Court battle ends tree dispute in pricey San Francisco area

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Tall trees are venerated across California, but an appeals court ruling this week says one towering Monterey Pine at the center of a heated dispute in San Francisco’s wealthiest neighborhood has to go. A state appeals court ordered a couple in the hilltop Pacific Heights neighborhood to remove the tree, which is at least 32 feet tall. The San Francisco Chronicle reports a neighbor argued the tree was blocking her view of the San Francisco Bay and other city landmarks. The court ordered the neighbors to split the cost of taking down the tree, estimated at $1,800.