Citation for tree obscuring street sign

[olszowka.livejournal.com]

Today I received a citation because a tree in my yard is partially obscuring a street name sign. I've lived in Somerville for 25 years and never heard this was the responsibility of the home owner or heard of anyone receiving such a citation. I think the city is reaching into the depths of ordinances to find ways to raise money. If it's so important, why didn't any of the gazillions of emails I receive from the city mention it like they mention snow shoveling?

I've heard of other places which enforce such ordinances as a way to achieve public good--not to raise money. In such places, it is official policy that if you correct the problem and bring evidence to the hearing officer, the fine will be suspended.

Comments

[i-leonardo.livejournal.com]

> ...it is official policy that if you correct the problem and bring evidence to the hearing officer, the fine will be suspended.

On the two occasions I've gotten similarly outta-left-field tickets this is exactly what the city did - I didn't even have to protest all that vigorously.

[bobobb.livejournal.com]

I'm with you, this is completely outrageous, but really not surprising. The city has gotten completely out of control with ticketing. Perhaps one of the many city councilor prospects who have been posting to the livejournal would like to weigh in on this. Certainly anyone willing to push for more moderate-to-reduced ticketing would have my vote.

[somergirl80.livejournal.com]

Definitely just another way for the city to pocket from its citizens. I am glad to read the other comment stating that as long as you do what they ask then you won't have to pay. Still ridiculous on the city's part though.

[somerfriend.livejournal.com]

Who says this is about raising money? The ticket certainly is going to accomplish a public good. In any case, tickets that both accomplish public good and raise money while giving people a choice to avoid them through behavior are the best money raisers there are. I do think a letter from the city would have been more appropriate as the first contact though and a fine only after x weeks of non compliance.

[ron_newman]

Why is this the property owner's responsibility at all, rather than the city's?

[smammy]

Because in the US we are private property fetishists.

[koshmom.livejournal.com]

Likely because if the city decided to trim the offending foilage, the property owner would get their panties in a twist and accuse the city of destroying their revered bit of greenage.

[ron_newman]

Don't electric companies do this routinely when foliage gets too close to power lines?

[courtney (from livejournal.com)]

I'm guessing because the tree is located in olszowka's yard.

[courtney (from livejournal.com)]

I have only seen this when the tree is on city sidewalks. Do they normally cut trees that are located on private property?

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

remove the sign. then present proof there is no sign for the foliage to obscure :D

#

[achinhibitor.livejournal.com]

No doubt you're right. But in general, either there is a policy you do the work yourself or a policy you pay taxes to the city so it can pay someone to do it; there's no free lunch.

[achinhibitor.livejournal.com]

I do think a letter from the city would have been more appropriate as the first contact though

You're right of course, but this being metro Boston, people aren't polite and the fraction of recipients that would act based on a polite letter is near 0%. This is the place where there's a bumper sticker saying "Forget about world peace, visualize using your turn signal!"

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

I'm curious - what section of city or state law did they cite?

[crschmidt.livejournal.com]

When I was growing up in Illinois, the electric company definitely cut trees that were on our private property; I'm pretty sure they did the same thing with one of the places I was renting in Cambridge a few years back.