Reply to Can I trim a neighbor's tree overhanging an alley?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Is this a tree or a large shrub? It sounds like you’re talking about very low branches if they’re interfering with people walking by.
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It is something like this https://detrichpix.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83452606269e20111688d9f66970c-popup
Thin branches and spreading very wide. The branches are not interfering with walking through the alley. They are hanging over a fence. The reason I want to cut it all the way to his fence is that right now the tree blocks all the natural light to my living room. Cutting it just to our property line might not entirely solve this issue, but will at least help with keeping our gutters clear. I will go for some level of trimming either way, but I wanted to understand how far I can cut without creating grounds for a legal dispute. I cant find any clear answer on what are the rules for branches over a public space. Can the neighbor seek compensation if I cut the branches overhanging the alley but stop at his property line? That is what I am trying to understand. [/quote]

You can cut to your own property line because you have the right to control what crosses into your own property. That is as long as the pruning you do to your property line will not kill the tree. I’m pretty sure that you can’t cut what crosses over public property. A public utility company could, though, if the branches were interfering with overhead wires.

The picture shows a really huge tree: do you have the equipment to prune something that large? Maybe consider hiring a tree service to take care of it. Then you could also ask them about how much you can legally prune. They probably deal with these situations all the time, so they might know the best way to handle it. And they’d also know how much can be trimmed without harming the tree. 
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I am definitely hiring somebody to do it. I got one quote yesterday, but the guy who came out had no idea what the rules were, which I found somewhat weird. The branches are interfering with wires. Would I call Pepco in this case?[/quote]

Yes, call Pepco. They will do it for free and will be the ones to blame if the tree dies. Bonus, you’ll be less likely to have electrical problems from the branches and wires tangling with each other in a storm. 
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