Fox News regular Grant Haber cuts down neighbor's trees for better view. Facing HUGE penalties

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

This is Grant Haber.



This is Grant Haber's house prior to the tree massacre. New york City can be seen faintly at the top of the pic. Haber
is blocked from the view of NYC by the trees above his backyard pool. He bought a house surrounded by trees and decides he wants a view.



Grant Haber brings in 4 landscaping contractors (without telling the neighbor), who climb the fence and begin cutting down his neighbor's trees that block Haber's view to NYC. This is the aftermath








“I saw a landscape truck, a dump truck-style truck, with a big, large shredder, and four landscape contractors on my property,” he said. “They said…‘The owner wanted a view of the city and the mountain range.’”

The tree cutters had climbed a fence clearly marking his property line, which sits at the bottom of Haber’s more elevated compound, he said.

Shinway, a forest lover who helps out with the state’s Woodland Management Program, quickly called the police, who told the workers to “cease and desist,” he said.

https://nypost.com/2023/06/28/nj-homeowner-cut-down-32-of-his-neighbors-trees-and-cost-could-top-1-8m/


A Morris County homeowner has been fined after officials said he had 32 trees cut down from his neighbor’s property without a permit, a violation that could cost him at least $32,000 – and has already gone viral on social media.

John Linson, the borough forester in Kinnelon, confirmed via an email Tuesday that he had issued the fines. Grant Haber, the Denise Drive property owner who allegedly ordered the work done, could face penalties of up to $1,000 per tree, Linson said

Linson declined to comment on a Twitter thread posted Monday that suggested the cost of undoing the damage could be much greater. The thread by account holder Sam Glickman, who identified himself as a friend of Linson’s, said an estimate for replanting the trees totaled up to $1.5 million and that additional penalties could reach $400,000 because the borough is also fining two contractors said to be hired by Haber to do the tree-cutting.

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/local/2023/06/27/kinnelon-nj-man-cutting-down-neighbors-trees-fined/70362554007/

&t=59s

[madaboutharry]

1. What an asshole!

There isn’t anything else to say, other than he must be made to replace every tree.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

2. which is pricey because he would be responsible for watering the new trees for two years

[sarcasmo]

25. Planet full of assholes like Haber.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

31. Most conservatives are assholes

[treestar]

66. and the hypocrisy

they are usually on about property rights! How in the heck did he think he had a right to someone else's property!

[Rfhyde1]

60. What an asshole!

What dbag. Who does that? EVery thing is still on the table including trespassing charge and up to $1.5 million to replant. I hope the neighbor gets more than that.

[GP6971]

61. Welcome to DU!

[yankee87]

68. Welcome

Welcome to DU.

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Not uncommon in wealthy circles, but a shame if that's the only penalty

Township fines? Who gets the money? Can the trees' owner sue for damages, malice, negligence? Prosecution for trespassing? Conspiracy - he hired the landscapers to do this. It was a plot to commit these crimes.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

4. everything is still on the table including trespassing charge and up to $1.5 million to replant

the story went viral and people are pissed!!

[inthewind21]

47. What I want to know

What kind of landscaper takes a job from Owner of property A to cut down trees on property B? I'm pretty sure if I called a tree service and said I need you to cut down all the trees next door I would not be successful.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

5. more: 'Haber tried to act like it was a big mix up. The workers right away blamed him & he denied ev

'Haber tried to act like it was a big mix up. The workers right away blamed him & he denied everything and told them all to leave.

'Haber came out and said "isn’t this a disaster? Who would do this?". Ever since he cut the trees down there’s been lots of crows and Soil erosion.

'When I was outback with the forester he let his two dogs out and they were harassing us.

'He was yelling for the dogs from 50 feet away but wouldn’t actually come get them.

'The fine is 32 grand but the estimates in damage are around $1.9 million.

'A letter was dropped in our mailbox that was typed & unsigned saying he’s not a bad neighbor & he moved here because he loves nature. Otherwise he’s had nothing to say.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12243697/CEO-faces-fine-cutting-THIRTY-TWO-neighbors-trees-improve-view-NYC.html

[JHB]

15. "I'm not a bad neighbor"? Someone having trees cut down on someone else's property...

