it up, but he won't do that.
There's a ton more backstory on this tool, he was a big Ron Paul "don't tread on me" libertarian guy, but he wants it both ways, doesn't want to trim the trees....doesn't want to clean up the crap when they fall. Funny how that works. There's more I won't go into.
I won't put anything back in his yard, as much as I think the law is kinda missing the point here but this really gets me. If this was reversed, I would absolutely take care of it...and I have back when I had those huge maples.
We both have small children and I don't want some huge problem with the guy, so I will just let it go. But if he brings it up, I simply say throw it back in my yard and i'll take care of it....and you have 30 days to trim your trees.
By the way, if these were Healthy trees/branches, and I hadn't already offered to trim them(them saying no), and and "Act of God" made them fall...I wouldn't have an issue.
We'll see how it rolls I guess...