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I don't know about your exact location but live oaks are protected by restrictive laws in many areas where they grow in the south, including in Florida.
I would have put on a more durable roofing material and kept the trees for shade in a place as hot as Florida.
This is true but the battle really belongs between the developers and the City. The City allowed the developers to subdivide lots so small that an oak cant grow to its full size without damaging the houses, and the developers planted the oaks to make the City happy. The homeowner is the one stuck with the maintenance and costs. If the oaks are protected because they are too few in number then its because homeowners arent planting new ones on too small lots.
I understand any house owner that wants trees removed from their property. From wanting a better view to not wanting to deal with roof issues such as yourself to not wanting to rake leaves all the time to not wanting to deal with cracks in the sidewalk. Trees serve a great purpose but can at times create problems for others.
Personally I have issues for the city for planting all those trees in the city when they perfectly know well in advance that there is not enough in the budget to maintain them. There are so many uprooted sidewalks from trees and it's too expensive to fix them. And come fall all there are many sidewalks that are not raked and becomes an eyesore with wet leaves all over the place. There should be a height restriction for trees in the city.
We have that issue in our downtown. Some genius planted oaks in 4x4 foot bare sections between the sidewalk and now the roots and stump have destroyed the sidewalk and overgrown them.
YOu mean pay a contractor to get up on the 2 story high angle pitch roof to do it? Cause I certainly cant do that.
Probably still cheaper than what you'll wind up paying in higher utility cost. Had a neighbor cut down a mature maple that provided afternoon shade because he didn't like dealing with the fall leaves. Same tree provided a little bit of shade to my house and my bill went up some, I can only imagine his had to have just about doubled after that tree was gone.
We have that issue in our downtown. Some genius planted oaks in 4x4 foot bare sections between the sidewalk and now the roots and stump have destroyed the sidewalk and overgrown them.
And when exactly are they going to fix that problem? NEVER. It's not in the budget. All those city planners that thought of the idea of planting trees that grow to that size are irresponsible and should lose their pension.
If they won't let you take down a tree unless it is sick, you can use the slash and squirt method to kill it. Buy a little Garlon at a farm store. Cut throught the bark with a machete or hatchet, and squirt a little garlon into the wound. This will kill the tree any time but in the spring when the sap is rising. A large tree may need two or three squirts around the circumference, but one squirt will take care of a 12" to 18" trunk.
Once the tree is dead, you won't have any trouble getting a permit to take it down.
We had an old, dead maple tree along the rear property line, but definitely on our side. It had been there so long that it was mostly trunk with almost no branches left. One summer evening my husband finally took it down himself with a rope and a chainsaw.
The older neighbors who live next door came running out and giving him grief because they enjoyed watching from their kitchen window whatever bird it was going in and out of the hollow at the top. We usually got along great with those neighbors but they really gave him a talking-to about that tree.
He just said, "Well, I didn't want it to fall on one of the kids," and left it at that.
I had the team out there to remove the trees and my neighbors kept making comments to me like "Those were beautiful trees, I cant believe youre killing them" and "Such a waste to cut those down."
Umm excuse me you didnt have to spend the money to repair shingles, siding, etc and deal with the maintenance. Have you guys had trees removed and had neighbors giving you flack?
You should have told him to mind his own business and that if you wanted his opinion on how to manage your property, you would have asked him for it.
Nothing grates on my nerves more than some busybody sticking his nose into my business.
You did the right thing in cutting those trees down. Anybody that thinks a tree that is leaning and has branches on one side is 'beautiful' needs new glasses. Trees that are misshapen are ugly ! Most people plant trees when they get a new house and don't realize how big they are going to get, or they plant them too close to the house. I've cut down several trees in my yard over the years and have offered to cut down some of the neighbors junk trees. In my book, every soft maple should be removed. They are nothing but junk with all the 'whirlybirds' & leaves. Trees are renewable, cut down an old one and plant a new one !!
You should have told him to mind his own business and that if you wanted his opinion on how to manage your property, you would have asked him for it.
Nothing grates on my nerves more than some busybody sticking his nose into my business.
This. I cannot understand this idea of telling someone what they can do on their own property they pay taxes and mortgage etc on. It's one thing if you rent, but if you own property, you ought to be able to cut down or plant whatever the heck you bloody well feel like. Others who don't like it, they can have their way when and only when they pay for the taxes and the mortgage.
Personally, I don't mind the presence of trees so long as they don't cause there to be hardship in terms of yard cleaning. If I have to spend more than, I don't know, 30 minutes a YEAR on yard work, that's a hardship for me. I'm serious. Life is about having FUN, not spending all your time raking leaves, picking up limbs, cutting grass etc. I'd rather be at the lake. If someone else wants to spend all their time working in the yards while life passes them by, let them, but me I'll pass--and I will expect the electric bills for heating/cooling to be cheap ANYWAY.
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