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Thank you all. It’s a very beautiful tree with foliage, I’d hate to cut down. Placement sucks tho.
I don’t see where you have any option. If I were your neighbor, there’s no way that tree would stay up. They have every right to prune it back to the property line soooo it only makes sense to cut it down. Can’t believe anyone ever planted it there.
Photo shows a small tree in a grassy strip between two driveways. If you live in an older neighborhood, not a fresh new suburb in the boonies, these kinds of situations are everywhere. Now if it's a Bradford pear, you could well walk out one morning to find it has fallen one way or the other, breaking off right at ground level. If on the other hand it's a maple, sweet gum, mulberry, hackberry, or other durable tree, that's unlikely, In that case the normal thing (among old time homeowners, not prissy millennials) would be to trim branches that interfere with the neighbors' vehicles, otherwise leaving the tree alone.
To me the important thing is to understand what kind of tree this is. If it's a white oak, live oak, black walnut, hackberry, etc., - in other words, a vigorous tree acclimated to your location, you don't need to do anything other than keep low hanging branches from scraping the tops of the cars.
OP, don't let yourself be overly influenced by those who've caught the tree sickness (Trees are evil! Must cut down! Cut them down! No! NO! No! Trees! Ever!)
Photo shows a small tree in a grassy strip between two driveways. If you live in an older neighborhood, not a fresh new suburb in the boonies, these kinds of situations are everywhere. Now if it's a Bradford pear, you could well walk out one morning to find it has fallen one way or the other, breaking off right at ground level. If on the other hand it's a maple, sweet gum, mulberry, hackberry, or other durable tree, that's unlikely, In that case the normal thing (among old time homeowners, not prissy millennials) would be to trim branches that interfere with the neighbors' vehicles, otherwise leaving the tree alone.
To me the important thing is to understand what kind of tree this is. If it's a white oak, live oak, black walnut, hackberry, etc., - in other words, a vigorous tree acclimated to your location, you don't need to do anything other than keep low hanging branches from scraping the tops of the cars.
OP, don't let yourself be overly influenced by those who've caught the tree sickness (Trees are evil! Must cut down! Cut them down! No! NO! No! Trees! Ever!)
It's not "evil tree". I love trees. Just planted a deodar cedar and cannot wait for it to get bigger - I love those trees. But if a tree is dropping a mess on the cars, and especially if there are any dead branches that drop in a good gale, that location is just ridiculous. In my neighborhood, there are very few, if any, driveways that are underneath, or next to, a tree. It's just common sense. Jeez it looks like it could be a sweetgum tree - that's even worse.
The tree shown isn't big enough to "drop branches in a gale". Twigs, maybe.
The pic he posted is of quite a large tree. I think a tree that is dropping ANYTHING on your driveway, and vehicles, is a PITA, but that is just me. I expect that the neighbor feels the same way.
Looks like about 8-10" diameter. Average in my neighborhood is about 2 feet diameter. I'd call the one pictured a small tree.
I think decision to keep or remove should be based on species. Bradford pear, cottonwood, or other with weak wood - take it out; maple, oak, etc - keep it and trim it up so it doesn't scrape on the neighbor's car roof.
Around here if you have some shade you park in it, without considering whether it's the neighbor's tree or yours that's casting that shade on the driveway. Frankly I don't get the issue with leaves or twigs or nuts on the driveway. It's a driveway, for crying out loud, not your great-grandmother's heirloom quilt. Now one of those inherently weak trees that could drop the whole thing on someone else's car, that's a different matter.
It's not "evil tree". I love trees. Just planted a deodar cedar and cannot wait for it to get bigger - I love those trees. But if a tree is dropping a mess on the cars, and especially if there are any dead branches that drop in a good gale, that location is just ridiculous. In my neighborhood, there are very few, if any, driveways that are underneath, or next to, a tree. It's just common sense. Jeez it looks like it could be a sweetgum tree - that's even worse.
I'm with ChessieMom - trees are wonderful, as long as they're not damaging real property. The problem with planting a tree on or near the property line, is that it is inevitably "shared" with the neighbor on that side.
Personally, I'd have a frank talk with that neighbor, and if he would prefer it be removed, I'd remove it for the sake of harmony, especially if the tree is potentially or actually damaging his vehicle with sap, bird poop, leaves, etc.. If it's just that he doesn't want to have to clean up leaves, twigs, etc. from his yard, or is afraid of branches scraping the top of his van, maybe if you offer to do trim it back and then clean under it for him, that might be a compromise. Where do the sewer or other utility lines feed from the street? If it's under that tree, it would be gone as soon as I could go get gas for the chainsaw, that's an expensive time bomb in the making.
I'd hire a professional and have them trim off all branches top to bottom that goes over the property line.
It would be interesting to know exactly where the property line runs - OP, how much grass does your neighbor own past the edge of his driveway? (assuming that's your neighbor's van). As someone above stated, not a great place to plant a tree. I have to wonder, if a tree that large could be moved? Doubtful it would be worth doing, but a far better place for it would be in the center of the OP's front yard. Personally, I think it would be cheaper to just cut that one down and plant the species of your choice, but it sounds like the OP is attached to this one.
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I love trees. Just planted a deodar cedar and cannot wait for it to get bigger - I love those trees. But if a tree is dropping a mess on the cars, and especially if there are any dead branches that drop in a good gale, that location is just ridiculous. In my neighborhood, there are very few, if any, driveways that are underneath, or next to, a tree. It's just common sense. Jeez it looks like it could be a sweetgum tree - that's even worse.
