Bob CollinsThere’s nothing that provides head-scratching like a good dispute between entitled neighbors.
That’s underway in Milwaukee, where residents of a pricey neighborhood have battled over a view of Lake Michigan, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says.
The dispute started in 2016 when furniture executive Scott Mullins trimmed trees in his yard to get a better view of the lake. Then, uninvited, he went into the yard of Kathe Lake and cut — “pruned,” he says — 150 more.
It only cost him $355 in fines and the time it took his wife, Laura, to send a written apology to Lake.
“We are guessing you, like us, chose the neighborhood because of the location and the amazing view. Regretfully, the priority of our view overtook the higher priority of neighborliness in this situation and we sincerely apologize for this.”
Lake sued. But it was dropped just before it went to trial in 2017 after the two sides reached a deal of some sort.
Then she had three pine trees planted in her yard, 18 birches a couple of days later, and added three more pines in July, the Journal Sentinel says.
The Mullinses sued, seeking damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress caused by what they claim is a “spite fence” under Wisconsin law.
The two are due in court later this month.
