City orders tree removal, how to appeal?

[diltree]

Wow..this is quit the story...I have some extensive experience working with municipalities in the state of MASS and have never encountered the city demanding trees to be removed on private property. May I ask you a question: are the trees completely dead or on their way out?? or are they truelly on your property or a right of way such as near the power lines or 10 feet back from a road

 

[diltree]

These Tree wardens are usually very eager to appease the members of the city...I know one tree warden that decided not to take certain trees down because several lesbians chained themselves to the trees

 

[SRT-Tech]

So it's my property and they're my trees but the city can order me to do what ever they want me to do. If I refuse to do what they decide I should, they'll do it for me and send me the bill. Not too fair is it? I need to move.

yep, just like my patio and parking space is MINE, but i have to abide by the Strata council bylaws and keep them in a certain way (no storage in parking spot, no storage on patio)

it SUCKS royally, but....

 

[lilac]

These Tree wardens are usually very eager to appease the members of the city...I know one tree warden that decided not to take certain trees down because several lesbians chained themselves to the trees

I'm not a lesbian but I suppose I could to pretend to be if you think that would help. Don't think the idea of chaining myself to the trees hasn't occurred to me.

 

[lilac]

Wow..this is quit the story...I have some extensive experience working with municipalities in the state of MASS and have never encountered the city demanding trees to be removed on private property. May I ask you a question: are the trees completely dead or on their way out?? or are they truelly on your property or a right of way such as near the power lines or 10 feet back from a road

They're on the right of way on front of my house. I just can't see how they've been there all these years and now suddenly two(possibly three) of them are such a safety hazard as to require removal. (Have I mentioned this came following a discussion with my neighbors about their being unhappy about pigeons living in one of the trees because the pigeons were pooping on their new roof? They told me they wanted to seal up the hole in the tree, to which I said fine with me, and if that didn't get rid of the pigeons they were going to hire someone to poison them.) So I believe these neighbors called the city asking for an inspection of my trees. The guy is a realtor/developer.

So anyway, guess I'll have to give in and speak the city jerk who wrote the order, find out what he alleges is the problem. Then I'll get someone of my choosing who actually knows something about trees and is not paid by the city(or my neighbor) to see if he's right or not.

 

[DonnyO]

lol!

These Tree wardens are usually very eager to appease the members of the city...I know one tree warden that decided not to take certain trees down because several lesbians chained themselves to the trees

funny AND true!
:taped:

 

[treeseer]

my neighbors about their being unhappy about pigeons living in one of the trees because the pigeons were pooping on their new roof? They told me they wanted to seal up the hole in the tree, to which I said fine with me, and if that didn't get rid of the pigeons they were going to hire someone to poison them.) So I believe these neighbors called the city asking for an inspection of my trees.

A new cause of arborphobia--pigeon poop on a roof. evidently the unneghborly butthead figured a call to city hall was easier than plugging up the nest hole.

I would be installing 100 units of bird habitat at the lot line, to repay the favor.

 

[SRT-Tech]

These Tree wardens are usually very eager to appease the members of the city...I know one tree warden that decided not to take certain trees down because several lesbians chained themselves to the trees

god i hate protestors.:bang: Go ahead and chain yourself to whatever.....i have many different kinds of high speed cutters to cut your chains. Then as your sitting in the bakc of the cop car, you'll get to witness the tree come crashing down...just to spite you.

 

[lilac]

A new cause of arborphobia--pigeon poop on a roof. evidently the unneghborly butthead figured a call to city hall was easier than plugging up the nest hole.

I would be installing 100 units of bird habitat at the lot line, to repay the favor.

The thing is I DID let him plug up the hole. That's why I'm so angry about this. I can't see why they would call the city when I let them plug it up like they wanted, but at the same time I can't figure out who else would have called. The timing is too coincidental.

I've thought about installing a bunch of pigeon houses, except these people would call an exterminator of sorts to poison the pigeons which unfortunately is legal, at least in Denver. It's not that I love pigeons, but I can't see killing them either.

