Re: Running Power Lines Through My Property to Service a Neighbor. A buddy of mine came over to see the place & spotted my neighbor's tree limb is resting firmly on my power line. Your legal right to trim branches hanging over your property line will depend on the health of the tree. Be careful here, though. These items are not considered damage. Report Overgrown Trees that Threaten Power Lines. A lot of people call us and say, hey, this tree fell from my neighbors house into our yard, and I want . But if the tree fell without causing damage, insurance typically will pay $500 to $1,000 for debris removal depending on the policy, and if there are additional costs it's up to the neighbors to . Place a written notice on the premises. What do I do about my tree limbs growing into the power lines?Tree limbs growing into your power lines seems like a pretty big concern. According to Excel Energy, the person who owns the land that the tree is on is expected to keep the tree branches from touching the power lines. The electric company says this was don First, it's usually best to discuss the potential issue with your neighbor. Determine where the property lines meet. The branches my only be cut back the owner's property line and cannot threaten the health of the tree. Neighbor's Tree in My Yard Karen, A neighbor's tree is encroaching on the power lines on your property. In most American states, if your tree or any part of it falls on your neighbors' property and causes damage to their property through no fault of your own (due to a snow storm, winds, hurricane, or other so-called "act of God"), you are not responsible. In the U.S. the Service Drop Conductor is insulated and it is only 120/240 volts. That means that if your lines cross your neighbor's yard and your neighbor's tree needs to be trimmed, your neighbor is going to have to do the trimming. You can trim the tree branch touching your Service Drop. State your concerns clearly, and ask them to get their tree evaluated by a Certified Arborist. By law, you have the right to trim branches and limbs that extend past the property line. Too close to the house, low hanging, and trees touching them. You may have a responsibility to maintain the tree (prune it) and ensure it doesn't get too close to the electric line. In a rural electric coop, you are most likely a "member" of the coop and your membership is subject to an agreement you accepted at some point. Your Responsibilities. Wilson v. Polino Enterprises, Inc., 2018 W. Va. LEXIS 413, 2018 WL 2277812 (Supreme Ct. of Appeals W.Va., 2018). Answer (1 of 7): Good question. Landscaping Tips, Plant Health Care, Tree Care / May 5, 2022 May 11, 2022. Probably needs to be pruned or removed before the next snowfall. For example, don't plant trees close to overhead utility lines. Tree-Line Maintenance. Border line . We had a neighbor once who had a tree that reached far up into the power lines and the neighborhood kids like to climb that tree a lot. It has already ripped the neutral wire out of the braker box. Also, FortisBC recommends you "click, call or check before you dig": contact BC 1 Call to find out if there are any buried utility pipes or lines. Keeping Lights On, Caring for Trees FPL arborists help keep lines clear to ensure reliable service while caring for the long-term health of trees. The power and telephone lines for the neighbor run across my back yard. Corp., the Court of Appeals of Maryland limited landowners to self-help to remove invasive plant species from growing on your property. The letter should include: Description of the problem Photographs. My neighbor had let several trees grow into the power lines, so I called 3-1-1. Some people like to plant trees near or on the property line for privacy. Safety is a core value at FPL, which is why we hire specially trained line . It caught fire during a wind storm due to power lines rubbing against the tree, showering the street with sparks (you can see where it caught fire - look for the orange plastic sleeve put on the power line to prevent the power line from touching the tree). "Whenever trees are down, the first thing to do is look for power lines." Delbridge said. Contact the 311 Call Center to report a non-emergency situation. Call the power company. Other issue at 510 W Keech Ave Ann Arbor, MI, 48103, USA: A mulberry tree in my backyard (or possibly my neighbor's backyard--it's not clear because it's on the property line) is tangled in the power lines and is bending them. Second, your neighbor could be held liable for damages, according to FindLaw. Questions Updated 2 years ago 13.6K 8 0 The houses are closely grouped. . Your neighbors will have to file a claim with their own property insurer if they want to be . They Seven percent of all settled claims were caused by a fallen tree. They are very high up, perhaps 40 -50 ft. Knock on the neighbor's door? Trees & Power Lines BGE's commitment to electricity reliability goes beyond maintaining the poles and lines themselvesit extends to the trees surrounding overhead power lines. Call 650-856-4062, Monday through Friday, 9:00AM to 4:00PM. The one from the street to the house. Before trimming trees around overhead powerlines, you should contact the power . boundary and border line trees. If you see a tree touching power lines and