Posted on 01/24/2008 4:45:15 PM PST by NormsRevenge
Talk about a clash of cherished green values.
In a case with statewide significance, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office is pursuing a Sunnyvale couple under a little-known California law because redwood trees in their backyard cast a shadow over their neighbor's solar panels.
Richard Treanor and Carolynn Bissett own a Prius and consider themselves environmentalists. But they refuse to cut down any of the trees behind their house on Benton Street, saying they've done nothing wrong.
"We're just living here in peace. We want to be left alone," said Bissett, who with her husband has spent $25,000 defending themselves against criminal charges. "We support solar power, but we thought common sense would prevail."
Their neighbor Mark Vargas considers himself an environmentalist, too. His 10-kilowatt solar system, which he installed in 2001, is so big he pays only about $60 a year in electrical bills. He drives an electric car.
Vargas said he first asked Treanor and Bissett to chop down the eight redwoods, which the couple had planted from 1997 to 1999 along the fence separating their yards. Later, he asked them to trim the trees to about 15 feet.
"I offered to pay for the removal of the trees. I said let's try to work something out," Vargas said. "They said no to everything."
He installed the panels.
After several years of squabbling and failed mediation, Vargas filed a complaint with the Santa Clara County district attorney arguing that the trees reduce the amount of electricity he can generate. In 2005, prosecutors agreed.
They sent Treanor and Bissett a letter informing them that they were in violation of California's Solar Shade Control Act and that if they didn't "abate the violation" within 30 days, they would face fines of up to $1,000 a day.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
The law, signed by former Gov. Jerry Brown in 1978, is rarely used. But county prosecutors say Treanor and Bissett are breaking it.
Install some Spotted Owls in the trees.
a dawn redwood tree grows c. 2-3 ft. a year. to obstruct the neighbors solar panels, they would have to have been planted years ago.
the neighbors knew what they were getting.
into
ML/NJ
Vargas sounds like a jerk. He put in solar panels and was well aware the trees existence.
Which were there first? Trees. Trees win.
They planted the trees first. Screw him. He should have known he was putting the solar panels where they would soon be in the shade.
agreed
This seems clear from the article. The offered to pay for the removal of the trees. Their neighbors declined; and then they went ahead and install the panels anyway.
ML/NJ
Hmmm, cut down the trees or burn the neighbor’s house down?
I’ll have to get back to you on that.
LOL
Move the panels. They should be up on the roof anyway.
wag the tree?
“We’re just living here in peace. We want to be left alone”
You can start by voting for conservatives.
So if I own a small house next to a skyscraper and decide to install a solar panel that falls within the shadow of the existing skyscraper, I can take the skyscraper owners to court and make them demolish their building? Neat!
Are there any humpback whales living in the redwoods?
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