Gothamist: Man Vs. Tree in Dyker Heights

Snoopy

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:44:40 -0500

The real problem is Sonny doesn't want to have the sap of the tree land on his '83 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham that he parks on his concrete front lawn to impress the neighbors.

maryba

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:19:19 -0500

It's completely fair for him to want a say in the matter, because if it survives, the tree will ultimately be his responsibility, and depending on the size of his home, his liability. There was a discussion about this on brownstoner last year: http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2007/11/should_the_city.php

JenChungsBra

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:27:22 -0500

They don't plant huge majestic anything. The slender trees become that on their own if people like Sonny let them be. (Hey, didn't Sonny rob a bank in Brooklyn to pay for his transexual boyfriend's sex change operation?)

robingee

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:39:19 -0500

Are they planting a huge majestic maple or a small, slender tree like we often see on city sidewalks? My guess is the latter. Some folks have a problem with everything. Damn nature, tree-ifying the Old Neighborhood! Why in MY day...

Ronkonkoma Ondinnonk

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:31:01 -0500

Exactly, cucarachita.

Snoopy

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:28:20 -0500

Judging by the "DO NOT" sign shown behind him he has a serious problem living where he is living. After he gets arrested I hope he likes seeing his old neighborhood pals again at Dannemora.

Think twice

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:14:32 -0500

His neighbors probably need it to obscure views of him and his house. In my old neighborhood I hope the city finally replaces the several trees slain by disease and pests.

dooWOP

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:38:54 -0500

I bet not many of you know that Sonny there used to be a mob enforcer back in the day. He is rumored to have snuffed out 7 to 8 guys back then, but otherwise he now leads a quiet normal life in Brooklyn.

JRod5417

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:15:23 -0500

"Sonny could have a point. Once trees get huge their roots sometimes wreck the sidewalks they are planted in. Would Sonny then have to repair that damage?" The liability will fall upon the party whose duty it is to maintain the sidewalk. Some cities (recently New York, for example) have by ordinance placed the burden squarely upon the property owner. Sometimes it depends upon the type of danger. For example, snow removal is usually the duty of the property owner, but major structural repair is the duty of the city.

JenChungsBra

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:09:35 -0500

They can plant the tree in front of my place instead. But I will be suing if in 40 years the tree falls down dead and lands on my car.

WorksInDUMBO

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:02:23 -0500

@ #6--you're right, those gingko trees are a menace!

whitecastlerock

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:44:16 -0500

Sonny could have a point. Once trees get huge their roots sometimes wreck the sidewalks they are planted in. Would Sonny then have to repair that damage?

gttim

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:10:02 -0500

“How is it that I have no say about what goes in front of my house?" You do have a say, and you are saying it. The problem is that nobody cares. I suggest a cordless blower to deal with the leaves.

subtexture

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:03:29 -0500

i'm pretty sure the orange markings show up when they are going to install a bike rack in front of your house

Kojak

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 08:47:59 -0500

“How is it that I have no say about what goes in front of my house?" Simple. The area on the other side of the sidewalk from your house belongs to the city of New York, not to you. They can plant whatever the hell they want.

Kojak

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 08:45:42 -0500

"I’ll stand right here and block them from putting that tree in if I have to." Go ahead and watch them haul your ass to jail. If anything happens to that tree, they're obviously going to investigate you.

John Del Signore

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 07:55:31 -0500

Yes, white markings. Corrected, thanks! (I think the bed bug video is messing with me.)

arsguide

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:55:17 -0500

For years I fought them putting a tree in front of my house - I was raised to believe the roots could effect the pipes in the ground - they would send a letter asking you to reply if you wanted one...I never replied, then one day they just cut the cement and put one in front of my house, it seems without even asking... I was pissed for a day, but now I'm happy to have it, and I think they should be in front of every house - it makes the block looks nicer. No doubt about it.

jibbly

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:58:34 -0500

Seriously, if he doesn't want the tree, 9th Ave below Greenwood Cemetery is screaming for some. He can have all the totally awesome sun baked concrete and asphalt he wants, some of us want some goddamn shade.

Spiritof76

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:49:43 -0500

[14] The guy is not totally mistaken. Gothamist is. The Brooklyn Paper photo clearly shows white paint. Their article mentions no orange. It's only when the story gets to Gothamist that it suddenly acquires an orange hue. Sometimes, it seems like Gothamist writers are the final participants in a game of Telephone.

cucarachita

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:24:59 -0500

I was one of the tree counters volunteering for the Parks Department a couple years back, and I can tell you there are neighborhoods that are all but dead to green life. He should be grateful for the tree in front of his house. The tree might actually help keep his house cooler in the summer so he can save money on A/C. I'd never have wanted to live in some of the neighborhoods I counted maybe one or two trees in, and nothing but stumps or dead ones. What's the tree gonna stop him from doing? Sitting on his sofa watching reruns? One tree is gonna ruin his tranquility?

klk

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 22:58:08 -0500

FYI if you see a white T in front of your house, that, and that alone, means that a tree will be planted there. orange markings are not from parks. this guy is totally mistaken.

west side Michael

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 22:30:10 -0500

I hate dose fukkin 3's.

entropone

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:35:59 -0500

This sounds like the same guy who was campaigning for the Starbucks in his building not to close, so he wouldn't have to walk four blocks to the next one. Dollars to donuts says he's afraid the tree will block his satellite TV.

hoodlum

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:59:07 -0500

I would be pissed if a tree blocked my view.

Snoopy

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:06:11 -0500

Perhaps before they plant the tree the city should dig the hole a little deeper and plant Sonny Soave. Kind of like the Indians planting fish with their corn. It adds nutrients to the soil. In his case it might poison the soil, but one should at least give it a try.

Wza

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:13:16 -0500

dumbass.

Spiritof76

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:28:22 -0500

Those markings in the Brooklyn Paper photo don't look orange to me. Easy solution if he doesn't want to mess with leaves. Plant an evergreen himself. Look, ma, no falling leaves every autumn!

plk779

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:26:57 -0500

Oh John Del Signore, your posts are always my favorite, you sass-mouth.

handsomedevil

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:24:38 -0500

As long as its not one of those fucking ginko trees.

rdc

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:20:45 -0500

It's not eminent domain when the government forces you to clean up after something it's done. The complaint isn't about the tree but rather the fact that the city will not clean up after the tree. Not only that, but it will fine the property owner who happens to be unlucky enough to own the property behind the tree if they do not clean up after the tree. That's not good government.

dr zippy

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:11:16 -0500

This instance has nothing to do with eminent domain. Eminent domain does not affect "every property owner" and if the government takes your property via eminent domain you are compensated.

babyhitler

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:04:34 -0500

I have the most evil tree in the world in front of my house in park slope. Everyday it shits leaves and limbs like you wouldn't believe. I don't even sweep my sidewalk anymore cause i'm fed up. Thankfully I haven't got a ticket but I did get some irate neighbors. I just say "I just swept it yesterday" and they leave me alone.

edEx

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:01:11 -0500

Two words: Eminent Domain. Every property owners deals with this across the nation. if you live in the burbs and the town wants to widen the road to ease traffic congestion, they'll take some of your property to do it. It's the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution.

r1b2

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:00:48 -0500

I think you meant "...Dyker Heights resident (and noted schmuck) Sonny Soave..."