What would you do?

[MTCInc]

Here's an interesting predicament I am in:

One of my clients that is very local to me has a job for me to do. First, a little background:

This client owns 20 or so acres of prime oceanfront property. One of the sites is a huge field, right over the harbor. And, I get total access to dump all the chips I want into this field. Just being able to do this saves me big $$$.

He eventually wants to put an RV park (yes, RV park) onto this site. Across the highway is another large parcel that he also owns, but this lot is not able to be built on due to Coastal commission regulations.

Here is the sticky part for me: He wants me to plant upwards of 20 trees on that lot. Well, the problem with this is that there is an entire community on the other side of the lot that will loose their ocean view once these trees grow up. That is his plan.... grow trees so he can build across the street on the other lot so people cannot complain he is building a structure that is obstructing the view... He plans to plant trees to do that, which is a slimy way around the problem.

Would you do this job? People will see us planting, obstructing the communities view, all to make a rich guy richer so he can develop yet another property, and associate us with helping.

Do I risk losing my dump site and decline the job, or do I do the job and risk losing credibility within the community?

Ouch.

 

[Rocks_and_Trees]

I say go for it. Who knows what will happen in the time it takes for those trees to grow. Heck, maybe you'll be back in another five years to remove them.

 

[NeTree]

As long as there's no law against planting them, business is business.

 

[TLHamel]

Interesting, a job where we are nervous about planting trees! Man, it never ends. Arborists will always be guilty of either doing too much or too little.

Not sure what I'd do. If he is truly being sneaky, and told you so, maybe you should pass. Rather have a clear conscience instead of a place to dump chips.

 

[EdenT]

I would plant the tree's cos I like trees. I would just make sure I selected species which weren't going to grow too tall. The client sounds like the only thing green on his mind is money so he won't know the difference.

Shame you meet people like that eh?

 

[Blinky]

Plant the trees, somebody's gonna do it, at least if you do it they'll be planted right.

 

[guymayor]

[ QUOTE ]
I would plant the tree's cos I like trees. I would just make sure I selected species which weren't going to grow too tall.

[/ QUOTE ]Good point that species choice makes all the difference. Instead of short species, maybe plant trees that develop open crowns that can be window-pruned to allow neighbors some view. Or short, or raise-able, depending on the principal sightlines.

You can keep credibility and plant trees too, I bet.

 

[Gord]

Slimy by some standards maybe, practically heroic for a land developer.

 

[southsoundtree]

I don't know what I'd do, because I'm not in the situation, and I already have many free dump sites. Here's what's been on my mind lately.

Some people, like us (hopefully) help people with things that they are out of their ability. We help them by providing information and services so that they can have healthy trees, or remove hazards that may damage people or property. Hopefully, we can help trees remain in the landscape to help with all those things that trees do.

I don't expect to get RICH doing tree work, but hopefully well off.

There are doctors that spend their youth to learn to be super specialized to save lives, improve lives, or reduce suffering. If they get RICH, RICH, RICH because they are brain surgeons and have life and death in their hands, are always on-call, and aren't out of their initial training until they're 35 years old, ok by me.

If someone gets super rich by screwing someone else intentionally, THAT SUCKS!!!!!!!!!! Whether it is AIG, ENRON, unscrupulous land developers, or crackhead muggers, what's the difference?

I would try to find alternate free chip drop sites. Schools, community gardens, other vacant properties where people are trying to build up the soil for whatever, commercial composting facilities, individual homeowners, horse arenas, erosion control for construction projects. Each of these makes more contacts for future work.

I'd sleep better at night by not being a cog in the screw-the-neighbors-for-profit machine.

