Can I force my neighbor to cut down a tree that is blocking my view?

Can I force my neighbor to cut down a tree that is blocking my view?

Howard Gould (Neighbor Law Expert, Finestone & Richter) gives expert video advice on: I am looking for a home with a view. How do I protect that view once I buy the home?; Can I force my neighbor to cut down a tree that is blocking my view? and more...

In general, you can't force a neighbor to do anything to assist you with getting a better view unless there's a municipal view ordinance, or there is some sort of covenant that's been recorded in the deeds for the neighbor's property, or some other document that's been recorded that restricts his rights. One other thing you can look at, which is probably not going to affect trees but can definitely affect fences and hedges, is whether there's some municipal ordinance that limits heights. It's very common, in fact you're going to find it pretty much everywhere, a municipal ordinance that restricts the height of boundary line hedges and also fences. Usually you're going to see a six foot height restriction for backyards and sideyards. In front yards it's often only three or four feet, but you may not find any municipal law similar to that that really affects the maximum allowed height of a tree.