This same person is a realtor/developer. Bought the house next door to him and knocked it down so he can build something better. Claims he's going to raise all of our property values. NOT TO MENTION OUR TAXES!

 

[SRT-Tech]

QOUTE "This same person is a realtor/developer. Bought the house next door to him and knocked it down so he can build something better. Claims he's going to raise all of our property values. NOT TO MENTION OUR TAXES!"

---------------


we have the same problem here in BC Canada.........heritage homes with huge gardens or beautiful old stone buildings are knocked down by a certain ethnic developer, and cheap, shoddily made monster homes are put up. No gardens, no lawn, just big monster houses and driveways, filled with about 10 SUVs per building. ugly 'salmon' colors too.....and all the trees and shrubs are chopped down. :bang: :bang:

 

[lilac]

QOUTE "This same person is a realtor/developer. Bought the house next door to him and knocked it down so he can build something better. Claims he's going to raise all of our property values. NOT TO MENTION OUR TAXES!"

---------------


we have the same problem here in BC Canada.........heritage homes with huge gardens or beautiful old stone buildings are knocked down by a certain ethnic developer, and cheap, shoddily made monster homes are put up. No gardens, no lawn, just big monster houses and driveways, filled with about 10 SUVs per building. ugly 'salmon' colors too.....and all the trees and shrubs are chopped down. :bang: :bang:

The house they knocked down was nothing special but it was ok looking, had a nice yard. And it was affordable. The way prices are now I couldn't afford to buy my own house if I had to buy it now. New stuff going up all over around here, I haven't seen anything under $400,000 at all.

And your'e right, we'll end up with a house taking up the entire lot. Probably stucco, they all seem to be stucco around here.

 

[tree pro]

Denver has five to six arboreal inspecotrs that drive around looking for hazards and addressing complaints. The city is divided into five to six areas and each inspector is assigned their own area to inspect. I have been getting a lot of estimate requests regarding ROW Silver Maples due to city notices. The Denver Post recently had an article stating that lots of Silver maples are reaching maturity 70-80 years old and are hollow, therfore, dangerous.

The criteria for an inspector to deem a tree hazardous due to being hollow is, for every 10 inches of trunk diameter, there has to be at least one inch of sound wood. they determine this by using an increment borer, or at lest they are supposed to. Another less precise method is to "sound" a tree, meaning hitting the trunk with a rubber mallet and listening to the sound it makes. You should ask the inspector in your area how he/she tested the tree.

To work on any ROW tree in Denver, the contractor must pull a permit from the city, this includes trimming, removing and planting. I would also ask the contractor who trimmed the trees to show you the permit for trimming. The permit is issued by the inspector in your area. If the trees are so hollow, a permit to trim should not have been issued, or the contractor should have noticed while trimming and notified you, unless there were no visible signs of decay.

I have contested the city several times regarding the viability of trees in question, won a few, and lost a few, a lot depends on the inspector. I talked with one inspector last week who stated that there is a new law being proposed that all trees in the front yard in denver will be under the jurisdiction of the Denver forestry department, meaning you cant do anything in your own front yard without a permit.

At the minimum, the contractor who trimmed the trees should offer you the money spent trimming as credit toward removal.

 

[Dadatwins]

Read this carefully. It is not your property.
And I truly apologize that it's our fault.

Ditto + 1, :bang:

 

[osb_mail]

All this talk and still no pictures come I would like to see some picture .Maybe there is some that you cant see that is a major risk .:camera:

 

[zopi]

Just a though...don't live in Denver...sounds like as big a hole as Beruit News..
uhhh..Newport News where I live (Hopefully not for much longer.)

On a similar subject...city comes by my neighbor's house a few years back and
arbitrarily plants some Crepe Myrtle in her ROW...she didn';t want them and ?????ed about it..they told her.."Tough Luck Lady."

heh---She is a small framed Latina you really don't want mad at you..same guy that told her that came back last year and told her that she had to take her Crepe Myrtle out...can you guess what her short two word answer was?

