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NewslettersTree cutting in Pleasant Point riles up neighbor
Fri, 2008-07-25 06:47 — Anonymous
A spike in tree cutting by homeowners in Pleasant Point Plantation prompted one resident to complain to the county, pitting her against her neighbors. Read the story here.
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Yes, Beaufort County definitely has a tree ordinance in place which disallows individual property owners from removing trees from their home yards whose trunks are larger than a specified number of inches in diameter - any kind of tree.
It is disturbing to notice on Lady's Island just how many new residents move into a subdivision and immediately remove full-grown trees. They seem unaware of the environmental value of trees to wildlife, and the health values of the trees to the residents, and the increase in property value to a home with trees in the landscaping.
It takes 25 years for one of our local pine trees to mature to full height, and meanwhile many people assume that type of tree is worthless, but it's been my experience in my more than thirty years in Beaufort to notice that when pine trees surround a house the homeowner rarely has any problem with those "no-seeums" or gnats which are so common in the Lowcountry. Evidentally the gnats don't like the pine needles - and those needles make great mulch too!
Since falling limbs and trees cause most of the damage to homes in a hurricane or even strong thunderstorms, homeowners should have a right to protect their homes. Even if it requires a permit that requires a review, homeowners should get the benefit of the doubt.
Some people buy or build homes and may have small trees close by that may not seem threatening, but 20 or so years later, those tress will have grown and may now seem like a threat.
Even though homeowners insurance will cover damages, who wants to go through the ordeal of making a claim, then get busy contractors to do the repair?After a hurricane adjusters and contractors are busy and there will be a delay.
Why not allow homeowners who wish to be proactive to act. The loss of those few trees will be insignificant.
In 38 years I don't recall having any less of a problem with gnats because of pine trees, but the pines do pose a great danger to your home during storms. Lightening is especially dangerous and seems to hit tall pine trees regularly. Our family and other family members have faced thousands of dollars in damage due to pine trees being struck by lightening. Pine trees are a crop tree, they grow well, but they are not the best trees to have around your home. This time we had all the pines removed before we built our home. Sooner or later they will give you problems.
I have to agree with the title of this report. It is a shame that a newspaper would decline its integrity in order to publish a story at the request of one neighbor in Pleasant Point Plantation who has intentionally waged a war against a fellow neighbor. Her complaints aren't really about "doing the right thing" because Paula Loftis has done so many things that would warrant her to face criminal charges for harrassment, slander and libel against her neighbors. She has went through strenuous efforts to inflict stress upon everyone in the Grand Oaks Way community. She has no intention to become a part of the neighborhood in which she lives. Her sole purpose is to divide the neighborhood. She will not relent until she gets what she wants! She is a volunteer and uses her position as some type of authority to tell others what to do. She has complained to the county, the homeowner's association and even to the individual residents trying to rally support for her side and is only more infuriated when serious affliction doesn't come upon the family which she has singled out for her attacks. Now, she has taken "her story" to the newspaper but it is important for readers to know the WHOLE story. If Paula Loftis really cared about the trees, she would simply come up to the neighbors whom have marked their trees for removal and ask to "save" them at her own expense. I'm sure these neighbors would have no problem with allowing her tree removal company come do whatever she wanted to with the trees after they are removed from their properties. The truth still remains, however, that each individual homeowner is entitled to make their own choices when it comes to their property whether it is to remove trees for safety or appearance reasons. I personally cleared my property on Grand Oaks Way and got rid of a lot of pine trees. In addition, a lot of aging oak trees had to be removed as well. Many remained and these trees are sick and dying. Recently, a minor wind storm blew one over and if it would've landed the other direction, it would've destroyed a portion of my home! I've got nothing against trees. I replanted 27 full sized palm trees on my property. Paula has accused one particular neighbor that she has waged her attacks on for a number of insane charges. She claims that they "deforested" their property and are engaged in a "business enterprise" by selling trees that were removed from their property. She has attacked the number of vehicles that they own and their boat all the while when I have had even more for her to complain about when I live directly across the street. If Paula is so upset about what happens on Grand Oaks Way, then she should either not go out of her way coming down here to find things to complain about or she should move to a rural neighborhood where her "tastes" would be more appreciated. Pleasant Point Plantation...especially Grand Oaks Way...is a refined community nestled within a country club that was once very beautiful. It is because of a few "activists" that represent a minority of the residents in this plantation that many mass properties remain overgrown and neglected in appearance. It is absolutely wonderful what some of the neighbors are doing with their properties! Large sums of money are being invested to remove certain specimens and replace them with nursery quality foliage and sod. Keep up the great work! Additionally, I should also mention that Paula Loftis, the woman who goes out of her way to tell others how their yards should look, should pay attention to her own neglected yard and driveway. Her driveway remains a dirt path with chopped logs lining either side and left to rot. It looks like an entrance to a campsite! I find it shocking that when Beaufort Gazette took the time to visit our neighborhood yesterday taking all sorts of photos of our personal properties without the homeowner's written expressed consent that they didn't also notice the degradation of appearance in the property of the person who brought them out here to our neighborhood in the first place. I am very disappointed in Beaufort Gazette's choice to actually publish this article and giving delight to an individual who is using every power possible to cause stress and humiliation to a particular neighbor who has done everything known to submit to the proper protocols in order to remove several pine trees from her property for the protection of her home, pool and vehicles. This homeowner has invested a great deal of time and money to upgrade every area of their property. How would every neighborhood with a pesky neighbor like to have that person be allowed to use the newspaper to broadcast their complaints? It is apparent to the residents of Grand Oaks Way that Paula Loftis will absolutely not relent and mind her own business without a court order. She's got plenty she could be doing right in her own yard. The residents of Grand Oaks Way, Pleasant Point Plantation have tried to be very patient and forgiving with her so they can continue to enjoy their homes in peace. It is a shame how one nosey busy-body can cause so much trouble for so many of her neighbors. Beaufort Gazette, please don't publish anymore articles like this one again. Some matters just need to be handled through their proper venues and not through the media.
