Question

Water Oak  

Branches damaged   The trees appears to be healthy (green leaves on most limbs) but the Water Oak tree has out grown it's space. It's close to a retaining wall. May 13,2012 we had a bad storm  "Large Branches" came down damaged two air conditioners and  puncture the flat roof.  
My question is this tree is 7ft of it trunk and roots to building and 9ft high.  We are fighting the City of Atlanta to remove the tree and denied. The roots are currently breaking through this large retaining wall and we often have large pieces of the wall displaced and found broken on the Condo sidewalk. The tree is a threat to both the building structure and the people that reside in the building.  Can this tree be a harmful to the building structure and residents.




Thank You
Ninfa Carpenter
Atlanta,Ga.

Answer
This tree is too close to the building. At the very least the branches on the building side should be prune back so they will not fall on the building. In my opinion it seems like it will continue to damage the structures and should be removed or pruned back heavily.sI would try calling the  Ga Forestry Commission and get one of their Foresters to come out and see if the tree is a hazard to the building.They have a good working relationship with the City Forester and should be able to help.  Here is a contact with them .

Susan Granbery
Urban and Community Forestry Coordinator
Georgia Forestry Commission
6835 James B. Rivers-Memorial Dr.
Stone Mountain, GA30083
678-476-6227
Fax: 678-476-6229
[email protected]