Community Corner

Baltimore County to Remove Tree Atop Vacant House

One day this winter, a tree fell on a vacant house that's in foreclosure in Sudbrook Park. Now what?

When a tree falls on a vacant house in foreclosure, does anyone hear about it?

Apparently, Baltimore County does.

I recently took photographs of the fallen tree and . One Pikesville Patch reader said he knew: at the corner of Cliveden and Milford Mill roads, in Pikesville's Sudbrook Park.

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Driving by, one can't help but notice the large tree in the front yard, uprooted and supported by the front porch roof. And, it's hard to miss the county's red notice posted on the front picture window.

However, with the tree so precariously situated over the front door, I didn't dare approach those postings—who knows when a limb or the porch will give way?

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Baltimore County Spokeswoman Ellen Kobler said yesterday that the county's chief building engineer is aware of the problem: "A tree, 30 inches in diameter, and 30 feet high, is resting on the front porch roof, with limbs extending over to the house roof," Kobler said.

"The tree needs to be removed," she said. "If our county crews under Recreation and Parks can't do the work, we might have to hire a county contractor to do the work."

Why the county?

"It's an issue of general public safety," she said. Plus, the matter is complicated by the fact that the house is for sale, and is vacant and under foreclosure.

"The contractor would contact Fannie Mae, which is officially the owner, and have them pay for the removal," Kobler explained.

The house is listed with a local agent, she said.


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