...without permission is pretty much squarely in "bad neighbor" territory.

[Victor_c3]

30. Sounds like a typical shitty dog owner

Not all dog owners are shitty, but enough of them are that I automatically have a pretty negative opinion of most dog owners.

They see their dog doing something that is obviously bad behavior and don’t do anything to really stop that behavior.

It’s one thing to have a dog, but it’s another to assume that everyone loves your dog too. No, I don’t want to pet your dog. No, I don’t think it’s cute when you let your dog walk up to me without warning and jump on me and slobber all over me. No, I don’t enjoy hearing your dog bark non-stop. No, I don’t think you’re automatically and admirable and righteous person because you rescued your dog (and most likely still eat meat and don’t truly care about animals).

Sorry, that article hit one of my peeves…

[rambler_american]

32. Maybe consider

using a smaller brush to tar people.

[FoxNewsSucks]

36. There's a big difference between the typical SHITTY dog owner and

the typical dog owner. We don't like the SHITTY ones either.

[Deminpenn]

6. Did the tree removal contractors not notice they had to climb over

a fence to access the trees? That was the first clue they were on someone else's property. If NY licenses these kinds of businesses, they should lose their licenses in addition to paying for the cost of buying and planting new trees.

The landowner should plant a few white pines, the fastest growing tree in north America and capable of blocking out any view.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

7. and this... sign on one of the trees

[Deminpenn]

10. Don't know how it is in other states, but in PA

you can only cut overhanging branches back to the property line. Done that with a neighbor's tree although not without letting my neighbor know beforehand.

[catbyte]

24. It's like that in Michigan, too, and from watching Judge Judy on and off for years,

it's the same in other states, too. What a jerk. It figures he works at Fox-PAC.

[Ms. Toad]

63. Don't base anything on Judge Judy.

She gets a lot of stuff completely wrong. A few times, her grandaughter (who isn't always right either) has been brave enough to try to gently correct her - but she continues to live in Judge Judy's world, which only bears a passing resemblance to the real world.

[Sogo]

51. Same here in Iowa.

Had a run-in with a neighbor who was cutting well past the line and then leaving all the debris in my backyard to clean up. I threw it all over the fence into his driveway.

[3Hotdogs]

14. This is in N.J

(No big deal).

[maxsolomon]

42. 100% the tree contractors should lose their license.

I'd wager they're not professional arborists.

[Solly Mack]

8. Entitled asshole.

[roomtomove]

9. How about criminal prosecution and jail time?

[droidamus2]

11. Not that uncommon

I don't think these kinds of shenanigans are that uncommon. It was many years ago but I remember there was one business that was notorious for going onto land during three day holdiay weekends and cutting down redwood trees that were in the way of a project without permits. It was pretty obvious everybody involved was willing to pay the fines because since the trees were already gone the could go forward with building whatever hey were building and ultimately they would profit from it. The wealthy just want what they want if it costs them some money it isn't a problem for them.

[RobinA]

59. We Had A Builder

who took down a historically protected house that was in his way on Christmas Day. I drove by, not knowing the house was protected, and thought, Uhm, Jewish construction workers? They even had flagman because the house was right on the road. Later I find out the house was not supposed to be taken down and they were claiming it was a mistake. Right. You got a team of heavy equipment operators together on Christmas to accidently take down an old farmhouse. The only house anywhere near there until the builder built his subdivision of McMansions.

[LakeArenal]

12. Once worked for a land development company.

We accidentally cut two trees on the wrong property. Fined $5000 a tree. Luckily I was not the surveyor. Trees were bout 8 inches wide. Not that big. Homeowners rightfully pissed.

Hope he goes bankrupt.

Edit to add:”A big mixup”. Republicans say it’s easier to ask forgiveness than ask permission. Hopefully not this time.

[AlGorerhythm]

27. "A big mixup" is exactly what he plans to use as a defense...

He has already achieved what he set out to do. He doesn't care who or what he hurt or destroyed to get what he wanted. He got what he wanted...when he wanted it, consequences be damned.
Unless he is severely penalized (destruction of private property comes to mind) his selfish, wanton behavior will escalate. A fine, no matter how expensive, will not curb his selfish mindset.

