tree on property line

[nauticaldad]

What is the name of your state? Washington

I have a tree that I removed from a property line during construction of my home. At the time I believed it was not crossing the line, however I have ran a line between survey stakes and feel that the edge of the tree may in fact cross over the line. I've heard that trees on the property line that are subject to be "trouble trees" and could cause damage can be removed if you take every other one. In this case, it is only one tree. Do I have any other recourse than to pay for the value of the tree to the neighbor? The stump is about 90% on my side.

 

[MISTBHAVEN]

Tree on property line

In Washington state the portion on your property even if owned by neighbor but hanging over can be cut without concent. If you are correct and 90 % of the trunk was on your land you are not obligated to pay.
If it was mostly on her side your neighbor can press charges for tree theft. Last I checked the fine is ten thousand per tree.
If it was me I would have a surveyor comfirm the survey line in question. They seem to move alot here . Or wait and see what the neighbor does if anything.

 

[nauticaldad]

concerned

The neighbor has been coming by regularly and has been verbally aggressive most of the time. I've since put up a no trespassing sign, but he doesn't seem to care and neither does the sherrif. As far as the line goes, the neighbor first told me he had it surveyed 6 months ago, then recently said it was done 20 years ago. The markers definately don't appear to be 20 years old. It concerns me that you say that surveyor lines move quite often out here. Are you suggesting every time it's surveyed they come up with a different line? Also, are the laws based on percentages of the location of the stump to the line? So if I have 51% or more of the stump the tree is mine? If so, what law references that, because I've been quoted by the neighbor's lawyer RCW 64.12.030 that states three times the value of the tree, but is not clear on how they determine who's tree it is.