[gomsiepop]

Yesterday morning my neighbor rang my bell. I invited her into my home and she immediately said, "I hope this doesn't ruin our friendship". She proceeded to tell me the tree I planted in the back of my home was blocking her "view" of the water. I live two doors away from her and the tree in question is a Magnolia. Our homes are newly built and the tree in question was planted three months ago. I am in the process of having my entire home landscaped right now. I was extremely upset and because I didn't want to upset her I said I would try to relocate the tree. I spoke to my landscaper and he said because I have an interior lot the location I suggested could damage the screen to my pool area in the future as the tree grows. Although I want my neighbor to be happy I am not happy myself. I am upset she waited three months to tell me her concerns. The "view" she mentioned can only be seen from one chair in her lanai to the left side of her lanai. The tree is planted on my property and I did submit the paperwork to ARC and I was approved. Can someone give me guidance as to what they would do in my situation. Thank you for your help.

[JSR22]

Honestly, I would leave the tree where it was planted. You got the approval and the landscaper was against moving the tree. If she can see water from one chair she did not pay for a view lot.

[NotGolfer]

I would say that it's your property and you went through the correct channels to have the landscaping done. I don't know where you live here but water views mostly are of sloughs (my opinion). IF this makes her so angry that a friendship can't be forged, her character should be questioned. LIFE is too short to worry about what others are thinking.

[Kerry Azz]

Originally Posted by gomsiepop

Yesterday morning my neighbor rang my bell. I invited her into my home and she immediately said, "I hope this doesn't ruin our friendship". She proceeded to tell me the tree I planted in the back of my home was blocking her "view" of the water. I live two doors away from her and the tree in question is a Magnolia. Our homes are newly built and the tree in question was planted three months ago. I am in the process of having my entire home landscaped right now. I was extremely upset and because I didn't want to upset her I said I would try to relocate the tree. I spoke to my landscaper and he said because I have an interior lot the location I suggested could damage the screen to my pool area in the future as the tree grows. Although I want my neighbor to be happy I am not happy myself. I am upset she waited three months to tell me her concerns. The "view" she mentioned can only be seen from one chair in her lanai to the left side of her lanai. The tree is planted on my property and I did submit the paperwork to ARC and I was approved. Can someone give me guidance as to what they would do in my situation. Thank you for your help.

Don’t cave in the problem will only get worse! Neighbors are just that” Neighbors. In the villages there are to many that complain about things that have no merit.

[bilcon]

Tough call for you, but I have seen a lot of worse things done that block a person's view. There are some beautiful homes on Evans Prairie Golf course with great views. One homeowner extended his lanai and home so much that he blocked the entire view of two of his neighbors who paid a lot extra for that view. Still, it's his property and he or she can do what they want, if approved. Enjoy your magnolia.

[billethkid]

Based on what has been presented you have done no wrong!

You are the victim of one's opinion.

You cannot please all the people all of the time.

You have made an effort to investigate relocation.

I would do no more.

[OCsun]

My first thought is how attached are you the tree. Will it bother you as the tree grows large and wide that you are blocking someones view? I ask this only because you took the time to ask for our thoughts. Maybe a palm tree would fill your need and not block the view. If you do make any changes I would ask your neighbor to pay for it.

There is a magnolia on the golf course behind my house and it does block my view and I wish I could have it replaced with a Palm Tree. It gets very few flowers also drops quite a few leaves which are messy. Just my opinion but if you love your tree then keep it. It is your property!

[Nucky]

Hit the neighbor with the estimate for the removal of the existing tree and the cost of the existing tree and the replacement cost of a tree that would fit your plan and help your neighbor regain her view. All you are doing is putting the ball back in her court. Let's see how important the view and friendship really are. This way you don't have to say no. She will come to her own conclusion quickly. The neighbor can say no to your compromise and you come away looking like the hero that you really are.

