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Hi there,
We have one lovely tree on common property. It overhangs and provides shade to two cars in the car park out the front of our strata titled townhouses. One owner has taken it upon himself to trim it rather severely on the side over his car spot, as he says birds poo on his car.
He happens to be a committee member who has made it clear he doesn’t like trees, even though he bought his townhouse knowing the tree was overhanging his car spot. This is very awkward for the other two committee members who feel he should not take away amenity for all the residents, in that the tree is now disfigured. Never mind council regulations and being in a heritage area in the inner west where trees are valued and scarce.
Do you have any advice about how to approach this without antagonising our neighbour and committee member?
Thanks.
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Has the owner’s corporation considered installing a cover over the car spaces, and is it feasible to do so? That way you can save the tree and the cars underneath it.
Bird droppings contain Uric Acid and can be corrosive to paint work (acidic etching). Acidic etching can happen in a matter of minutes on a hot car surface.
Hi there, Has this owner thought of a car cover? They’re reasonably priced.
A note of caution is to check if the tree is a protected species, or on local council lawn. In our district there are very sizeable fines for uninvited pruning of these, and even in a private garden.
If this were where I live, it might have been an illegal ‘tree damaging activity’ of a ‘regulated tree’, even if it were entirely on the person’s private property. I suggest it should be firmly stated by other committee members that this person’s neighbours take a dim view of unilateral action such as severe pruning, without first getting it cleared by the OC or the rest of the committee. Talking can be done firmly while remaining civil.
Where I live, a sub-set of people get very annoyed by birds and possums dropping and urinating on their cars in our open carports. Those who are precious about their cars just have to deal with their concern by getting out a bucket of water and a cloth more often. There is nothing much that can be done about it. It is just how it is. It is not much of a concern for the rest of us.