A new post about a neighbor's landscaping decision has stirred up conversation on Reddit.
A post on the r/treelaw subreddit explains how the original poster's neighbor had recently excavated their yard. The excavation removed a "dozen old trees and a bunch of bushes," the OP explained. They complained that it had caused flooding in their yard and that during heavy rains, they could see the water gushing from their neighbor's yard.
The OP estimated that the neighbors spent tens of thousands of dollars on the yard renovation and wondered whether there were any legal rights to cover the costs of resolving the issue, asking: "Is there anything we can do?"
Not only does this flooding damage the property value and standard of living for the homeowners, but it could also harm habitats and ecosystems of the garden's wildlife.
As well as that, the cutting down of healthy trees is never a decision to be taken lightly. Not only do trees serve to prevent water damage, but they also filter the air to help reduce pollution in communities and prevent erosion.
Instead, some tree service companies, such as Leaf & Limb, are making people aware of the issues surrounding cutting down trees. Leaf & Limb owner Basil Camu said: "So much of our revenue was coming from tree removals. I was questioning what we were doing as a company. We were destroying the very engine that drives the planet."
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Now, they no longer cut trees down and focus on taking care of them, growing new saplings, and educating people on the importance of trees.
It's frustrating when neighbors affect your property, especially if their decisions cause damage. From plugging storm drains or fighting against the installation of solar panels to causing garden boundary issues, the people who live near us can have a tangible impact on our well-being and long-term sustainability.
"You should speak with a Land Use attorney. Most will do a free consultation," one Reddit user suggested. They also concluded with a hopeful tidbit of advice: "You may be able to get them to pay for some water diversion or potentially the reduction in value to your home."
Someone else said: "The only way I can think of that the neighbor could get in trouble is if there is a local law about how many and what trees can be removed from a property. Other than that, they will just have to get a good drainage system put in."
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