sparking or causing another hazardous tree condition, contact FPL immediately at 1-800-4OUTAGE (1-800-468-8243) to report the condition. Watch Tree Planting Tips on Youtube! If one should fall. My husband briefly considered moving it; I considered the prospect of our children being orphaned. . If you are concerned about the size, small trees near a power line between 15 to 20 feet tall would cost you somewhere between $250 and $525. If you live outside Houston, you may want to . Either way, you need to know that your neighbor has received your communication. Establish your personal and property's safety. You ask for help. We at Ballantyne Legal can help in all types of legal challenges that affect you and your family. Georgia's fallen tree responsibility law uses the "visibly dead or diseased" rule for falling trees. Texas Law May Allow You to Trim and Cut Branches Even with an Easement. An example of civil trespass in this case would be crashing your car into a tree on someone's property. neighbor's tree fell on my power lines Thursday, 18 November 2021 / Published in does erik die in the last kingdom Taylor Gourmet Soft Roll , Scottish Witchcraft Act 1735 Sausage Rolls , Best Vegan Athlete Cookbook , Marlboro Shamrocks Football , Cleaning Silver With Bicarbonate Of Soda , Adidas Backpack Academy , 2. So I called Dominion Virginia Power's emergency line to report the problem and placed a few small orange cones (left over from an old toy) near the sidewalk to warn neighbors away. The homeowner will be responsible for the actual tree removal. It is possible, but not certain of course, that you may have already given the coop permission in the agreement for what amounts to a . If the tree that rips off the cable, was in fact your tree, they might require you to pay the cost of the repair. The electric company says this was don Medium trees might cost you between $290 to $720. Any tips? Maintenance Routine maintenance around power lines is vital to providing reliable service. Your options may be limited if the tree is situated on the property line and the roots extend into your yard and damage a fence located entirely on your property. Except the trees were the unlucky cabin campers. However, trees located completely on one person's property can be considered a boundary line tree if the adjacent owners have treated it as common property by express agreement or by their course of conduct. If the tree is on your property you have the responsibility to trim the branches. You may not go onto the neighbor's property or destroy the tree. Write a letter to your neighbor before his dead, diseased or listing tree falls through your roof or over your property line. The city arborist happened to catch this (was in the neighborhood completely coincidentally) and told the power company that they'd damaged some of my trees and would need to remove them. We are not able to assist in removing debris from yards. If a customer would like a tree removed and the tree is located between a utility pole and the customer's home, we will need to disconnect the service. my nextdoor naibors tree is hanging over & on top of my power line from the pole to side of my house . Resting so much so that the power line has actually cut through the bark of the branch. As a matter of fact, overgrown trees are a top cause of power outages. Instead, report the threat using our easy form below. This is a low even for our typically-poor service in Houston. The power company is installing underground power lines in my neighborhood, and a few weeks back they accidentally drilled in the wrong direction. Steps to set up tree removal assistance: Call 800-490-0025 for residences, or 800-966-4818 for businesses to request tree removal. Tree maintenance should be the responsibility of the homeowner, not the power company. Under Florida law, a neighbor may trim the branches of neighbor's tree if the branches extend past the property line. However, you will not receive fines or jail time from the state for doing so. "It is predictably difficult to justify paying attorney's fees over a tree on either side. Write a letter to your neighbors (or the owners of the property) and send it by US mail, or send an email. They wouldn't cut back just the two trees directly behind my neighbor's home. Basically, if it's too close to the wire, you NEED someone to do it right. Tree maintenance should be the responsibility of the homeowner, not the power company. One cannot legally force their neighbors to remove a tree in the state of New Jersey. Trees can often pull power lines down with them, and trees are also conductors of electricity. Try to Work . The median amount paid by insurance companies for settled tree claims was $4,110. 