BUSTED!

No_Bivy

Treehouser
Joined
Sep 2, 2006
Messages
6,447
Got shut down by the city planning dept, during a removal this am. They asked for our tree removal permit. The Montford historic distric has rules concerning tree removal. Homeowner says they are outside the line. Dude pulls out the map and isn't sure if we are in the area......:X

Anywho, the Post Oak is totally rotten at the base and gunning for a new house. The city arborist shows up and says he recommended removal of the tree three years ago. Previous owner did not tell this owner. So then I ask if we can keep going then, they say not till the permit is issued:X:X

So, the funny part is, we removed a 50 inch dead oak from the same yard three weeks ago. No one said anything bout that........turns out I should have had a permit to remove a dead tree!!!!!!WTF, they will change that shat when someone gets sued.

Hopefully finish friday...if I get my permit. They lady who issues the permit seems to enjoy the power to say no......till they get sued:O
 
I hate hearing stories like this one. I do not like the idea of a municipality telling people what they can and cannot do on PRIVATE property. If it ever comes to that in Boston I'll quit my job.....
 
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  • #4
yep

....best part is they called about an hour ago to say I was OK to take the tree down.......WTF:X
 
to badit didnt smash something after they shut you down! they take on a lot of liability doing things that way
 
We have several municipalities around here with arbor laws. All are well intentioned, some are more effective than others. One city is so ridiculously assinine about arbor permits that it's usually easier to just schedule the job for Saturday or Sunday and blast it out quick. They steadfastly refuse to issue any removal permit for any oak tree unless it's stone cold dead. The fun part comes when the homeowner's insurance companies (who are much more proactive since the hurricanes 3 years ago) tell the homeowner to remove a dangerous tree or face non-renewal of their policy.

Some other municipalities just use it as another money grab. They have somebody from the building department (a construction inspector) come out to 'inspect' the tree and issue the bill for permission to remove the tree. Yet others will require replacement trees regardless of the number of remaining trees or canopy coverage on the property.
 
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  • #7
to badit didnt smash something after they shut you down! they take on a lot of liability doing things that way

it's a matter of time before their policy is tested in court.......

they say I have to post the permit while doing the work,....I'm thinking about a sign that says "another home saved by ProTreeCare" :/:or:/: "smile it's contagious"

oh well crane job in the morning, NO permit needed8)
 
better sign:D"two weeks later the city lets us take down this dead tree in a school yard"
 
Most municipalities around here require a permit to remove a tree. Only a few charge for them. It's becoming more and more the norm though. If it is a dead tree and you as a Certified Arborist say it's dangerous you can usually remove it without a permit though. The permit application is more for those who just don't like having the tree in their yard.

Also, some municipalities have strict replanting bylaws. Remove one tree, replant two.
 
you bet TGW, and I LOVE it, I get to do lotsa reports for trees for these permits. :D
been sorta quiet lately tho, I guess people get more excited when the wind is a blowing.
 
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  • #12
the intent is good but the administration is flawed
 
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the next permit I ask for will be to do this......:D
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Ha! I think you'll need more than a permit from the city for that. Funny stuff.
 
Tomorrow's job was cancelled for similar reasons. We have a historic district that requires permits. We aren't sure if we need one because the guidelines don't seems to be readily available but we are going to hold off until we can find out more about the RULES. The part of California I am from is packed full of little cities, each with their own licenses and permits to get. I don't miss the headaches.
 
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  • #16
The verbage in these rules says is interpreted differently by different folks. City arborist says I don't need a permit if I am pruning......city planner says I need a permit for any "minor work or major work" whatever that means:?


..
 
I hate hearing stories like this one. I do not like the idea of a municipality telling people what they can and cannot do on PRIVATE property. If it ever comes to that in Boston I'll quit my job.....


Don't even think about working for The City of Key West then. :whine:
 
We have a big lake with vacation homes that has a "Can't remove anything over 6"dbh without permission" rule. The unintended consequence of that is that there are many properties where every young tree has been removed.

TS
 
Don't even think about working for The City of Key West then. :whine:


:lol: that was a pipedream. Besides, I've been working on my beautiful accent for 32 years...it'd be a shame to waste it in FLA.;)

Like Jon says its only a matter of time before before one of these cities gets hauled into court and LOSES BIG TIME. I have a hard enough time managing the trees on city property that we are responsible for without adding private trees.

<------what is this? communist Cuba???
 
I hate hearing stories like this one. I do not like the idea of a municipality telling people what they can and cannot do on PRIVATE property. If it ever comes to that in Boston I'll quit my job.....


God bless you Greg-There may remain a vestige of hope for the state of Taxachusetts after all.
 
I work in one town that has a tree ordinance. Covers trees over 24" diameter at 3' high and any oak tree over 3" in dia. If the tree is dead then you just need the city guy to come out and verify, any other reason for removal and it takes approval of the city council. I removed a tree that blew over into the neighbor's house and the owner had requested removal a couple years prior and had been refused. $75,000 to repair the house and a few thousand for me to remove the tree. I never heard what, if anything happened about it. I would think the guy would have a pretty good case against the city. The city has actually been pretty good to work with on this deal. Very reasonable, they just want to be kept in the loop.
 
That summer I worked up in Maryland, permits were a pain! You can't remove any tree, any where on the eastern shore without a permit. I remember a home where we were pruning two large trees, and there was a little locust (15' tall) snapped in half. The local county guy came over to check out what we were doing before we had the chance to remove it. Good thing too cause we'd have been fined if he came and saw a fresh stump, and apparently the fines are STEEP! Ohh... and he said we couldn't touch it without a permit.:|:


The worst part is... you sometimes get the local home owner who has something up their wrong end, and if they hear a chainsaw, they call the county office to say there are some suspicious tree workers up to no good. ...dumb.
 
Coming from the west coast, I feel a very negative attitude toward just about every type of service industry down here... It's like we're second class citizens because we work? :?
 
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  • #25
got-R-permit.......other wise known as......


Certificate Of Appropriateness:D:lol:
 
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