Neighbor's Tree Branches Tangled In Our Utility Lines (Merritt Island: house, maintenance)

[clnewman]

We recently moved onto Merritt Island, and have a vacant lot next door. Some branches on trees from the vacant lot are entangled with power/cable/phone lines between the street and our house. I've called Brevard County Public Works, Road and Bridge and Code Enforcement departments (each agency referred me to the next) about who has legal responsibility for clearing this mess. Each indicated I should contact Florida Power & Light... which is my next call, though I know legal responsibility lies with the vacant lot owner, who I have not yet contacted. I was hoping Code Enforcement would come out, take a look and contact the vacant lot owner so I wouldn't have to be the bad guy.

I have also contacted a local tree trimming firm to get an estimate on having the work done, so I have that in hand.

What makes this interesting is that, according to the lady I bought the house from, FP&L has already been out, sprayed one of the offending trees, and it's this tree's dead fall that's still entangled in the lines. Though perhaps not an issue today, it will be an issue come the first big blow of the season.

So, has anybody else ever run into this situation? If so, how did you resolve it to everybody's satisfaction?

Thanks in advance for your help/advice.

[HarryWho?]

Originally Posted by clnewman

We recently moved onto Merritt Island, and have a vacant lot next door. Some branches on trees from the vacant lot are entangled with power/cable/phone lines between the street and our house. I've called Brevard County Public Works, Road and Bridge and Code Enforcement departments (each agency referred me to the next) about who has legal responsibility for clearing this mess. Each indicated I should contact Florida Power & Light... which is my next call, though I know legal responsibility lies with the vacant lot owner, who I have not yet contacted. I was hoping Code Enforcement would come out, take a look and contact the vacant lot owner so I wouldn't have to be the bad guy.

I have also contacted a local tree trimming firm to get an estimate on having the work done, so I have that in hand.

What makes this interesting is that, according to the lady I bought the house from, FP&L has already been out, sprayed one of the offending trees, and it's this tree's dead fall that's still entangled in the lines. Though perhaps not an issue today, it will be an issue come the first big blow of the season.

So, has anybody else ever run into this situation? If so, how did you resolve it to everybody's satisfaction?

Thanks in advance for your help/advice.

FPL trims the trees around their lines. Leave it to them. I think you're being a bit proactive.

[clnewman]

Perhaps, but we came from an area where things would come back and bite you in the keister if you weren't proactive.

Anyway, I've been in contact with FPL, and they say they'll come out and take a look in 2-3 weeks. I'm fine with that, as long as they come out.

[MartinEden99]

Originally Posted by clnewman

Perhaps, but we came from an area where things would come back and bite you in the keister if you weren't proactive.

Anyway, I've been in contact with FPL, and they say they'll come out and take a look in 2-3 weeks. I'm fine with that, as long as they come out.

Yeah you may have to inform them (as you have here) but they usually take care of it.

[clnewman]

FP&L came out today, but since their lines aren't in immediate jeopardy, they won't touch them.

Called Code Enforcement again, and they're going to send somebody out to take a look... especially after I explained other sections of the property maintenance code violations there are. So, we shall see.

[HarryWho?]

Are you talking about the larger diameter cable lowest on the pole? If so, that's telephone and cable. They don't do anything until it's broke. But since it's not going to electrocute anyone or start any fires....

[clnewman]

Topmost is electrical... next 2 down are phone and cable TV. I used to hang cable for a living, and know the stresses. The electrical cables are wrapped around a wire rope "messenger cable", which is attached to the pole at one end and my house on the other.

The branches encircle the electrical, but haven't entangled it yet. Phone and cable TV are thoroughly entangled, and are coming down in the first sizable wind of the season. See the attached pic. The pole is on my property, but ALL the vegetation is on the vacant lot owner's.

The lot has other issues, if Code Enforcement takes the County's maintenance codes seriously (i.e., 4' high grass/weeds within 25' of developed property, etc.).

Will have to wait and see what happens.

[2 Da Beach]

It will take them years to get around to it...

Call a tree company if it bothers you that much

[clnewman]

It's already done. Bright House came out and took care of the stuff impacting them. I called AT&T for their lines, but they never bothered to show up. Since I don't use AT&T, I don't care. The rest I cut back myself.