Home › Forums › West Seattle Rants & Raves › Passive Aggressive Hedge Hater
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October 2, 2008 at 8:31 pm #588242
IrukandjiParticipantDear Neighbor,
Perhaps you were accosted by a laurel in your childhood. Maybe you were jumped by a juniper. Now you are directing your angst at our hedge, the hedge that is home to many birds, provides the only bit of privacy we are allowed in our fishbowl of a home, the hedge that is a barrier for children and domestic critters.
You appear unable to talk with us about your problem, a concern for a neighborhood we have worked hard to bring together to be helpful and watchful of each other. The issue isn’t safety, as at least 50% of homes in our area have plants that grow 1/3 to 1/2 over the sidewalk. I have counted. You just hate hedges.
You are unable to talk to us about the regular maintenance and growing plan we have in place, an alternating schedule of exterior and interior trimming to maintain some privacy, with the long-term plan to grow a canopy over the sidewalk as respite from rain for all the dog walkers and store goers we enjoy seeing pass by on a daily basis.
I’m sorry if the birds stop singing as you walk by. I’m sorry that the sidewalk is just not wide enough to accommodate you. I’m disheartened that if there is a real issue here you feel you have to file anonymous complaints. I suspect you have been the target of just such attacks and feel you should not suffer alone.
I remain grateful that our city inspector is both reasonable and insightful, understanding the concerns we have about home value, privacy, and maintaining hardwood on a hedge we took on when we bought the house.
I look forward to GEICO creating another Seattle personality for their lame but amusing marketing campaign: The Passive Aggressive Hedge Hater
October 3, 2008 at 3:33 am #641979
JeraldParticipantThey’re probably related to the planting-strip street-tree murderer in my neighborhood. Not brave enough to approach us directly, but sneak around in the dark with a saw.
October 3, 2008 at 4:09 pm #641980
DanTompsettMember“The issue isn’t safety, as at least 50% of homes in our area have plants that grow 1/3 to 1/2 over the sidewalk.”
Just a heads-up on the above statement: Sidewalks DO need to be wheelchair-friendly, and I’ve heard, but not verified the rumor, that the city can clear sidewalks and bill the homeowner for the work.
October 3, 2008 at 4:40 pm #641981
SueParticipantIrukandji, I’m sorry that people felt a need to put in anonymous complaints, but in my experience, whenever I’ve said anything to anyone of this nature I’ve been told to mind my own business and they can become rather hostile when criticizing their home. So it generally seems pretty pointless to me to speak with anyone about my issues. (I will clarify, however, that I did not make any complaints anonymously about anyone’s home.)
I do have to say that a pet peeve of mine is having sidewalks blocked by bushes, hedges, trees, whatever. Just because “everyone” does it doesn’t mean it’s right to do it. I walk regularly on Fauntleroy between Dawson and Alaska and a large percentage of houses have their hedges butting into the sidewalk, or trees that are not trimmed and will smack into the heads of anyone over 5′ tall. It is frustrating as a walker. It is difficult for me to walk across the grass due to mobility issues, and was even more so when I was walking with a cane a while back. And frankly, I shouldn’t have to avoid the sidewalk – that’s what it’s for. Yes, I love listening to the birds in one person’s hedge that I pass, but there’s gotta be a better way.
October 3, 2008 at 4:50 pm #641982
megMemberI am sorry this happened for you. And, as a regular walker and runner it is difficult to navigate the sidewalks when there is brush/trees/hedges/etc blocking the way.
You said “The issue isn’t safety, as at least 50% of homes in our area have plants that grow 1/3 to 1/2 over the sidewalk”. Really, that is a problem for safety. Strength in numbers doesn’t make it not a safety issue. Sidewalks are the width they are for a reason…..and having only 1/2 to 2/3 of it available defeats that purpose. The sidewalk is not personal property.
When a wheelchair, or a stroller, or merely 2 people walking side by side can’t pass the sidewalk it is a problem. Especially when it is sloppy and muddy out. Low hanging overhead branches are also a problem.
I do understand the desire for privacy and birds, but there are other ways to achieve this without encroaching on the sidewalk/public right of passage.
October 3, 2008 at 5:33 pm #641983
JimmyGMemberAs a daily walker of my dogs I don’t need or want a “canopy over the sidewalk as a respite from the rain”.
I want a clear path on the sidewalk which doesn’t force me off of the concrete walkway.
If you want privacy build a fence, and if you want it green keep your hedge trimmed all of the way back to your edge of the sidewalk.
I’m all for the city contacting you and telling you to trim it back.
As another poster said, don’t you think a person using a wheelchair or pushing a stroller has a right to a clear path on the sidewalk?
