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Trees put neighbors in a spot An old maple tree at the apartment complex next door was leaning way over our fence, and the owner wouldn't do anything about it. The trunk was rotting and splintering, and finally my landlord had somebody come out and trim it back. My question is, could the city have done anything? The tree was angled so that it could have come down on my front door. -- David K., Medford Probably not, David. Although the Public Works Department keeps an eye out for trees leaning into the street and other easements, the city generally tries to stay out of disputes between neighbors. "If it was leaning into the public right-of-way, we would definitely do something," said Larry Beskow, a spokesman for Public Works. "But if it's between two private properties, well, we don't like to play referee." Professional arborists have a word for it -- "property-line trees" -- and they don't like to get involved, either. According to Clarence Wangle, a certified arborist who operates Beaver Tree Service in Central Point, Oregon law is murky on the subject. As a result, he says, most tree cutters won't trim a property-line tree without written permission from the owner or a court order. Otherwise, they could be charged with trespassing or even sued. "If it's a tree of value, even if it's hanging over your property, you can't cut it," he said. "Property-line trees can lead to real ugly disputes. A lot of times it ends up in court." Some trees are dangerous, in which case it's smart to notify the owner and establish liability in case something happens. Sometimes, however, disputes arise simply because a neighbor is too paranoid or doesn't like raking leaves that come from a tree in somebody else's yard, he said. "Let's say you own a big majestic Oregon white oak that's 200 years old," he said, "and somebody buys a lot next door to you and builds a house encroaching this tree. That tree was there 200 years before the guy built his house, and he wants you to destroy part of it? This is where it really gets gnarly." "There's no easy answer to these questions," he added. "The best thing is for neighbors to get along and work something out." Send your questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; or by fax to (541) 776-4376; or by e-mail to: [email protected] Please include your name, address and phone number for verification. Today's News Index Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA