Why did you buy a house in my neighboorhood?

[C.Ann]

The house a few down from me just sold and they have moved in. We are a beautiful old neighborhood-- houses from the 70's and 80's--back when they worked around the trees already there to build instead of just clear cutting the land and putting up a bunch of cookie cutter houses like they do now.

All I have heard this week and last is the droning of a chain saw and the wood chipper. They are having almost all of the beautiful trees removed. Gorgeous, healthy trees that have stood for hundreds of years.

If you didn't want trees on your lot, why did you buy a house in my neighborhood????? Why didn't you go and buy some house in one of the new, tree free neighborhoods that are easy to find around here????

The chain saw is driving me crazy

They are cutting them from all around the house-- it is a corner lot. Can't imagine it would be specifically because of a pool.

The trees were perfectly healthy-- no sign of disease before this and none from seeing what they have taken down. As far as I know there is no need for any permits or any rules about taking trees down.

Around here the amount of trees on your lot increases the property value when you go to sell. They must have gotten a good deal on the house because they are doing some serious damage to the value of it.

I have to agree.. We see a lot of that at the lake.. If a tree (or trees) is/are dangerous or diseased, certainly - do what you have to do to make your property safe (with the proper permit).. But don't move to the mountains and then cut down every tree in site because you want a perfectly clear lot.. If pavement is what you want, stay in the city.. If you want grass and nothing else, go to the suburbs and get yourself a cookie-cutter house - or move into an HOA.. Thankfully all of the trees that are on the lake side are very, very strictly regulated and I don't see that changing any time in the near future..

It just doesn't make sense to be the "odd ball" house in the neighborhood.. If you want a certain "type" of neighborhood, that should be your deciding factor before you buy.. It's like moving into a neighborhood that consists of solely log homes and building a concrete hut..

 

[shrubber]

I have to agree.. We see a lot of that at the lake.. If a tree (or trees) is/are dangerous or diseased, certainly - do what you have to do to make your property safe (with the proper permit).. But don't move to the mountains and then cut down every tree in site because you want a perfectly clear lot.. If pavement is what you want, stay in the city.. If you want grass and nothing else, go to the suburbs and get yourself a cookie-cutter house - or move into an HOA.. Thankfully all of the trees that are on the lake side are very, very strictly regulated and I don't see that changing any time in the near future..

It just doesn't make sense to be the "odd ball" house in the neighborhood.. If you want a certain "type" of neighborhood, that should be your deciding factor before you buy.. It's like moving into a neighborhood that consists of solely log homes and building a concrete hut..

Unfortunatly most cities tree regulations are enforced by a city forester, if they are lucky enough to even have one of those, whom, in my experience, couldn't tell you the difference between an oak and a third hole in their head.
Removal of old growth trees can be significant factor in increasing property values, ease of home maintainance, cost savings, water savings among many more advantages.

 

[RitaZ.]

When we bought our house, the first thing we did was get rid of 5 trees. It gave us so much more room. Now in my town, you have to go to the town to get permition to cut down a tree, and then when you do, you have to plant another one in its place.... I don't know how much sence that makes.....

Sounds like you live in my town.

 

[NotUrsula]

I'm sorry, but ...

We are a beautiful old neighborhood-- houses from the 70's and 80's

A house built in the 1980's is brand-new by my lights.

 

[daisax]

My parents have lived on a heavily wooded lot since the early 60s. They never took a tree down until about 5 years ago -- now they're having to take down 2-3 a year, at a costs of thousands at a time. Something may look fine from the street and yet be so fragile that the next storm can bring it down.

That said, I do find it sad when people buy a lot with a lot of substantial trees and just clear cut and then plant silly little ornamental things.

 

[shrubber]

or wooden pegs for one-legged pirates. You have converted me. Ignore my previous post. Cut down these monstrosities that block out sunlight and all that is good in this world. Trees, schmees...bah!!! Who needs oxygen and clean air anyway?

What if you wanted somewhere for your kids to play ball?

What if you wanted a garden?

The wrong variety of tree, or the wrong tree in the wrong place can be a nusiance or worse a hazard.