 

[boreality]

I had a friend who's dad had an ocean view till someone built a two story house blocking the view he'd enjoyed for years. I didn't know the dad but the friend described the loss as a factor in his father dying shortly after, you know heartbreak/stress.
It's sad how the muggers and bicycle theives go to jail and the corrupt developers, realtors, and financial advisors get probation if they even see court as they take a persons life savings.
But in my experience I spent $20,000 more to build my house into a hill rather than block the uphill neighbors ocean view. I consulted them, showed them the blueprints, tried to be a good neighbor. Then without consulting me and with no grounds they attempted to shut me down by complaining to the city my one story house was too tall. Should of screwed up their veiw. What is happening to our culture?
I don't know that your situation is so wrong though. The engineers zoned it for development and the guy invested many dollars expecting a return. Just that the trees are being used for evil rather than pure good as usual, oh well, they'll have a little better air for a while.

 

[speelyei]

I'd plant the trees, and like the others have said, I'd pay careful attention to species. I've worked on plenty of projects where two sets of trees were planted, one set for the short term, with a planned obsolescence, and another set with an eye 40 or 80 years to the future.

let me tell you first hand, conflict in the Middle East is child's play compared to the view issues in Coastal communities. I've come to feel the only resolution will come in the form of a Tsunami.

 

[NeTree]

Boreality, what if he had owned the other property and was told he couldn't build his house there because it would disturb the view of those behind him?

I'll never understand the whole mentality. If you're worried about preserving your view, then buy the property in between or closer; otherwise, don't crab about what other people do on property they spent big money for. You rolled the dice when you bought the piece you bought. It's like asking a casino for your money back.

People worry too much about what other people are doing.

 

[southsoundtree]

Unless I misread, the property owner isn't interested in short trees. He's intentionally trying to plant obstructive trees.

If short species were an option, it wouldn't be a predicament.

 

[Dan_Watkins]

someones going to do it no matter what. might as well be you so it is done properly. also you get to maintain the trees as they grow, and you get to keep your dump site.

 

[sohner]

Is this where you want to put your signature?

You should always be looking for another place to dump your chips. Not good to put all of your eggs in one basket as they say.

I might add one thing. I would suggest that you contact my good friend Steve Nimz of Certified Erosion Control Hawaii LLC : www.hawaiicec.com. Check out the ideas that he has in the making. You might just want to keep those wood chips and sell them back and not just dump them out the back of your truck. Exciting stuff and not to mention it does good things for the environment.If you need more info let me know. You heard it here first...

 

[southsoundtree]

Leaving ethics out of it, thinking from a financial perspective:

I think that an important consideration is how this fits into your business finance situation, and I'm not prying. If it means staying afloat in a bad economy instead of sinking, then you are in a pinch. If you have a choice, think about what they say about good and bad customers. One good customer will tell two people, one bad customer will tell a dozen.

One good customer and free chip dump versus a hillside of customers telling a dozen people a piece.

Looks like you are in a smaller market (maybe, based on a glimpse at google maps) where reputation will go a long way for a long time.

 

[banjo]

If you plant short trees to screw the developer you're no different than him. If you plant the trees he wants you are knowingly creating conflict for dollars. Unless you don't care about disputes, like the one you will cause, being attributed to you, I would walk.

 

[KyLimbwalker]

Why are trees worse to look at than the bay? Plant the trees, don't fight others' battles for them. If the neighbors have a problem, they will voice that to the developer.

 

[treehumper]

What are the building restrictions? Are there any restrictive covenants on title that prevent obstructing views? Are the trees excluded? Would the property owners being obstructed have the right to reduce the trees to allow them there view? What is allowed on the site? Are there height restrictions for built forms?

What do you know of the building codes pertaining to tree planting? Take the time to educate yourself and then advise the builder of what the issues are. Act as a professional at all times. If this work doesn't fit within your business model then you can turn it down on that basis alone.

Explain the predicament to him and that you feel it would be detrimental to your business. I would imagine his neighbours must have some inkling as to the fact that the land will be developed at some point.

 

[surfarmer1]

as long as what you do is legal and an enviromently sound practice. you should be okay..but if you do not feel good about doing something then you need to look deep into your beliefs.. make sure you can sleep at night..


pray for a good crop but keep hoeing