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I've lived here all my life! Been through many hurricanes and ice storms. Would never ask my neighbor to remove a healthy beautiful tree to alleviate my anxieties. I would point out a dead tree or dead limbs, but it's over the line to ask them to remove a healthy tree because I don't like it.
We've lived here 22 years. The tree has grown about 20 feet in that time; it is now about 1/3 taller than the nearest tall tree. It is about 80 years old and based on life expectancy of this type of oak is nearing the end of its life.
We were once tree lovers and huggers too, but once you live through trees topping all around you in a storm, that changes, sad to say.
Do any of you actually live under a very tall heavy hardwood tree? I mean right up against it?
My 88 year old mother lives under a grove of oak trees. ..right up against her. Each and every one of those trees are like old friends to her. She would never have any of them removed unless they were seriously diseased or dying.
Do any of you actually live under a very tall heavy hardwood tree? I mean right up against it?
LOL seriously. I was in NY after Sandy. I have pictures of my kids standing next to root balls that were taller than them (and the oldest was 12). All of these were perfectly healthy trees that ended up on houses and cars. And guess what? I had sent a letter (as I described above) to the town every year because of the village-owned tree perched near my house that I was sure was gonna come down one day. Advised the buyer to do the same. Every year Village arborist responded "not coming down, it's healthy".
Do any of you actually live under a very tall heavy hardwood tree? I mean right up against it?
My yard is ALL TREES, NO GRASS. Tree are all right up next to my house. There's a big old pine that I can reach out my bedroom window and touch if I wanted to. Got an oak that our deck is built around. Maple about 10 feet from the front door.
Unless your HOA has some covenants against 80 year old oak trees I just don't think you have much recourse. What are the lot setbacks where you live? It sounds like the tree is close enough to your house that your house must be really close to the property line to be "right up against it".
I'm sorry it bothers you, but that's really about you. I lived in a different house in Chapel Hill when Hurricane Fran came through and trees were falling right and left all night long. One did fall on the house (though didn't do much damage) but that didn't dissude us from buying a house with a completely tree covered lot. Our in-town street was impassable for a week from the dozen+ trees blocking the road and we were without electricity for a week.
BTW, a pine from my neighbor's yard across the street fell during that last heavy snow this winter and blocked my driveway narrowly missing our old van.
Oaks can live much, much longer than 80 years. Not sure what kind this is, but here you go:
Quote:
500 years
Under optimal conditions, northern red oak is fast growing and a 10-year-old tree can be 5–6 m (15–20 ft) tall. Trees may live up to 500 years according to the USDA, and a living example of 326 years was noted in 2001 by Orwig et al.
Barlett Tree Service declared big sweet gum to be healthy. About same size as this oak. a month later it fell at 7 pm on a summer night, no breeze or rain or storm, just fell into neighbor's yard. 3 kids and dog thank goodness were inside having dinner.
No one can tell how healthy a tree is, really.
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