Gas company wanting me to remove 4 60 yr old hard maples!!

[sheepheadslayer]

I have 4 60 plus year old maples ( 2 red 2 sugar)in my yard. They are along the southedge of my property that abuts a fenced in natural gas station. I was approached today that they are wanting me to take the trees down as the leaves are blowing into there station are becoming a fire hazard. They are willing to pay for the trees and the removal as well as to put in bushes or a hedge in place. First off I do not want to take them down. They are beutiful rounded maples. I am wondering if anyone has had a similar issue with a eletric or gas company. I am hoping I don't have to get a lawyer to fight it nor do I know my rights as if i am responsible for a fire or nor do i want a gas explotion. This is on the edge of town no neighbors. He acted like i wouldn't be able to turn down there offer to remove the trees. Any advice?

[harvey lee]

I had 2 large pine trees in my front yard and the power company said the trees were in the way of the power lines. I could not see that they were at all and I told them I would trim them if they ever got close to the lines.

The rep from the power company said they would cut them down at thier cost and pay me $100 for each. These were 25 year old trees.

I said no, I will see that they never hit the power lines. He said they would be happy to trim them and I said only if they would trim them but I still wanted them cone shaped and not just cut across the middle of the tree 10ft lower. He said they would do just that. I said fine trim them the way I want and it's a go.

Came home from work about a week later and nope, no trim job as I wanted, they just lopped of about 10ft of each tree and they now looked stupid.

I ended up cutting both tree's down and I never recieved a dime for my trees as I did not let them cut them down and they didn't pay for trees that they trimmed.

I called the power company and they said pretty much oh well.

I then talked to a atty and he said the most I could get would be a couple replacements. But with the cost of the atty, I could have bought 2 new ones myself.

I would be very careful when you talk to them and make sure you know what they are planning and have them sign sonmething saying what will be done and how much for pay or replacements.

I would not trust what they say.

[pushbutton]

Couple of questions first. How close are the trees and outward most branches from the property line? Which was there first...trees or gas company?

Edit....Also do those trees help block your view of the gas company?

[delcecchi]

Where is the property line? Do the branches of the trees extend over the line?

(addition) Went off and did a little searching. If the trunks of the trees are on your property, they are your trees. They can trim them back to the property line. The leaves are "tree debris" and not your problem.

Here is a PDF that should be of interest

http://www.myminnesotawoods.umn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/NuisanceTrees.pdf

All of the PDFs are here...

http://www.myminnesotawoods.umn.edu/2008/12/minnesota-law-and-trees/

(written by an actual lawyer)(the pdfs that is, not this post)

[fishnowworknever]

Yep if the trunk is on your property all they can do is trim the branches back. But they want them down because of falling leaves? Are they the only 2 standing trees in the area? What a bunch of tools.

[delcecchi]

And I don't believe they can do anything that would harm the tree (making it ugly is not harm). You might also check on the value of those trees to your property, like ask a real estate guy. Then tell the gas guys what it will cost them if they injure your trees.

Or do the calculation in this document.

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/HO_201.pdf

Those trees could easily be worth in the tens of thousands of dollars. Maybe they won't be so eager to screw with them if it will potentially cost them 20 grand.

[Getanet]

I'd hand deliver a brand new rake with a ribbon around it on Monday morning.

[Bryce]

Just finished up with a situation somewhat similar to this. DuPont decided to release a lawn treatment chemicle that killed 20 25-30' pines. Think we settled for somewhere in the neighborhood of $3500 per tree. Would think the larger maples would be worth even more.

That gives you a ballpark figure for cost. Bigger question would be how the utility easement reads. These companies have pretty carefully worded contracts and a whole building full of lawyers that you don't want to mess with.

[half-dutch]

Have the trees assessed by a professional. And then call your insurance agent to make sure they are covered under your home owners policy. Beyond aesthetic value maples of that age are likely to be worth quite a bundle, if just for saw logs.

Then check with the government that issued the easement for the gas property. It is impossible to know for sure whatall weird stuff got written into it either for the gas company or limiting its options. It is not beyond belief that the easement may have grandfathered in surrounding property arrangements on neighboring properties such as yours. If that is the case, they may not be allowed to touch your trees at all without your permission, quite possibly even the overhanging branches at the property line.

It is pretty hard for me to understand how they can force you to clean up their leaves by cutting down fully mature hardwoods not on their property, especially if there is no overhang at the property or easement line. Once they blow over the lot line they own em. So they should put up a leaf fence if they have a problem on their side.

At the very least have a professional appraisal of your trees' value and talk to your home owners insurance agent. I think you will probably be amazed at how valuable those trees really are.