San Francisco Homeowner Faces Hefty Fine After Following Insurance Instructions
A homeowner in San Francisco has been ordered to pay a substantial $50,000 penalty by city authorities after trimming five trees near his property. Paul Dennes, whose family has owned the residence in the Panhandle neighbourhood since 1988, stated he undertook the work solely to comply with directives from his insurance broker.
Insurance Requirement Leads to Costly Misunderstanding
Dennes explained that he received an email from his insurance broker indicating that tree trimming was necessary to qualify for coverage. The branches were touching the building and interfering with overhead power lines, prompting him to act. "I got an email from my broker saying in order for you to qualify for insurance you need to trim the trees so many feet from the property," Dennes told ABC News. He added, "I’ve never seen the city trim these trees, never!"
However, the trees were located in the public right-of-way, placing them under the jurisdiction of the San Francisco Department of Public Works. Under the StreetTreeSF programme, approved by voters in 2017, the city assumed full responsibility for maintaining all public street trees. The Bureau of Urban Forestry took over this maintenance, ending the previous requirement for homeowners to care for trees on their own sidewalk.
City Officials Issue Fines for Illegal Pruning
The Department of Public Works issued the fines just before Christmas, alleging "illegal tree pruning." Inspectors claimed the trees were "topped," a practice where main branches are cut back to stubs, removing a significant portion of the canopy and potentially shortening the trees' lifespans. "As stewards of San Francisco's urban forest, it is our job to hold people accountable when they harm or damage a street tree," Public Works stated.
Initially, the department sought $10,000 per tree, arguing the damage was severe enough to warrant total removal. Dennes, who lives in Marin, contended that the city failed to adequately notify residents of the 2017 policy change. While the city maintains it distributed flyers and postcards, Dennes noted the primary property owner at the time was his 94-year-old father, who did not use the city's website to track maintenance rules. "It feels like bullying," Dennes said. "I don’t want to start a big war."
Reduced Penalty and Recovery Plan Offered
Following an administrative hearing, the city's stance on the severity of the damage shifted. A senior inspector determined the trees might recover, though with compromised structures. The city offered to reduce the fine to $12,950, or $2,590 per tree. On Wednesday, Public Works confirmed it would further reduce the penalty to $6,475, provided Dennes hired a certified arborist to oversee a five-year recovery plan for the trees.
Christopher Campbell, a certified arborist and owner of CC Tree Design, highlighted that confusion over tree ownership is common among residents. "People don't realise, but the tree that grows in front of their home on the sidewalk in what we call a sidewalk basin, that’s actually city property," he told ABC News. "That's the public right-of-way." San Francisco residents are advised to consult the city's street tree map or contact the Bureau of Urban Forestry before performing any maintenance on trees adjacent to their homes.
The San Francisco Department of Public Works did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Independent.
