Solar Panels vs. Trees

[quasigeostrophy]

Trees block solar panels, and a feud ends in U.S. court

I've been to Sunnyvale and neighboring cities more times than I can count, and have seen plenty of both in the area. Personally, I think the tree-owners should have been able to leave their redwoods alone, since they were there well before the neighbor installed the solar panels. This is another example of excessive litigiousness (and self-righteousness) that royally pisses me off. It's also not surprising to start to see conflicting environmental interests that are both on the side of conservation. What do you think?

[Poll #1190866]

Comments

[curiousangel.livejournal.com]

There's definitely some public good in providing solar power, but there's also public good in having attractive trees around, too. Personally, I'd like to get a say on whether my neighbor could put in trees (or anything else, for that matter) that would tower more than 60 feet over our joint properties; I don't think veto power should be absolute, but some compromise ought to be possible.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

As one who 1) lives near Sunnyvale and 2) lives with redwoods in the yard, and loves them, I think a lot should be considered before planting them, including that they grow incredibly fast (they do become the world's tallest trees, given a thousand years), but also that they have remarkable foundation-eating root systems.

I think it's silly to build a house or put in solar collectors in their ultimate shade (they grow fast), but I'm fine with not allowing people to plant them next to other people's existing houses or things-that-shouldn't-be-shaded.