trimming a pin oak

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Sorry for reviving an old thread, but I have a 10 year old pin oak in my front yard. The lowest branches hang over into the street by about 2 to 3 feet. Some of our neighbors (don't know who) and our HOA are now trying to demand that we prune it away from the street. The HOA has no power to compel me, but I promised that I would investigate it although I'm not sold on the idea of pruning it at all.

I would have to prune roughly a third of the height of it to comply with their wishes. It would take at least 8 feet off of a roughly 25 foot tree to do what they want. Since it is also only 10 years old, pruning it that high will definitely remove more (maybe well more) than a third of the total volume of the tree. Would it be harmful to the tree to prune that much and how would I best be able support that contention to the HOA?
 
Sounds like you are keeping 2/3 of the total height as live canopy (all branches up to 8' on a 25' tree)? If so, I wouldn't worry about that. A 10 year old tree should be getting its second or third trimming - if you haven't done any you are behind schedule. Can't make it all up at once, but not uncommon to be more aggressive on the first pruning in 10 years... Just make sure you are pruning the right branches.
 
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