2 days later, a city rep came to my home, investigated, and told me that if they found other trees along the easement touching the power lines, they would perform the work. Similarly, don't damage your neighbor's tree; doing so may turn a minor tree problem into a major liability problem. Florida has laws governing these encroaching branches. My neighbors tree has pulled my power lines down before ..just a few days ago the wind pulled my power pole off my house.. i called pge they came and re attached it . Florida law states if a . Share this: ATT has the option to trim branches if they interfere with drop wire or cable in the easement/right of way. But depending on the company, sure they could charge your neighbour if it's their tree or it's already included in all the rates you already pay. The neighbor whose house the tree fell on had for years been repeatedly sending . My neighbor had let several trees grow into the power lines, so I called 3-1-1. Mark the tree using tape or spray paint. If the tree was already in need of pruning, and the damage could have been avoided, the neighbor can be found responsible for damages. Your neighbors would be responsible for the repairs to their . On my roof it . So, it's important to make sure that there are no downed power lines or live wires. The Massachusetts Rule lets a landowner cut off boughs and roots of neighbor's trees which intrude into his or her land when the tree causes "sensible harm." Darlene could have cut the apple tree branch back to the edge of the easement. Tree on Property line fell on neighbors side, threatens to sue for damages, US. If convicted, you could face a fine of up to $2,500 and up to one year in jail. I hope that this answer helps you in a general sense, but it does not constitute legal advice, nor tax advice of any kind, and does not create an attorney-client relationship between . According to Xcel Energy, tree branches in contact with the overhead powerlines between the pole and house are the responsibility of the homeowner. If a weak or damaged branch that you . According to Xcel Energy, tree branches in contact with the overhead powerlines between the pole and house are the responsibility of the homeowner. Before trimming trees around overhead powerlines, you should contact the power . For home and business. If the tree is healthy, you may, at your own expense, trim back branches up to the property line. In the 2012 case of Rony v Costa, a property owner hired an unlicensed day laborer to trim limbs that crossed his property line from a neighboring tree. In Virginia, criminal trespass is a Class 1 misdemeanor. A tree falling however is an entire different thing, following say a storm, is an unforeseen accident. A boundary line tree is one in which a property line passes through any part of its trunk. You ask for help. Once we receive your report, we'll inspect it and determine whether the regularly scheduled trim servicer for this location should . When a tree on your property hangs over the boundary line into another yard, you have a duty to address all weak or damaged branches. So falling trees are not your problem. It's always "best" to avoid having trees hang over your neighbors property, no matter what kind of tree it is. However, the law only allows tree trimming and tree cutting up to the property line. . The trees actually a poor conductor of electricity so very little current flows through it to the ground. In other words, when a tree from your neighbor's property falls and injures someone or causes damage to your property, the neighbor is responsible for paying for any damage when the fallen tree showed visible signs that the tree was dead . Discourage your neighbor from trying a "do it yourself" approach. MISS DIG's website is www.missdig.org. When trees grow too close to power lines, trouble grows right along with them. The neighbor does not appreciate that branches from the tree have grown over into his or her yard, rubbing against the roof and dropping leaves, branches and debris. If I keep my power line there for 21 continuous years (at least in Pennsylvania, but different . Consequently, we decline to impose . Too close to the house, low hanging, and trees touching them. Return to Top Under Texas law, even if your neighbor has the right to allow his tree limbs to hang over your property, you have the right to trim the leaves, and even cut the branches, if they pose a danger to your property or block your sunlight. Notify us. Of course, this is only fair. Lawn Aeration; Lawn Fertilization; Weed Control; Rock Beds and Border Weed Control; Blog; Contact Us; A Few Tree Planting Tips! It won't break," and he refused to order the tree removal. Tell them that if the tree falls and injures or kills someone . This is when you just require a moderate number of branches to be taken off. 3. Miss Dig, Michigan utilities' computerized one-call protection service, is available by calling "811" or 1-800-482-7171 to help you safely locate where underground cable may be buried including electric, cable, telephone and gas lines. Storm Damage Our crews respond quickly to storm damage. We do help everyday homeowners and residents with their legal issues and challenges. Even though the tree trunk is on your neighbor's property, anything from the tree that falls onto your property is your responsibility. If you do harm the tree, you could be found liable for up to three times the value of the tree. Please do not attempt to trim any trees or vegetation growing on or near power lines. If all else fails, the City of Palo Alto has a mediation program to act as a third party in helping residents with property disputes. Trees and tree limbs falling on power lines during storms is one of the greatest causes of power outages. If its a private line (your connection to the grid) then you pay. Farmer Wilson sued Polino, complaining that the Company .