Angry Neighbor's Palm Tree Covering My Solar Panels Is No Big Deal to him

[Califrac]

I was wondering if any others have had trouble with a neighbor whose tree leaves started to cover their panels had difficulty having them trimmed back. This neighbor of mine, I asked several times if he would trim them back because they started to shadow my panels. He responded with that I have a "zillion amount of energy being generated and why do I need more energy" and denied his leaves were covering the panels, even though I showed him photos I took with my drone clearly covering it. He then proceeded to say that "he" pays for his electricity and I don't. Somehow implying it was unfair that I don't. Of course, I told him that we paid a considerable amount to have the panels put up and not only to help the planet, but we will save money eventually. He said he is an "ant-green" person and does not believe in this green thing! Obviously, a real idiot and unfortunately he lives on the near side of my home. I asked him if he would mind then if I paid for and trimmed his tree, and he said ok (thank goodness!).

[littleharbor2]

[QUOTE=Califrac;n440082. I asked him if he would mind then if I paid for and trimmed his tree, and he said ok (thank goodness!).
[/QUOTE]




You got lucky there. Careful with liability issues while on his property.

[azdave]

In my opinion. if the tree was there before you installed the panels then you have no leg to stand on, even if the tree is simply growing taller each year and has begun to shadow your panels but did not originally. Paying to have them trimmed is your best option but is it worth it? Is the shade in the early morning or late afternoon when you gain very little energy or midday? How much energy do you miss collecting compared to the cost for a tree trimmer to come out every few years? I'll guess you are losing money by paying for a tree trimmer but don't know your situation.

I have a neighbor to the south with a beautiful 120' tall eucalyptus tree. It partially shadows my panels from about 9:30-10:30 in the winter when the sun is lower in the sky. I would not think for a second to expect them to trim it due to my solar panels. The tree and neighbor were there long before me. I lose maybe 1 kWh per day in the peak of winter due to that and accept it.

I have a neighbor to my west who sees my panels and thinks I have endless free electricity. He believes all the hype in advertising about no money down panels and paying zero to the utility each month. He doesn't want to listen when I told him it took me eight years to save up the full cash payment so I could buy them outright because I didn't want to lease or pay interest on a loan but he still doesn't get it. He mentioned just the other day that I should install air conditioning in my garage since I don't pay for my power (and I guess the A/C units are free too?).

[J.P.M.]

Google "California Solar rights act, a review of statutes and relevant cases", particularly sec. 5 that deals with solar easements including shade from adjacent structures and vegetation. You may find some relief in the CA civil code but it's not a slam dunk.

[Mike 134]

Google "California Solar rights act, a review of statutes and relevant cases", particularly sec. 5 that deals with solar easements including shade from adjacent structures and vegetation. You may find some relief in the CA civil code but it's not a slam dunk.

He'd need to other property owner to grant him "a sunshine easement in writing" per section 5.4.

I'd have to say to him your contractor's P*ss poor planning and foresight does not create a problem on my part.

[J.P.M.]

In my opinion. if the tree was there before you installed the panels then you have no leg to stand on, even if the tree is simply growing taller each year and has begun to shadow your panels but did not originally. Paying to have them trimmed is your best option but is it worth it? Is the shade in the early morning or late afternoon when you gain very little energy or midday? How much energy do you miss collecting compared to the cost for a tree trimmer to come out every few years? I'll guess you are losing money by paying for a tree trimmer but don't know your situation.

I have a neighbor to the south with a beautiful 120' tall eucalyptus tree. It partially shadows my panels from about 9:30-10:30 in the winter when the sun is lower in the sky. I would not think for a second to expect them to trim it due to my solar panels. The tree and neighbor were there long before me. I lose maybe 1 kWh per day in the peak of winter due to that and accept it.

I have a neighbor to my west who sees my panels and thinks I have endless free electricity. He believes all the hype in advertising about no money down panels and paying zero to the utility each month. He doesn't want to listen when I told him it took me eight years to save up the full cash payment so I could buy them outright because I didn't want to lease or pay interest on a loan but he still doesn't get it. He mentioned just the other day that I should install air conditioning in my garage since I don't pay for my power (and I guess the A/C units are free too?).

Your neighbor to the west is an idiot who believes the greenwash media crap and probably most everything he sees or reads on the DumbFux News channel or social media, or internalizes and repeats the last thing someone dribbled into his ear.
Those types are with us always.

BTW, besides being wasteful to cool a hot vehicle (particularly the engine if an ICE vehicle that's just been driven) tell your neighbor that garage A/C often requires special considerations in some jurisdictions and a building permit because it can be considered dangerous (if a running ICE vehicle's exhaust get into the house's HVAC ducting).

[JoeS]

Your neighbor to the west is an idiot who believes the greenwash media crap and probably most everything he sees or reads on the DumbFux News channel or social media, or internalizes and repeats the last thing someone dribbled into his ear.
Those types are with us always.

BTW, besides being wasteful to cool a hot vehicle (particularly the engine if an ICE vehicle that's just been driven) tell your neighbor that garage A/C often requires special considerations in some jurisdictions and a building permit because it can be considered dangerous (if a running ICE vehicle's exhaust get into the house's HVAC ducting).

