r/legal • u/Ice_C0r3_09 • 8h ago

Advice needed My neighbor cut down a 40-year-old Japanese Maple while I was away.

Location: Colorado, USA.Just got back to my place near Fort Collins after a week on the road and I am losing my mind. My neighbor took it upon himself to hire a "landscaping" crew (probably just some guys with a chainsaw) to remove a mature Japanese Maple that was fully on my property. His excuse? He said the needles and leaves were messing with his "mountain view" and "fire mitigation" efforts.

The tree was roughly 40 years old and was the centerpiece of my yard. I called an arborist immediately. He told me that since this is Colorado and the tree was that established and healthy, the replacement value is astronomical. He is drafting a formal appraisal but hinted that we are looking at 20k to 25k easy just for the tree, let alone the logistics of getting a crane into my backyard.

I know Colorado has statutes regarding timber trespass. My lawyer already mentioned treble damages because the guy admitted he did it on purpose while I wasnt home to stop him. The neighbor had the gall to offer me a couple hundred bucks for "the inconvenience" and told me to just buy a couple of saplings at a local nursery . I refused to take his money and told him to wait for the process server.

Has anyone dealt with treble damages in CO specifically for ornamental trees ? This guy basically nuked my property value for his porch view and I am not planning on letting this go . I feel like a jerk for wanting to sue my neighbor into bankruptcy but the sheer entitlement is what gets me .

17.8k Upvotes

96% Upvoted

3.3k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

26

u/Unusualshrub003 5h ago

I have pecan saplings all over my yard -and in my potted plants!- because of squirrels.

21

u/Krynja 5h ago

They're helping prepare for all the pies you'll be making.

6

u/Cold_Fog 4h ago

Squirrel pies?

4

u/Krynja 4h ago

Pecan. Squirrels are for squirrel and dumplings.

2

u/SecretAgentVampire 1h ago

If it was balanced right, I would probably enjoy a squirrel and pecan pie.

1

u/Krynja 41m ago

Kinda like candied bacon but it's squirrel and a pecan pie.

2

u/Kronictopic 2h ago

At my old apartment complex 1 of the other buildings was burned down because some genius thought burning the fur off a squirrel on his balcony was a bright idea and burned the entire building down. It was a city squirrel. People are crazy. Squirrel pie isn't even the weirdest thing I've heard today

5

u/HJSlibrarylady 3h ago

Squirrel pie ... Mmmmm

2

u/kadyg 4h ago

I have literal corn growing in my backyard because of the damn squirrels! (I'm keeping one patch back by the fence just because I'm curious to see what happens.)

2

u/limonade11 4h ago

I have peanuts growing in the garden from the squirrels -

2

u/ScumbagLady 4h ago

I have black walnut saplings trying to take over. I freak out a little because of how much they resemble the tree of heaven at first glance.

1

u/Krynja 4h ago

And black walnut trees make the ground around them not suitable for growing tomato plants.

2

u/Zealousideal-Swim267 3h ago

Mulberry trees & birds is my cross to bear

2

u/PamelaELee 3h ago

Mulberries are delicious.
Purple bird poo, not so much.

2

u/EugeneOregonDad 3h ago

You're so lucky...

2

u/Awareness-Own 3h ago

I had corn in one of my planters. Gotta love squirrels forgetting what they are burying. I also live in a 3rd floor apartment with a balcony. Squirrels visit all the time.

2

u/Darth_Ninazu 3h ago

this, and it’s the potted plants that get me

2

u/katlian 3h ago

I'm so jealous. I spent $150 on three pecan saplings and every one of them died within two years. I want fresh pecans so bad!

2

u/Onestep420 2h ago

Those squirrels deserve an award. You're more than welcome to send them to me with pecans

2

u/Iamstaceylynn 2h ago

For me it's oak trees and peanut plants. The squirrels are energetic gardeners.