October 3, 2008 at 5:41 pm #641984
JustSarahParticipantAgreed with all of the above re: clearance for pedestrians; I also have one nitpicky note: it’s Pemco Insurance that does the “Northwest Profiles” campaign, not Geico.
October 3, 2008 at 6:04 pm #641985
IrukandjiParticipantFair enough. Pemco.
Sidewalk is clear, unbroken and we’ve filled in the parking strip all along the sidewalk so the route is now wider than sidewalk alone. Sadly, the city has done nothing to make our sidewalks wheelchair accessible, no corner ramps, etc. I navigate the stroller without trouble, but someone with a walker or wheelchair would be effectively stranded here save for driveways.
In our situation a fence won’t do as we live on a hillside. There is no height limit on the shrubs, so we can grow up so neighbors don’t look down into our space. We’ll hack down the canopy come spring to force new growth in the hopes of filling in the huge gaps in the old hedge.
I appreciate the input. I am not at all in disagreement about number of violations in our area somehow changing what the code is, just that our particular complainer must not be on a safety crusade as these other obstructions are not an issue.
Thank you all for honest feedback. Helps me keep my perspective.
October 3, 2008 at 6:08 pm #641986
mellaw6565MemberWe have the same issue on our block. A house down the street has a hedge that is approx. 1/3 sticking out into the sidewalk. A person in a wheelchair lives next door and she has asked them MANY times to trim the hedge so she can pass with her caretaker – they just laugh and tell her to mind her own business.
It’s no wonder people then have to resort to anonymous complaints. Iruk – I appreciate you posting here, and I hope you realize that sidewalks need to be clear for a lot of reasons.
October 4, 2008 at 1:21 am #641987
ellenaterMemberI rent but just trimmed our hedge off the sidewalk. It’s a safety issue as far as visibility, too. There are many single dog walkers and I don’t want them to feel unsafe because of my hedge. The person should have talked to you but judging from your attitude, you might not have complied. There really are a number of privacy solutions out there. I have a hard time believing you can’t find another…
Good luck!
October 4, 2008 at 4:42 am #641988
IrukandjiParticipantIt’s in the balance, ellenater. Reasonable maintenance (thrice yearly) v. thousands of dollars to rip out more than a dozen 50+ year old hardwood trees, then replant and wait for the years it would take for them to fill in.
Rather than destroy, replant and go through three to five years of growth we are hoping to balance privacy, old growth hedge and compliance. It’s a beautiful space, but obviously needs to be cut back harder on the exterior than we’ve wanted to do.
Perhaps we can fill in the holes with some Obama/Biden signs. I’ve been meaning to pick some up downtown. Anyone else need yard signs?
October 4, 2008 at 4:51 am #641989
ellenaterMemberI hear ya, irukandji. :)
Hey maybe you could talk to an arborist! Not sure if that’s the right specialty but you get it. I bet they’d have a good solution…
October 4, 2008 at 5:14 am #641990
ErikParticipantI’ve cut back my own laurel using as much as a chainsaw to keep it at bay. And it always came back the same season.
Had a section torn out, it’s still trying to come back.
lol
October 4, 2008 at 5:25 am #641991
JanSParticipanthey…I wouldn’t mind having one of those Obama signs :) I can only put it on my deck, but…hey..every little bit helps :)
October 4, 2008 at 3:40 pm #641992
IrukandjiParticipantIt’s yours, JanS. I’ll go pick some up and be in touch with you by Tuesday.
October 4, 2008 at 6:56 pm #641993
ellenaterMemberI want one, too. I only have the old Obama primary sign and want the Biden one. I can pick it up! Didn’t see your offer last time. Very nice of you, Irukandj!
October 4, 2008 at 7:10 pm #641994
JenVMemberI would love one as well if you don’t mind…I have no idea where to get them!
October 4, 2008 at 8:02 pm #641995
IrukandjiParticipantI talked to the Obama campaign staff. They have an office downtown on Second Ave. Kid and I will go by there on Monday afternoon to pick up signs. Send me a note at screemie at hotmail dot com and I’ll arrange for drop-off or pick up. Perhaps you can drop by for a glass of wine and a moment of shame/grief over the hedge.
October 5, 2008 at 11:35 pm #641996
ellenaterMemberThanks, Irukandji…
October 6, 2008 at 1:14 am #641997
JanSParticipantwine…now you’re speaking our language ;-)
October 6, 2008 at 8:18 pm #641998
IrukandjiParticipantI’m on my way to pick up signs and whatever other goodies I can get hold of. Send note to screemie at hotmail dot com for address, come by to pick up between 4:00 to 5:30, or let me know where to drop off your sign.
Thanks.
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