:hmm3grin2orange: they are still there..untrimmed...city won't touch them and
I'll guarantee she won't..:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[A. Stanton]

Do an internet search for that lady named Butterfly. Maybe she will sit up in one of those trees like she did with that big redwood she wouldn't let the loggers cut down. Once she came down, after they agreed not to cut it, some skunk made a pie cut in it for spite. I hate the tree hugger, but love the tree.

 

[lilac]

All this talk and still no pictures come I would like to see some picture .Maybe there is some that you cant see that is a major risk .:camera:

I don't have a webcam so no way really to show you pictures. I'm going to call the idiot inspector tomorrow and ask him what the alleged issue is with my trees. Then I'm going to call someone, arborist, tree service, not sure who yet to take a look for me.

Here's a question. When I call someone to get a second opinion, should I tell them what the city has told me or just tell them I'd like an evaluation of my trees? Are they more likely either way to see this as a money making opportunity thinking if they say the trees should come down I'll hire them to do it?

 

[lilac]

Denver has five to six arboreal inspecotrs that drive around looking for hazards and addressing complaints. The city is divided into five to six areas and each inspector is assigned their own area to inspect. I have been getting a lot of estimate requests regarding ROW Silver Maples due to city notices. The Denver Post recently had an article stating that lots of Silver maples are reaching maturity 70-80 years old and are hollow, therfore, dangerous.

The criteria for an inspector to deem a tree hazardous due to being hollow is, for every 10 inches of trunk diameter, there has to be at least one inch of sound wood. they determine this by using an increment borer, or at lest they are supposed to. Another less precise method is to "sound" a tree, meaning hitting the trunk with a rubber mallet and listening to the sound it makes. You should ask the inspector in your area how he/she tested the tree.

To work on any ROW tree in Denver, the contractor must pull a permit from the city, this includes trimming, removing and planting. I would also ask the contractor who trimmed the trees to show you the permit for trimming. The permit is issued by the inspector in your area. If the trees are so hollow, a permit to trim should not have been issued, or the contractor should have noticed while trimming and notified you, unless there were no visible signs of decay.

I have contested the city several times regarding the viability of trees in question, won a few, and lost a few, a lot depends on the inspector. I talked with one inspector last week who stated that there is a new law being proposed that all trees in the front yard in denver will be under the jurisdiction of the Denver forestry department, meaning you cant do anything in your own front yard without a permit.

At the minimum, the contractor who trimmed the trees should offer you the money spent trimming as credit toward removal.

I've called the tree trimmer explaining the situation(not blaming him for anything) and asking for advice and have yet to get a call back. I would probably have hired him to cut them down if it came to that because he's probably going to be the least expensive but you can bet I won't now. I can't believe he can't even show the courtesy to return my call. I suppose I could keep calling until he actually answers the phone but I doubt that would help, I don't know.

I'll probably ask the forester when I call him what liability the tree trimmer has for trimming what is supposedly a dead tree if that's what he says it is. A permit was not pulled BTW.


I do appreciate all of the advice given here. Sorry if I've seemed ungrateful. I'm just so upset by this whole thing both at the idea of my trees being gone and the idea that someone around here dislikes me enough to have called the city in the first place knowing what the result could be. Friday night I was actually sitting around crying over the whole thing. So now I've decided that's pretty stupid. I can do what I can do and if the trees still have to go there's nothing I can do about it. I'll get over it.

 

[treeseer]

Lilac you really need to get us some photos. There is a large pool of experience here that could really help you.

True. You only need to borrow a digital camera and get a picture of the trunk where the bark is falling off.

re your tree trimmer, keep calling. Get the home number and call there at times you know he will be there.

The forester is not saying the tree is dead, only that it is not safe enough to keep next to the road.

There is probably no liability for trimming a tree and not knowing its condition.

 

[Dixie1]

you still haven't posted any pictures for us to see. you have access to people on this site that are experts in this field. i still haven't heard the reason for these trees being declared hazardous. have you asked anyone why they need to come out? ask them, then post their reason with pictures here on this site.