Oh and trees do not clean air by the way, they can clean soil ( well certain plants rather ) but not air.

 

[Wall-E1]

What if you wanted somewhere for your kids to play ball?

What if you wanted a garden?

The wrong variety of tree, or the wrong tree in the wrong place can be a nusiance or worse a hazard.

Oh and trees do not clean air by the way, they can clean soil ( well certain plants rather ) but not air.

I could understand if a couple of trees needed to be removed for the purposes you stated. But OP was insinuating that just about all the trees on the property were being taken down. I'm a "tree hugger" type. I think if you remove a tree, you plant another one somewhere else in its place.

Trees clean both soil and air. I'm surprised you don't know that, working in the tree and shrubbery business. Please see link below. Pay special attention to #6, which explains how trees clean the air.

http://forestry.about.com/od/treephysiology/tp/tree_value.htm

6. Trees Clean the Air
Trees help cleanse the air by intercepting airborne particles, reducing heat, and absorbing such pollutants as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. Trees remove this air pollution by lowering air temperature, through respiration, and by retaining particulates.

 

[lspst8]

I'm sorry, but ...


Quote:
We are a beautiful old neighborhood-- houses from the 70's and 80's




A house built in the 1980's is brand-new by my lights.

My parents' house was built in 1982. I had no idea I grew up in a stately, older home. You know those Victorians love 3 bedroom ranches with 2 car garages! Just teasing you, OP. I guess it depends on where you live what you consider an old neighborhood.

Anyways, my parents have had to have some trees taken down becasue they just aren't safe anymore. One fell in a storm a few years ago, and, luckily, only ripped the gutters off the house.

They may just want more light. I can't get anything to grow in my backyard because it is so shady.

 

[blanq]

Sometimes trees are not all they are cracked up to be. The people who owned our home previous to us planted two maple trees many years ago. They were planted too close to the house and the driveway to ensure space that they needed to grow. The root systems are totally tearing up my yard and driveway, and I am concerned about them doing damage to our foundation. Next spring, both are coming down...at an incredible expense because they are HUGE.

 

[kevrab]

I have a house on a lot with about 30 old growth, beautiful oak trees. I have great neighbors but this one old jerk moved in with his family and used to always ***** at me in the fall about my leaves constantly being in his yard (never got the hint that those trees saved him alot of money on AC in the summer, he even put up a big, orange snow fence one year to block the leaves til the township told him to take it down) He was always on me about cutting some of them down. Finally he moved away and my oaks remain.

 

[shrubber]

I could understand if a couple of trees needed to be removed for the purposes you stated. But OP was insinuating that just about all the trees on the property were being taken down. I'm a "tree hugger" type. I think if you remove a tree, you plant another one somewhere else in its place.

Trees clean both soil and air. I'm surprised you don't know that, working in the tree and shrubbery business. Please see link below. Pay special attention to #6, which explains how trees clean the air.

http://forestry.about.com/od/treephysiology/tp/tree_value.htm

6. Trees Clean the Air
Trees help cleanse the air by intercepting airborne particles, reducing heat, and absorbing such pollutants as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. Trees remove this air pollution by lowering air temperature, through respiration, and by retaining particulates.

Apologies to the OP for straying off topic here but this is plain wrong.
Trees do in fact intercept airborne particles, much in the same way that homes with aluminum siding do or the bricks on smokestacks. Darn near anything on earth traps particulates.
Heat is not a pollutant.
carbon monoxide,sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide are all Naturally occuring.
( yes there is a teeny percentage that comes from burning things, natural things by the way )

And plants EMIT nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide for cryin out loud. One of the main sources of sulfur dioxide IS plants

 

[Poohbear123]

We had 3 trees on our property removed, 2 Gumbo-Limbo's and one Black Olive tree....due to various hurricanes that came thru, believe me I cried when they were hauled away.... The 1st Gumbo Limbo was right in front...was damaged by one hurricane, survived, and had to be removed due to the septic tank being damaged by the roots. The Black olive tree was also in front, on the other side of the house, and fell down during a hurricane, and blocked our only vehicle in the back yard, till our neighbor cut it up so we could get out of the backyard. Yea, trees are nice, but not in Miami when a Hurricane or 2-3-4 hits!

