Small town blues

[41chevy]

I've been waiting for my pemits from the town of Riverhead to remove some little trees to recover a WWII era combine. The powers that be told me it would be 3 to 6 weeks. Went down to find out my permit status since all I got on the phone was a machine. Well the employee who handles all the permits was laid off due to budget cuts.

My question was "what do I do now?"

Riverhead told be they have no idea...but you need permits to cut the trees to remove the Combine but they laid off the permit guy...so if you do it with out permits, Code Enforcement will ticket you for no permits at $500 per tree...so you need permits.

Well who will issue them now?....Town airhead replies "I don't know, the permit guy was laid off."

All for this!

[Lmackattack]

Go in at night...

[David]

With no evidence of the trees ever being there, how will they know how much to fine you?

[1958 F.W.D.]

As a Code Enforcement Official myself, I would contact the Town Manager and/or one or all of the elected officials- they are the ones who caused the problem (the lay-off) and should be held accountable for the lack of action since they laid the permit guy off.

Also, I would ask to see a copy of the ordinance- I have never heard of needing a permit to cut down a tree, not to say it doesnt exist, but town officials have been known to make up a law or two from time to time.

[randyp]

As a Code Enforcement Official myself, I would contact the Town Manager and/or one or all of the elected officials- they are the ones who caused the problem (the lay-off) and should be held accountable for the lack of action since they laid the permit guy off.

Also, I would ask to see a copy of the ordinance- I have never heard of needing a permit to cut down a tree, not to say it doesnt exist, but town officials have been known to make up a law or two from time to time.

I agree, I dont think they could enforce that so called ordinance. Tell them you are cleaning up the landscape by removing combine. Is it on city property or private property? Yeah, just cut the dern things, tell them to mind their own bidness,,,randyp

[Freightrain]

Go down to local nursery. Buy a handful of tree seedlings. If they show up and bitch just point to your truck and say you're going to put NEW ones back up. LOL!!!

[thomastractorsvc]

What country is this??? You need a permit to cut down a tree to remove scrap to clean up an eye soar on the side of the road, I know that the combine is not any eye soar to you but to the city folks I am sure thats what they are complaining about.

$500 fine per tree, is it a fine or a tax??? from an over zelous town government

[Maddog13407]

i think you need a B81 SX and just pull really hard...... trees with just float around it....

[JTFormula]

Tell them it's very large marijuana plants some pot heads started to grow on the property. The Sheriff will remove them for you.

[41chevy]

As a Code Enforcement Official myself, I would contact the Town Manager and/or one or all of the elected officials- they are the ones who caused the problem (the lay-off) and should be held accountable for the lack of action since they laid the permit guy off.

Also, I would ask to see a copy of the ordinance- I have never heard of needing a permit to cut down a tree, not to say it doesnt exist, but town officials have been known to make up a law or two from time to time.

Town of Riverhead Department of Forestry

Tree Removal Policy

JAMES M. DUNNE, P.E.

Commissioner of Forestry 631-819 0043

TOWN CODE

Town Code Chapter 225 trees, requires a permit for tree removal on private property.

Tree removal means, “Any act which will cause a tree to be removed or to die within a

one (1) year period.”

REQUIREMENTS

A permit is required for the removal of any tree with the diameter or caliper of three

inches (3”) or more, when a tree is measured at the point four and one-half (4-1/2) feet

above ground level (DBH) at the base of the uphill side of the tree.

STEPS TO OBTAIN A PERMIT

1. Submit completed copy of the application no less than ten (10) work days prior to

the proposed tree removal date.

2. Complete all information required on the form including signatures from the

applicant.

3. A fully completed property survey form (enclosed) is required for an onsite

inspection.

4. For all applications requiring Forestry Department approval, there is an application

fee in the amount of five dollars ($5.00) per inch of cumulative DBH for each

proposed tree removal, but not more than seventy five dollars ($75.00) per

individual tree and not less than a total of fifty dollars ($50.00) per application.

5. In the case of an application involving the removal of two (2) or fewer trees, the

application fee may be waived or reduced at the discretion of the Commissioner

of the Forestry Department if the applicant should choose to provide a replacement

tree(s). In order to be eligible for credit, a replacement tree must be a minimum of

2 1/2 inches in caliber.

6. Once a tree(s) is removed a final inspection will be necessary to ascertain the

removal was completed according to the Town guidelines.

7. After the final inspection, a Certificate of Compliance will be issued effectively

closing the permit process.

FINES

Any person, who shall violate any of the provisions of this code, shall be deemed guilty

of an offence and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than five hundred

dollars ($500) but not more than one thousand dollars ($1000) per tree.

TOWN OF RIVERHEAD

DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY

977 MAIN Rd.

[RowdyRebel]

What country is this???

New York.

'Round here, I just wrap a chain around the unwanted growths and give a little tug w/ the F250. Got a big'ol pile of 'em in the front yard awaiting enough rain so that I can burn it without also taking out the house & the farmer's field...