When I made fun of GM for spending $1B to develop a mid engine ICE corvette when for 20% they could have made a EV version that was much faster, all the fox folks say stuff like "GM did that because the care about the planet". The Tesla plaid is far faster than the latest vett. I will admit the mid engine ICE is state of the art civil war replica. It's like the most amazing buggy (for your horse to pull) for the money. Sales of the C8 vett are in the toilet because the market for civil war replica cars is low.

[J.P.M.]

When I made fun of GM for spending $1B to develop a mid engine ICE corvette when for 20% they could have made a EV version that was much faster, all the fox folks say stuff like "GM did that because the care about the planet". The Tesla plaid is far faster than the latest vett. I will admit the mid engine ICE is state of the art civil war replica. It's like the most amazing buggy (for your horse to pull) for the money. Sales of the C8 vett are in the toilet because the market for civil war replica cars is low.

Joe:

I'll not challenge your veracity and I was taught to respect my elders so I make this suggestion with respect:
At 112 years of age as your profile states, maybe it's time to take a deep breath and have someone check your meds ?

[foggysail]

The OP is not alone when it comes to trees. I have a similar problem and my offer to pay to have them removed was refused. It is a 3 month problem but I can live with it. This is my first solar year (activated in late October last year) and I expect that I will have more than enough credits accumulated during good months to get through the bad months without electric bills.

[PNPmacnab]

I showed a neighbor I could stick a yardstick in hole at the base of his tree in any direction 21 inches it was so rotted. It was close enough to fall on the garage I just built. Then I offered to pay for part of the removal. Best money I ever spent. Now I have an east facing array. Those who only face panels south are lost in time when batteries were cheap and panels expensive. Anyways, always start with a positive solution, not what are you going to do about this tree.

[azdave]

BTW, besides being wasteful to cool a hot vehicle (particularly the engine if an ICE vehicle that's just been driven) tell your neighbor that garage A/C often requires special considerations in some jurisdictions and a building permit because it can be considered dangerous (if a running ICE vehicle's exhaust get into the house's HVAC ducting).

Forgot to reply back but if I ever do add A/C to the garage in question (a possibility after I retire) it's okay since it is detached with no living quarters. It's a 24 x 30 with no water or sewer connections. The walls are insulated but strangely, the previous owner never insulated the ceiling. Luckily, that can be done pretty easily in the future if I invest in A/C.

As for a neighbors tree shading one's panels, if the tree was already there before the install, then my common sense says I should not expect them to be happy to trim it for me (like a sunshine easement but after the fact). My same neighbor to the west has an RV gate to the side of his home but he can't use it unless he drives through my front yard. I could be a jerk and put a stop to it but I drive through that same part of the yard to get to my RV gate so it's really no big deal and certainly not neighborly to not block him from parking his boat in the backyard. Maybe that helps keep things neighborly between us if he knows I could easily plant a new tree in my yard one day and his boat would be landlocked.

If I was really worried about some shading from a neighboring tree, I might find a way to place another panel or two to help make up the difference in case the next door neighbor rejects my offer to have his trees trimmed. That might end up being cheaper in the long run than paying for his tree trimming every few years.

[J.P.M.]

Forgot to reply back but if I ever do add A/C to the garage in question (a possibility after I retire) it's okay since it is detached with no living quarters. It's a 24 x 30 with no water or sewer connections. The walls are insulated but strangely, the previous owner never insulated the ceiling. Luckily, that can be done pretty easily in the future if I invest in A/C.

As for a neighbors tree shading one's panels, if the tree was already there before the install, then my common sense says I should not expect them to be happy to trim it for me (like a sunshine easement but after the fact). My same neighbor to the west has an RV gate to the side of his home but he can't use it unless he drives through my front yard. I could be a jerk and put a stop to it but I drive through that same part of the yard to get to my RV gate so it's really no big deal and certainly not neighborly to not block him from parking his boat in the backyard. Maybe that helps keep things neighborly between us if he knows I could easily plant a new tree in my yard one day and his boat would be landlocked.

If I was really worried about some shading from a neighboring tree, I might find a way to place another panel or two to help make up the difference in case the next door neighbor rejects my offer to have his trees trimmed. That might end up being cheaper in the long run than paying for his tree trimming every few years.

Dave: Understood.

On the shading issue and as usual, seems to me it's a matter of planning.
We can't always get want we want.
Trees grow and properties get developed.
Not taking things like that into account seems foolish.

[bcroe]

Forgot to reply back but if I ever do add A/C to the garage in question (a possibility after I retire) it's okay since it is detached with no living quarters. It's a 24 x 30 with no water or sewer connections. The walls are insulated but strangely, the previous owner never insulated the ceiling.

That is pretty much the situation here, except the ceiling is insulated,
and it was sized for a motor home, now large enough for my lift. The
air to air heat pump is just big enough to keep it well above freezing
in our coldest below zero F. But it can be nice sometimes in summer,
to set to cool to a 60s working temp. Bruce Roe

[foxxxnick]

It is best to consider whether there will be tree cover when installing solar panels at the beginning.

[azdave]

It is best to consider whether there will be tree cover when installing solar panels at the beginning.

Thanks Captain Obvious!