[Joinfortmill]

13. Hope he has to pay the 1.5 million. This is entitlement of the stupid.

[exboyfil]

18. That and the city should force him to fund a large barrier that blocks his view

Until the new trees come back. Not let him benefit from his crime. I heard of that happening in another case.

[exboyfil]

16. There should be vandalism charges

Clearly posted and had to jump a fence.

He really needs some jail time. The guy that poisoned the trees at Auburn got 1 1/2 years I think.

[NoMoreRepugs]

17. That man is a DICK, plus he looks like one.

[Oneironaut]

19. Typical right wing parasite. He wanted to take what was "his" no matter how it affected anyone else.

Of course, “his” is stuff that doesn’t belong to him, until taken by force. Typical Fascist mentality.

[justgamma]

20. Easier to ask for forgiveness

than to ask for permission. Too many go by this saying.

[moonshinegnomie]

21. he'll have to build a road to replace the trees

plus the cost of the trees and maintanace til established.

[Hekate]

53. I trust the road will run through the vandal's property, front to back

[moonshinegnomie]

22. the entire twitter thread about it withou having to go to twitter

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1673371813043408904.html

[DFW]

23. Some jerk in the town where I live once built a house on protected land

He, too, figured it was easier to ask forgiveness than to ask for permission. He miscalculated.

The city eventually forced him to tear down his fancy house and restore the land at his expense.
The only regret was that he could afford it.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

49. he could afford it but I'm sure it hurt

[DFW]

50. I would hope he was embarrassed as hell, but I doubt it

If he was arrogant enough to build it on land that wasn't to be touched, I'm sure he was uncaring enough to be unashamed about having to raze it.

[Botany]

26. I hope the rich asshole has to sell off his "I got mine" house to pay off all the fines and .....

..... penalties he will get and BTW if he wanted views of NYC he could have built his house in a different
location and 5 months out of the year he can see NYC when the leaves are down. NYC's light pollution
can be seen year round @ night too.

The bottom pictures of the white "out building," the new 4 to 6' fence, and the neighbor are pretty
damning.

[617Blue]

28. WTF with these contractors? There's a FENCE.

[Silent3]

41. I expect a Fox regular to be an entitled asshole, but, yeah... the contractors?

What the fuck were they thinking? Apparently actually knowing it was someone else's property, and being willing to go ahead with the job anyway? How did they expect they'd get away with that?

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

56. a tree cutting job like that $$$, they just saw dollar signs

[sinkingfeeling]

29. The gall.

[Traildogbob]

33. Their shit runs down hill

So many (more than not, Floridians) have to built their second, third home play houses on the highest peaks and ridges here in WNC. That’s not enough for them, they try that shit here for views, but also just to show off their fortunes. But many times some multi generation mountain people live below and own land up to their property lines.
And those locals, “have a particular set of skills”, with many ways to respond. That prick would be invited to some night time snipe hunting up here. Without a good outcome.
Before hired as faculty, I spent 8 years in Land Records/Tax Mapping where every property line in the country, I drafted from survey data, superimposed over Aerial Photography. I saw more battles in our office than I can count, and the Sheriff's office, next door had to be called in. It was always a wealthy asshole pushing the envelope crossing property lines to do shit just like this.
Looks to me like the tree owner could do some damage to that dough boy Fox host.

[live love laugh]

34. Sue the contractors too.

[Wicked Blue]

35. This is your typical narcissistic rightwing rich a**h**e

Too arrogant to check the property lines, too selfish to notify the neighboring property owner.

[Wingus Dingus]

37. He wanted a view of scalped earth, stumps and dead branches?

Make his new view as fugly as possible, I say. Park some rusted out heavy equipment back there, maybe a dumpster. Make him fucking regret it every time he looks outside.

[Chainfire]

39. I live in a rural and agricultural area. If my neighbor did something like that, I would build a

pig pen right on the property line, and see how much he liked sitting out by the pool on a warm day.

[Chainfire]

38. What's mine is mine, what's yours is mine for the taking.

The cutter should be charged with criminal trespass and theft. It sounds as if a little jail time might be good for his ego.

