Good neighbors are hard to come by these days. Now, homeowners have to deal with the occasional overzealous neighbor who's trigger-happy with a chainsaw against trees.
One Reddit user posted in the r/neighborsfromhell subreddit, sharing their recent experience with an impolite neighbor who used family connections to avoid getting in trouble for property damage.
The original poster wrote: "I saw an unknown vehicle on the front portion of my property. I went out to investigate and noticed several small but tall trees had been cut down. I walked [outside], stood on a freshly made stump, and hollered for the [neighbor]. We had a heated conversation about the legality of him trespassing and destroying property. His claim is that the trees were on his (rickety old) fence. I told him he needed to remove the trees he cut down from our property. The neighbor apologized for his actions.
"[A few days later], code enforcement showed up stating there was a complaint that 'came from the top down.' After some googling of this neighbor's family, it seems he's kin to our local county commissioner.
"So I need legal petty revenge ideas, or should I just file trespassing and destruction of property against him?"
A discussion about the property line should have occurred before any major reconstruction, as trees have both monetary value to the homeowner and contribute to the land's biodiversity.
When neighbors and homeowners associations act immaturely and aggressively, they get in the way of homeowners seeking climate-friendly solutions for their land, such as native plant yards and solar panels.
Trees are a vital part of a city's plan, as they absorb carbon dioxide from the air, making it healthier to breathe. Trees also provide shelter for native wildlife, offer shade during the hotter months, and help prevent heat islands from occurring in denser areas, acting as temperature regulators for the neighborhood.
When trees are removed, native species and pollinators find refuge elsewhere, and the food chain can be disrupted.
The Redditors in the comments offered plenty of advice on petty revenge, as well as suggesting they look into tree law.
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Cheaper clothes 🤑 "Get a lawyer and a surveyor," one commentator recommended.
"Got a news station nearby? I'm sure they'd love a story about how the county commissioner is harassing his constituents to cover for his cousin's trespassing and property destruction," another suggested.
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