California homeowner hit with $50k fine for obeying insurance company

• A San Francisco homeowner, Paul Dennes, was fined $50,000 by city officials for trimming five trees located in front of his property.
• Dennes stated he undertook the tree trimming to satisfy a requirement from his insurance broker, who mandated the work to qualify for property coverage.
• The San Francisco Department of Public Works asserted the trees were public property under its jurisdiction, citing "illegal tree pruning" and "topping" which damaged the trees.
• The initial fine of $10,000 per tree was subsequently reduced to $12,950, or $2,590 per tree, and then to $6,475, contingent on Dennes hiring a certified arborist for a five-year tree recovery plan.
• The incident underscores common confusion among residents regarding the ownership and maintenance responsibilities of street trees, which are often city property despite appearing to be part of private residences.

IN FULL

His insurance company told him to prune the trees near his home. The city then sent him a $50K fine