HOA board member stunned after request to cut down community's tree: 'Most likely it's just a money grab'

Neighborhood disputes are nothing new, especially when it comes to trees located near surrounding properties. 

But one HOA board member was stunned when a neighboring HOA complained about a walnut tree that was growing over a fence that separated the two communities. 

The Redditor uploaded a picture of the offending greenery to the r/arborists subreddit, showing that branches were growing over the neighborhood barrier. 

Instead of opting to prune the tree, the original poster was outraged to hear that their "incompetent and corrupt" property manager sought a more permanent option. 

"So our property manager … did the board a 'favor' and called up Jerry's tree service and asked them for a quote for tree removal," the Redditor wrote. 

After revealing that the tree service came up with a $5,000 figure to remove the walnut tree and two tulip trees, the original poster asked the subreddit if the trees really needed to be cut down. 

"I would recommend keeping these trees if there's nothing wrong with them and possibly pruning back the walnut limbs that hang over the neighboring property so that the walnuts don't fall on their side anymore," one user said. 

"The canopy seems fine," argued another, who asked to see pictures of the base. "Most likely it's just a money grab. … They can buzz off, they are great trees!" 

It's no secret that trees play a crucial role in our environment. Not only do they absorb carbon dioxide from the air, but they can positively impact our mental and physical health as well. Trees can also provide a habitat for a variety of wildlife that encourages biodiversity in our ecosystem. Removing them can do much more harm than good. 

Luckily for the OP, they said that board elections were upcoming, providing an opportunity to convince someone else that there was no need to cut the tree down. 

Should homeowners associations be able to determine what you grow in your garden? Yes 💯 Only if it impacts your neighbors 🏘️ Depends on what you're growing 🌼 Heck no 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

While disagreements between HOAs and residents are common, there are ways to convince the neighborhood body that changes to bylaws can benefit residents and the environment. 

Most HOAs enforce a set of rules known as covenants, conditions, and restrictions, which are usually registered at county clerk's offices and legally enforceable. 

CC&Rs often include tree regulations that restrict the growth of trees, especially when dealing with property lines. Explaining why trees are so important to the community could convince an HOA board to relax restrictive and draconian policies. 

Many commenters came to the OP's defense, noting that it didn't seem necessary to remove a perfectly healthy tree. 

"If the other HOA complains, that shouldn't mean that your HOA immediately takes action to accommodate them," one person said. "If it's an issue of the tree dropping stuff over the fence, they can pay to prune branches that hang over their fence."

"Sorry, this sucks," another commenter added. 

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