I give you a whole lot of credit for the way you handled the initial contact with the neighbor. Very restrained and thoughtful. I guessing that the tree hugger should be thanking her lucky stars for a neighbor who is trying to improve the look of her lovely new home. Enjoy the holidays and hopefully, your compromise will work out just beautifully. I would offer the presentation with a witness from the chair without a view and if you strike a deal have it put in writing with the money paid upfront of course. Good Luck.

[Marathon Man]

It seems that the neighbor was just asking. To suggest that she is angry and complaining is a bit harsh.

Anyway. I agree that you should leave the tree where it is. You are a very nice person to consider moving it. When she next knocks on your door, simply explain all the details to her. She should have a thank-you-for-trying response to you. Then you can invite her in for a cup of copy. If she takes a selfish attitude, then you can stop caring.

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by OCsun

...If you do make any changes I would ask your neighbor to pay for it...

That’s what I was thinking, if there is an option that pleases both her AND YOU.

[tophcfa]

I think you handled the situation very well and have no responsibility to remove the tree. However, let me give you a little advise based on my experience with magnolia trees. Do yourself a favor and use this episode as an excuse to get rid of the magnolia tree. In a few years you will wish you never planted the dam tree. We regretted having a magnolia on our property. These trees grow very big (not just tall but very wide) and create a mess. They constantly drop these rather large and spinny cones everywhere and their leaves make a mess, including clogging your gutters. You will be constantly cleaning up the trees debris. It also becomes very difficult to grow decent grass anywhere near the tree canopy and your lawnmower will learn to hate the trees cones. And if you wait until the tree grows big to take it down you will have to jump through loops with the ARC and pay someone big $$ to remove and replace it. Plus, the now extensive and shallow tree root system will then rot underground and create a fungus that will kill all your grass. Three years after removing our magnolia we are finally getting something that resembles a lawn, but we constantly need to add fill as the lawn depresses where the roots have rotted out.

So my advise would be to get rid of the magnolia for you, not your neighbor. But you will get a double win since your neighbor will think you did it for her : ).

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

I think you handled the situation very well and have no responsibility to remove the tree. However, let me give you a little advise based on my experience with magnolia trees. Do yourself a favor and use this episode as an excuse to get rid of the magnolia tree. In a few years you will wish you never planted the dam tree. We regretted having a magnolia on our property. These trees grow very big (not just tall but very wide) and create a mess. They constantly drop these rather large and spinny cones everywhere and their leaves make a mess, including clogging your gutters. You will be constantly cleaning up the trees debris. It also becomes very difficult to grow decent grass anywhere near the tree canopy and your lawnmower will learn to hate the trees cones. And if you wait until the tree grows big to take it down you will have to jump through loops with the ARC and pay someone big $$ to remove and replace it. Plus, the now extensive and shallow tree root system will then rot underground and create a fungus that will gill all your grass. Three years after removing our magnolia we are finally getting something that resembles a lawn, but we constantly need to add fill as the lawn depresses where the roots have rotted out.

So my advise would be to get rid of the magnolia for you, not your neighbor. But you will get a double win since your neighbor will think you did it for her : ).

This!!! The best move we ever made landscaping-wise was removing the dirty magnolia on our lawn. Magnolias are beautiful on the back forty of a sixty acre spread only. But I applaud your attempt at diplomacy with your neighbor.

[karostay]

I would say yes we have a strong relationship .Don't take offence I' did my due diligence and research I have broken no rules or any deed restrictions.. The second tree is coming next week

[Two Bills]

Got to agree regarding the Magnolia. Not a tree for a less than large area.
One burst of color for the year, then clear up falling leaves for rest of year.
Purchased a property once that had one. It went PDQ.

[n8xwb]

I haven't looked at the other replies, so if this has already been said, I apologize. If you can live without the tree and it isn't that important to you, you might consider offering to have it removed at her expense. That expense should also cover what you paid to have it planted too