Article

2008-02-23 -Signs, Portents, and the Weather-

Man wants neighbors' trees removed so sun hits his solar panels

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Posted by Seafarious 2008-02-23 00:00|| || Front Page|| [7 views ] Top

#1 Green on green, you have to love it.
Like red on red, with all the irony but with less gunfire.

Posted by N guard 2008-02-23 00:45|| 2008-02-23 00:45|| Front Page Top

#2 Eegad! Trees or solar power? An eco-wacky conundrum of cosmic proportions.

My recommendation: they should fire the lawyers, fire up the bong and get mom to pay the electric bills.

Posted by Atomic Conspiracy 2008-02-23 06:08|| 2008-02-23 06:08|| Front Page Top

#3 Maybe his solar panels will overheat, torching his house, which will burn down the trees which will then fall on and total their little electric cars.
Then they can save the world by living in tents and walking to work...

Posted by tu3031 2008-02-23 09:25|| 2008-02-23 09:25|| Front Page Top

#4 The comedy by the Bay Area wackos never ending.

Posted by Woozle Elmeter 2907 2008-02-23 10:24|| 2008-02-23 10:24|| Front Page Top

#5 Although amusing, I come down on the side of the Solar Panel owner.

A material change to his conditions has come about because of his neighbours. If it were his swimming pool, or anything else I'd feel exactly the same.

P.S. That 70,000 USD on solar panels isn't an investment, it's a cost. Unless he's spending multi-thousands a year on fuel bills!

Posted by Bright Pebbles 2008-02-23 11:01|| 2008-02-23 11:01|| Front Page Top

#6 BP did you miss this? "... they planted the redwoods before he installed the solar panels.."

There is not material change anymore than the "yuppie scum" here in Massachusetts that bitched when the pig farm they moved next too got "too ugly" for their sensibilities.

If the trees were planted AFTER the solar panels were installed that would be one thing, but before?

Posted by AlanC 2008-02-23 12:27|| 2008-02-23 12:27|| Front Page Top

#7 I agree, anyone too dumb to not realise "Trees shade Solar Panels" shouldn't be allowed to breed.

Sounds to me like poor planning, remedy? lawsuit.
(No, No, I couldn't be wrong.)

Posted by Redneck Jim 2008-02-23 13:25|| 2008-02-23 13:25|| Front Page Top

#8 I don't see that it is that big of a deal. It is not that different from a noise ordinance, animal restrictions, height limits on buildings, parking restrictions etc. Space is limited in suburban cities and the city ordinance books are full of things that prevent the lifestyle of one person from impacting the quality of life of their neighbors.

I also agree that someone who lives in a suburban city should not have to worry about their property being denied sunlight from gigantic trees - Redwood or otherwise. You are responsible for cutting down branches that extend into your neighbors yard so they don't have to rake up leaves they didn't sign up for. And it makes sense to me that trees that can grow up and block out a neighbors ability to get sunlight (irregardless of solar panels) are a valid concern.

Posted by Crease Poodle1618 2008-02-23 13:54|| 2008-02-23 13:54|| Front Page Top

#9 Redwoods are pretty special to those who live with them. Among other things, they add value to a house lot - ESPECIALLY in Sunnyvale and other towns along the southern Bay, where they're less often found anymore.

I have some sympathy for the guy with the solar, though. Two homes ago, I had a fence with lovely rambling roses I'd planted and carefully tended. The tiny lot next to us got sold to a couple who built a house that literally covered just about every square foot of the lot except for the small mandated setbacks. And .. the house was 3 stories tall.

I not only lost the rambling fence roses, I lost half of a very large walking garden with antique varieties of roses and other plants carefully procured and tended. And the house blocked every inch of view from our deck. grrrr

Posted by lotp 2008-02-23 15:33|| 2008-02-23 15:33|| Front Page Top

#10 On the bright side, Mr. Treanor is gonna end up with one heck of a set of deck furniture.

Posted by ed 2008-02-23 15:41|| 2008-02-23 15:41|| Front Page Top

#11 Now Mr. SolarPower grasps what farmers and ranchers feel about 'wolf' reintroduction. Tough Tiddlywatts.

Posted by Procopius2k 2008-02-23 15:58|| 2008-02-23 15:58|| Front Page Top

#12 mixed feelings. Redwoods are beautiful, but not usually suitable for a suburban neighborhood. Also, sounds like the next door neighbor didn't plan well on the solar siting, huh? Perhaps a real feud is necessary to determine the outcome

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2008-02-23 16:10|| 2008-02-23 16:10|| Front Page Top

#13 I agree with Frank. "Redwoods" and "Neighborhoods" are two words that have no business in the same sentence. In the suburbs, trees that big are a true menace. Heck, here in Atlanta 75 foot Oak trees cause tons of mischief when they fall over ... I can't even imagine the drama 200' redwoods would cause.

Posted by Beau 2008-02-23 22:43|| 2008-02-23 22:43|| Front Page Top

#14 ~~Too bad~~ Good thing the trees aren't a protected/endangered species - that would ~~double the entertainment value to us~~ present quite a conundrum.

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2008-02-23 22:51|| http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/]">[http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/] 2008-02-23 22:51|| Front Page Top

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