Neighbor clearing trees, affects on property

Nazi proclamation kills thread!

Reply to
Tom Jaszewski
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Well - gotta tell you. Working the night shift, it really sucks to have a rooster [or your neighbours leaf blower] going off beside you. City folks don't tend to have the luxury of working sun-up to sun-down. When you're packed in the way you are in the city, you've got to figure out ways to live with your neighbours - and making sure they get some sleep is definately one of them.

cheers!

Reply to
Cat

In many states there's no economical benefit (ie tax-deductible reason) for keeping old-growth. After all, how many times have you seen an exempt-status for someone with 5 acres of woods instead of 5 acres of farm? In NJ, 5 acres or more of farm land is given "farm status" on property taxes (usually costing about a dollar an acre in taxes each year), whereas normal property owners pay much more (about $2500 per acre in some municipalities). There's no incentive to keep woodlands around if you can wipe it out and make your land a "tax-exempt farmland". In fact, these laws actually *favor* wiping out woodlands in favor of tax-exempt status.

One more thing - you must make a minimum of $500 per year in agricultural output from the "farmland" to keep the tax-exempt status. Usually these people plant "Christmas trees", so they plant most of the acreage with young pine seedlings, which is a good idea. The only problem is these plants are usually cut down long before they provide adequate food or shelter for wildlife. A good TAX shelter, but not a good wildlife shelter heh.

Dan

Reply to
dstvns

Thanks for the tip.

James

Reply to
JNJ

You must not live in the United States, or you never pick-up a newspaper, watch TV, or listen to news or talk radio. It's hard to believe that someone in the US would not be aware that environmental protection laws exist, and wetlands are protected. It comes up in nearly every election of any consequence.

If you are in the US, I'd suggest you at least find out if you're breaking any laws. Not knowing the law is no defense, and not knowing the law makes it a lot easier to accidentally violate it.

Note that the intent of these laws isn't to restrict the use and enjoyment of your property. They exist to govern situation where your actions may adversely affect the property of others, and/or the long-term viability of a sustainable environment.

Reply to
Warren

Yup. It's a delicate matter and I'll be talking to him first -- it's just a matter of having everything ready for whatever direction he goes. It might be a simple and quick conversation -- it could be a protracted battle with ample property damage as a result of his actions. If we were in a rural setting with property measured in acres then I'd be less concerned -- the way these properties are lined up here though, a major change on one can bring about drastic changes on adjoining plots.

The city is doing quite a bit of development in this area right now and they've caused substantial environmental damage through their changes. We're experiencing flooding in areas that previously did not puddle up, deer are being pushed out of their regular habitats, and much more. We'll be planting more trees in the back next spring in an effort to do a little more to help out the local wildlife. Hopefully he'll be done with his clearing project by then so we can plan accordingly.

James

Reply to
JNJ

Not true. Your options are wider if you own 20 or 20,000 rural acres, but unless you own the whole planet, you *are* subject to many restrictions. Urban/suburban, state, and federal regulations may prevent you from planting nuisance trees and plants, allowing fire-hazard brush and weeds to flourish, cultivating prohibited substances, and heaven knows what else. Water rights questions have a ripe history of regulation and crime. And litigation.

Living in some proximity to other people involves *many* restrictions. On noise. On keeping 27 cats. On painting your house purple. On unlicensed electrical "improvements." Even on skinny-dipping in your own back yard.

Reply to
Frogleg

"Warren" wrote in news:pRZsb.141574$mZ5.983466@attbi_s54:

I know the game warden, I guess I could ask him.

Reply to
Fay

It sounds as if your concerns are valid. I *hope* you can come to some accomodation with the neighbor. It also sounds as if your city may not offer a great deal of help. I would start at the 'switchboard' and find the office responsible for building/development permits and inspections, and try to locate someone knowledgable in land-use questions to at least give you expert information. There may be others interested in similar problems, 'though not in your neighborhood, who might provide success/failure experiences. Unfortunately, municipalities often assess development and taxes before considering environmental concerns. One always thinks (this one thinks) that "experts" are in charge. Until a secretary points out to the planning commission that they've allowed a shopping center to be built in an Air Force runway's crash zone. Good luck.

Reply to
Frogleg

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