The Politics of Tree Vandalism
Nantucket man walked into neighbor’s yard and cut down 50-year-old trees to improve his ocean view, lawsuit says.
A woman on the vacation island of Nantucket is suing her neighbor after he allegedly walked onto her property and cut down several of her trees for a better view of the ocean — and the increased property value that comes with it.
The lawsuit accuses Jonathan Jacoby of using a chainsaw to fell 16 of Patricia Belford’s nearly 50-year-old cedar, cherry, and Leyland cypress trees.
Three weeks after he allegedly cut down the trees, Jacoby listed his home for sale for nearly $10 million, according to the Boston Globe.
According to the lawsuit, the property damage caused at the house is estimated at more than $486,000. To purchase and transport one 30-foot-tall Leyland cypress — not including planting the tree — it would cost around $22,114, the Boston Globe determined.
“The trees at issue were planted by the Belford family in the 1970s and maintained for nearly five decades,“ the lawsuit says. ”Their removal was not only a violation of the Plaintiff’s property rights, but also caused lasting damage to the character, value, and privacy of the property.”
Belford has also reported the incident to the police. According to the lawsuit, there is "an active and ongoing criminal proceeding" in the Nantucket Police Department related to Jacoby's alleged lumberjack activities.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/nantucket-man-walked-neighbor-yard-171813348.html
Hopefully, whomever buys the vandal's house purchases title insurance, because if they might be liable. Even better would be if the court puts an injuction on any sale or, better yet, impounds the sale price to cover the damages.
A lawsuit like this should take about a day in court. But, I'm sure it will drag out for over a year or two unless the vandal settles.
A woman on the vacation island of Nantucket is suing her neighbor after he allegedly walked onto her property and cut down several of her trees for a better view of the ocean — and the increased property value that comes with it.
The lawsuit accuses Jonathan Jacoby of using a chainsaw to fell 16 of Patricia Belford’s nearly 50-year-old cedar, cherry, and Leyland cypress trees.
Three weeks after he allegedly cut down the trees, Jacoby listed his home for sale for nearly $10 million, according to the Boston Globe.
According to the lawsuit, the property damage caused at the house is estimated at more than $486,000. To purchase and transport one 30-foot-tall Leyland cypress — not including planting the tree — it would cost around $22,114, the Boston Globe determined.
“The trees at issue were planted by the Belford family in the 1970s and maintained for nearly five decades,“ the lawsuit says. ”Their removal was not only a violation of the Plaintiff’s property rights, but also caused lasting damage to the character, value, and privacy of the property.”
Belford has also reported the incident to the police. According to the lawsuit, there is "an active and ongoing criminal proceeding" in the Nantucket Police Department related to Jacoby's alleged lumberjack activities.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/nantucket-man-walked-neighbor-yard-171813348.html
Hopefully, whomever buys the vandal's house purchases title insurance, because if they might be liable. Even better would be if the court puts an injuction on any sale or, better yet, impounds the sale price to cover the damages.
A lawsuit like this should take about a day in court. But, I'm sure it will drag out for over a year or two unless the vandal settles.
36-40, F