Sounds like she needs to mind her own business!
I can't imagine telling someone what they can do in their own yard! And I sure can't imagine someone telling me what I can and can not do in my own yard!
And for goodness sakes...who likes Pine Trees anyway?? They make a mess in your yard and your house and your cars!
Poor lady...she must not have kids or a husband to drive nuts...so she attacks the neighbors instead! :) :)
What about cutting down the pine trees & replacing them with some other type of tree? Problem solved.
There are safer trees to plant including some ornamentals that are attractive and don't grow very large, so they would not present a structural threat if they blow over. Even palmettos are reasonably safe. I saw very few blown over after Gracie. The large fronds blow off as the storm progresses and it leaves little left for the wind to blow against.
Having said that, I have about two dozen around my yard along the river shore as well as some oaks (No pines!) that were here when I built in 1962. They do take maintenance to keep them looking neat and they will drop those large fronds and turn brown. The oak trees are away from the house, so we don't even bother about raking leaves.
But oak trees will have large limbs to break off in a storm and they are heavy enough to do major structural damage to a house. I would recommend pruning the limbs near the home. We did have two large oak trees blown over during Gracie before we built the house and one leaned over to the ground but left half the roots intact. It started sprouting limbs on the top side of the trunk, so we left it. Now those sprouts have grown and made an interesting looking tree. About three 24" trees growing out of the old main trunk.
If you have the money, some people have cables tied to the limbs to help prevent breaking off in high winds. I know of several people that have done that. It does not prevent the whole tree from blowing over.
Sounds like she needs to mind her own business!
I can't imagine telling someone what they can do in their own yard! And I sure can't imagine someone telling me what I can and can not do in my own yard!
And for goodness sakes...who likes Pine Trees anyway?? They make a mess in your yard and your house and your cars!
Poor lady...she must not have kids or a husband to drive nuts...so she attacks the neighbors instead! :) :)
I've read in a while.
And for goodness sakes...who likes Pine Trees anyway?? They make a mess in your yard and your house and your cars!
Pine trees smell good! And, you don't have to rake leaves from them, they just drop their needles and make a nice natural mulch. When we built our house, we left about 200 full-grown pine trees around, and planted a few others. They were a joy all those many years, and we only ever had two struck by lighting which the insurance company easily took down.
Talk about a mess - try those live oak trees which I have now on Lady's Island. Lots of little leaves to sweep up from the porches, rake up with grass-cutting. They are an absolute money-maker for the landscaping companies. Nice to look at, but really just to look at.
I didn't write it. I believe it..... but I didn't write the OP. It was contained in the quote I used. Don't want folks thinking I'm a tree hater...well come to think of it I may be, but I'm a covert tree hater. J/K.
Perhaps she sould give us all a break, and stay inside!!!!
Another argument in favor of keeping trees is that they muffle the sound. A tree-landscaped yard results in a quieter home inside than one in a clear-cut yard. Even the pine trees work well for this purpose, and they grow very quickly and tall compared to some other local tree types.
This story has been updated and continued over here.
http://www.beaufortgazette.com/local/story/505537.html
When Paula wants to pay the mortgage on my lot, she can tell me what to do with it. How about "turn about is fair play". Let me come to her yard and decide what to do with her trees. See how she likes it. I would remove all of them. I thought we were in the US where our property belongs to us. She needs a live or go to California where the tree huggers are. If she wants to dictate to people, tell her to go to the USSR. She has a reputation in the neighborhood as being interferring and obviously needs a hobby. Pine trees are junk trees and when one falls on my neighbors house, I will let her pay the damages since I cant take the dead and tall trees down.