[Apple dog]

Cut the trees and cut up the wood haul it off. If anyone ask tell them the trees was less than 3" head high. Problem solved and you got your combine.

[41chevy]

Got a yuppie winery across from it that films me every time I go near it. Stopped wearing suspenders to add spice to the videography. They demand it's removal and call the code enforcement and Riverhead P.D. every time I go near it with out permits posted on it.

I cut a sappling to open the hatch to look at the Chrysler flathead and in 5 minutes had the Code officer there.

Less than a mile or so away I pulled 11 crawler cranes over to cut the booms and houses up, not a peep said about it. Just a single check by code officers to make sure I had a pollution dam of bales and fire extingushers'

This is the new area for that crap. Come out from the city, pave and light up the house like an airport. Complain about the dust from the fields, chemicals, the water for irrigation, noise and smells from animals til they put you out of business. Than bitch about the loss of a scrub oak and sugar maple weed trees cause it "takes away the country look" they came here for.

Thats why the Cat in my avitar is my mail box holder and my cousin has a 50 Ford F3 flat bed made into a fountain.They have their wagon wheel and I've got my crawler. Paul

[e9500v8]

[e9500v8]

Post that in your front yard 41Chevy!!!!

[randyp]

I think you oughta dress up like an indian, sneak onto their ship, and throw all their tea in the water, and, and, dern, seems like i read a story like that one time,,well, nevermind, good luck. randyp

[Mike]

Hey Paul............have you ever decided to move from that Political Village? In Tennessee, the (TVA) or Tennessee Valley Authority has now after many years decided to clean up there right of way, under there towers, with a 75 ft. from center of each tower. They said if you have built, planted or anything else they will confiscate or clean out and cut anything in their way. I was one of those people that moved because I could not have anything in my back yard, because of their right of way.

I also hate the governments right to take your property if they decide to. Calling it Intimate Domain.

mike

[41chevy]

Hey Paul............have you ever decided to move from that Political Village? In Tennessee, the (TVA) or Tennessee Valley Authority has now after many years decided to clean up there right of way, under there towers, with a 75 ft. from center of each tower. They said if you have built, planted or anything else they will confiscate or clean out and cut anything in their way. I was one of those people that moved because I could not have anything in my back yard, because of their right of way.

I also hate the governments right to take your property if they decide to. Calling it Intimate Domain.

mike

We got 200 acres and out buildings off Rte 15 in Fork Union Va. A good friend next door into guns,dogs and fire wood and Virginia Military school up the road. Hope to move back down in 2 or 3 years. Paul

[Mike]

We got 200 acres and out buildings off Rte 15 in Fork Union Va. A good friend next door into guns,dogs and fire wood and Virginia Military school up the road. Hope to move back down in 2 or 3 years. Paul

I love the VMI in Lexington, VA . Old Jack sure lived for a short time in a beautiful area. I've been there and done that a bunch of times there.

Hope you can soon.

mike

[1958 F.W.D.]

Ok, it appears to be a legitimate ordinance.

Therefore, one thing I WOULD NOT DO (despite everyone's encouragement) is to go in there without the permit and "just do it." You are already on their radar, and the hippies across the street filming you dont help.

I pulled up the town's website- have you tried to contact the Supervisor yet? I would begin with him.

Oh and by the way this is the first time I have ever heard of a bullshit ordinance like this......

[41chevy]

I love the VMI in Lexington, VA . Old Jack sure lived for a short time in a beautiful area. I've been there and done that a bunch of times there.

Hope you can soon.

mike

Not VMI in Lex, VMA in Fork Unionington it's a military boarding school from grade 1 to 12.

FWD, I contacted the Town Supervisor, The Head of the Highway dept and the Head of Code Enforcement, I'll most likly be getting a waiver from both to do the removal and the Highway dept will remove the trees on the road side. I do my jobs legally to the letter or not at all. Paul

The "tree ordinances" are in most Long Island towns, this is actually one of the more liberal ones too.

[mowerman]

typical city hall bullshit i paid an overdue california tax bill $2000 bucks,,,just to clear it off my records,,,and they told me pretty much same thing,,,they keep people around to keep sending me bills,,,but nobody around to take it off my credit report,,,paid bill 7 years ago,,,and its still on there wow (WHAT A COUNTRY).lol.bob

[RowdyRebel]

Damn...all this adherence to the law & compliance with regulations is making me sick. If Americans were as compliant in 1775 as they are today, we'd still be flying the union jack....

Seriously, what ever happened to property rights? Individual liberty?

Government agents are never welcome on my property....and when they DO show up, I try to make them as uncomfortable as possible for as long as it takes for them to leave the premises.

[Mike]

Hey Rowdy.........do you sit on the porch with the shotgun in hands,when they drive up, shoot over their heads or maybe take off an ear?

mike

[RowdyRebel]

Go big or go home!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FChEbcfj6Y

Stickin' it to "the man"