[orthoclad]

40. "Activists to Trump: You owe us 500 trees"

Seven years ago, Trump cut down about one mile of riparian buffer on the Potomac River in order to improve his views from his gahlf paddy. This is an incredible crime: the riparian buffer is absolutely essential for river health.

from WaPo:
"To expand and upgrade the 800-acre property that is part of the Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, an acre of roughly 465 trees along the Potomac River was cut down. At the time, officials with the Trump Organization said they spent about $1 million removing the trees, which included black locusts, green ashes and American elms. They said the trees were stressed and eroding the soil. Trump's operation did not need approval from Loudoun County to cut down the trees, but it said it did tell officials of its work."

Green ash and American elm are two tree species which are highly threatened by disease and parasites.

This was a first-class environmental crime. Looks like Trump got away with it, despite many people raising hell about it. He wasn't even Dolt45 yet.

Gahlf paddies are ugly. Monocultures of grass which require huge amounts of water and chemicals to maintain a totally unnatural environment, constantly fighting nature. Why take a beautiful place and ruin it with gahlf?

Rich people get away with crimes. So what if Haber has to pay a few tens of thousands? Plenty more where that came from. Cost of doing biz (i.e., being a rich asshole).

I hope that contractor pays a fortune. Tree cutters tend to think they own the neighborhood. Property lines are meaningless.

[maxsolomon]

43. Not a crime per WaPo:

"Trump's operation did not need approval from Loudoun County to cut down the trees..."

Unless the shoreline of the Potomac is governed by another agency?

[orthoclad]

44. It was a crime.

[maxsolomon]

46. Morally? or legally?

I'm confused by your post.

[jeffreyi]

45. I would make damn sure, if I were the offendee

To park an obnoxious eyesore in the line of sight sure to wreck the view.

[BComplex]

48. $1,000 per tree is not nearly enough.

That's a typical republican.

[Hortensis]

52. When we lived in SoCal, $50,000 was the maximum fine for

illegally removing an indigenous, native tree. Trees are much rarer and slower growing in CA's Mediterranean climate areas than temperate, and even modest work on them, such as trimming, is regulated, often requiring a permit.

A new resident in our mountainside neighborhood of small lots had a mature native oak removed in one day which had overhung, shaded, and was precious to the devastated owners of four adjacent properties. He was fined the max, $50,000, plus other penalties. This was $50K 30 years ago when middle class incomes and RE values were significantly lower than now.

These basic fines in this context aren't impressive. If the court doesn't require replacement with like, agree a nice pig pen upwind of this guy's pool and home would be appropriate.

[Hekate]

54. Right. SoCal native trees are precious, especially California Oaks. We have one--or rather it has us

It’s somewhere between 150 and 200 years old — and is irreplaceable. Our neighborhood is only about 35 years old, and when I look at that tree I realize how temporary we are.

[Hortensis]

57. How wonderful. This tree was like yours, so you know the loss.

Tree person here too. Bad luck for this Fox cretin that the violated property owner is also.

When we went looking for a cheap winter "fishing shack" in FL, I was much less concerned with the "shack" (turned out not surprisingly to be an old mobile home) than with having a beautiful view including water and at least one of FL's giant, wide spreading old live oaks shading it. A lot of people don't like all the oak leaves and are nervous about branches so big that they'd crush whatever was under if one fell, not that they do much. They handle hurricanes well.

That's what we got. The trailer and patio sheltered under it are comfortable for long hours, and the resurrection ferns on its big branches live through drought as necessary to turn green whenever rain comes. Like the native rain lilies that bloom under it.

[ZonkerHarris]

55. those workers are lucky this guy isn't a gun nut and shot em for being on and desecrating his land

[GoodRaisin]

58. He's obviously a fucking moron

not to mention a terrible neighbor. Never do anything without talking to your neighbor first if it will impact the neighbor.

Then, he ruined his own back yard by cutting those trees down. Just…stupid.

[Rhiannon12866]

62. How absolutely horrific! How does one replace a mature forest?!

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

64. you don't. it will take 50 years.

[Rhiannon12866]

65. Exactly.

My mother's close friend who lived just down the street passed away and they removed all the beautiful trees (that she loved!) from her property. That included an apple tree that she planted in her front yard and an incredible tall pine that predated her house, seeing that ripped my heart out.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

67. Who is surprised by this?

If you work at fox news, you are an asshole