Some time ago, I posted about dealing with the neighbors when it comes to trees. This entry will be about another common neighbor issue — fences. Unlike trees, the topic of fences has its very own Title in the Idaho statutes (Title 35). Rightly or wrongly, this puts it on a level with other Titles, such as “Courts and Court Officials,” “Revenue and Taxation,” “Insurance,” and “Crimes and Punishments.” Accordingly, there are a number of specific laws that deal with fences, highlighting ...
Dealing With My Neighbor — Trees
With the recent high winds in Boise and the subsequent falling of many trees and tree limbs, I’ve been looking at the law related to tree ownership and rights of neighbors regarding trees. Ownership: If you own land, and a tree’s trunk is entirely on your land, then you own that tree, too. The key is the trunk — not the canopy or roots. Even if most of the canopy or roots extend off your land, the tree is still yours. Where the tree straddles a boundary line, it becomes the shared ...
