Dispute involving willow trees strains neighborly relations

There were two reports of tornados in the State last week, one which touched down briefly in South Stanley, according to the National Weather Service. It was unknown if the tornado hit anything according to the Weather Service, but that wasn’t the only item of interest that took place last week on the South Side.

Enter the neighbor dispute.

“I wish you guys would just get together and talk,” Mayor Al Haas said of a dispute between property owners Dennis and Brandy Sonnentag with Sean and Holly Kitchell, each listed at the GIS web mapping site with their significant other as occupying adjacent properties

See SEEKING HELP, Page 9

Holly Kitchell Listens

Dennis Sonnentag The issue at hand off County X. Speaks SEEKING HELP

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on'the'South'Side.

"I've'tried,"'Sonnentag'told'Haas'of'talking'with'the'Kitchells'

about some trees interposing the two properties, but talking

hadn't'worked.'He'wanted'the'Council'to'take'action.'Specifically,' Sonnentag' wanted' willow' trees' planted' by' the' Kitchells' that' overhang'the'property'line'between'the'two'parcels'gone.'

The'Kitchells,'with'a'listed'address'of'35802'County'Highway' X' past' the' west' curve' at' H,' share' a' property' line' to' the' west' and'north'with'the'Sonnentags,'address'listed'at'35754'County' Highway'X.'The'interposing'willow'trees,'are'located'along'both' the' west' and' north' of' the' Kitchell-Sonnentag' property' line,' as' suggested'by'Chippewa'County'GIS'web'mapping,'though'this'is' not'in'itself'a'legal'document.

"There's'such'a'thing'as'being'neighborly,"'Haas'told'Kitchell' and' Sonnentag' of' their' dispute' (supported' in' this' assertion' by' Council' member' Jacob' Huff).' In' place' of' or' if' neighborliness' fails,'meanwhile,'the'law'on'Trees'and'Shrubs'is'laid'down'in'city' statutes,'most'recently'updated'in'2018.

"6'–'4'–'1'(b) Application.' The' provisions' of' this' Chapter' shall' apply' to' trees'and'shrubs'growing'or'hereafter'planted'in'or'upon'public' areas'and'terrace'areas'and'also'to'trees'and'shrubs'growing'or' hereafter'planted'in'or'upon'public'areas'and'terrace'areas'and' also to all trees or shrubs growing or to be planted in or upon any

private'premises'which'shall'threaten'the'life,'health,'safety,'or' welfare'of'the'public'or'of'any'public'areas,"'the'ordinance'states.

Moving'from'application'to'specific'instance'and'plants,'the' ordinance'states'the'following,'under'6'–'4'–'7'Planting'of'Trees' and'Shrubs''on'Public'Property;'Landmark/Heritage'Tree,'with' further'details'in'subsection''(c)(2): "Except'in'public'parks,'no'person'shall'hereafter'plant'any' Catalpa,'Chinese'Elm,'White'Poplar,'Weeping'Willow,'Evergreen,' Lombardy'Poplar,'Silver'Maple,'or'any'fruit,'or'any'fruit,'nut'or' fir/pine'tree'in'or'upon'any'public'street,'parkway,'terrace'or'other' public'place'within'the'City'of'Stanley'unless'he/she'shall'first' secure'written'permission'from'the'City'Forester,'who'shall'not' approve'any'such'planting,'if,'in'his/her'opinion,'said'tree'will' constitute'a'nuisance'to'the'public'or'adjoining'property'owners' or'interfere'with'the'safety'of'the'public'or'the'operation'of'any' sewer'or'water'system.'The'City'Forester'shall'cause'the'removal' of'any'tree'planted'in'violation'of'this'Subsection." So with the law laid down in statute, what of Monday night

at'Council?

"We'll' talk' about' it,"' Council' member' Holly' Kitchell' said' before' inviting' Sonnentag' to' stay' and' talk' after' the' Council' meeting.' Sonnentag' asked' if' the' Kitchells' would' be' home' the' following'day'(a'Tuesday)'to'which'Kitchell'replied,'"should'be." Nothing'else'was'known'at'press'time'of'the'outcome.