 

[Angelhalo]

Maybe they are putting in a pool?

Or maybe they're afraid of trees near their home, or maybe they want to put in a playground, or maybe the trees were diseased, or maybe they wanted more of a view out of their windows, maybe they like the neighborhood but don't like all the trees. There could be a million reasons why they're chopping down the trees and if they bought the property and are following the rules then I don't see where it is anyone's business to question their purchase or their decision.

 

[CapeMayMommy]

I'm with you, op.

I love , love , love my old trees. I even love the autumn. I especially love the summer when my house stays cool due to shade.

My ex, however, was tree adverse..

He said (get this) "the house can't breath when it is surrounded by trees."

all I could say was "what????"

My trees are still here---he's gone.

 

[C.Ann]

I'm with you, op.

I love , love , love my old trees. I even love the autumn. I especially love the summer when my house stays cool due to shade.

My ex, however, was tree adverse..

He said (get this) "the house can't breath when it is surrounded by trees."

all I could say was "what????"

My trees are still here---he's gone.

 

[Traveliz]

I'm sorry, but ...






A house built in the 1980's is brand-new by my lights.

LOL I agree! Maybe they meant 1870s and 80s -- mine was built then and we have some of those big old trees and I am so over that. I want them gone. We have nothing but problems - limbs dropping, some sort of sap that is dripping from one right onto where we prefer to park the car, and the uprooted sidewalks from the tree roots... I like the shade (in the summer) but it also keeps out the sun (duh) and the house is then gray and depressing.

It would just be so cost prohibitive to cut them down.

Liz

 

[shrubber]

LOL I agree! Maybe they meant 1870s and 80s -- mine was built then and we have some of those big old trees and I am so over that. I want them gone. We have nothing but problems - limbs dropping, some sort of sap that is dripping from one right onto where we prefer to park the car, and the uprooted sidewalks from the tree roots... I like the shade (in the summer) but it also keeps out the sun (duh) and the house is then gray and depressing.

It would just be so cost prohibitive to cut them down.

Liz

Call around, you might be suprised, depending on where you live.
First,and most important, find out what kind of trees you are talking about.
Many, many people have been hoodwinked into paying someone to remove a black walnut or cherry tree that the tree company makes a huge profit on at the lumber mill.
Also, if you happen to be in the great white north, call some firewood places rather than tree services first. You will get a much cheaper rate if it's valuable firewood.

 

[Pumbaa_]

First thing when we bought our house was cut down 5 trees. We had starlings coming in every night, felt like an Alfred Hitchcock movie

Much prefer the sunny yard to the shady

My parents live a few streets away. Their house/yard is sourrounded by oaks. It is always cooler there than my house walk outside my house, ahhhh summer. Their house, brrr!

They are now having issues with the size of the trees and had one tree split and part fell on the house.

 

[lovetoscrap]

Sorry, my use of the word "old" was just to contrast the NEW way of doing things-- cut it all down and build. I do realize that by any standard our neighborhood isn't really old. Maybe I should have said "older"?

At least some of the trees are oaks-- and I can see the inside of them! They are not diseased in the least.

I am "getting in anyone else's business" . Their house, they can do what they want. But I am a tree lover and I love this neighborhood for all the trees. It makes me sad that someone would cut it all down. And I am cranky with a headache from the constant sound of the chainsaw! And from the looks of things the only benefits of this are going to be mulch and firewood, not a great trade off for killing a beautiful tree!

 

[shrubber]

Sorry, my use of the word "old" was just to contrast the NEW way of doing things-- cut it all down and build. I do realize that by any standard our neighborhood isn't really old. Maybe I should have said "older"?

At least some of the trees are oaks-- and I can see the inside of them! They are not diseased in the least.

I am "getting in anyone else's business" . Their house, they can do what they want. But I am a tree lover and I love this neighborhood for all the trees. It makes me sad that someone would cut it all down. And I am cranky with a headache from the constant sound of the chainsaw! And from the looks of things the only benefits of this are going to be mulch and firewood, not a great trade off for killing a beautiful tree!

What do you mean by ' I can see the inside of them....?"