Compromise reached on neighbor's pristine view

Nancy Armstrong lives in the scenic mountains of south-central Idaho and enjoys the picturesque view – with a noticeable exception – ITD’s Lowman maintenance yard.

Initially she asked ITD to remove two trailers it located on the grounds so her view could be restored. Logistical challenges eliminated that option, so she and ITD’s District 3 arrived at an amiable compromise. ITD proposed, and Armstrong accepted, the alternative of adding trees to provide a visual buffer.

D-3 Maintenance Coordinator Dan Bryant helped coordinate the planting of six new Spruce trees along her property line, aided by Shawn Strong and Connie Marshall of the vegetation crew. 
 
“Nancy was deeply unhappy with the trailers blocking her view, and I was asked to work with her to find a solution, short of moving the trailers,” Bryant explained.  “We wanted to soften the visual impact she was dealing with.” 
 
Bryant and Armstrong met several times to come up with a viable solution. They agreed on a plan to plant trees on her side of the fence and place plastic “privacy” slats in the chain link fencing. Armstrong then provided Bryant with a list of evergreen trees from which to choose.
 
He tasked Strong and Marshall to get prices from a nursery and to work with Armstrong on where to plant the trees. They worked with the Franz Witte nursery to select the trees and come up with a package that included planting the trees where the homeowner wanted them and a one-year guarantee on tree survival. 
 
“We wanted them on her side of the fence because she already has a watering system in place there,” Bryant said, “and they would provide better sight-blockage of the fence and trailers from that location.”
 
Armstrong sent a letter to ITD Director Brian Ness commending Bryant, saying that “his efforts to find a meaningful solution were sincere. She said “Dan responded quickly and effectively to implement the agreed-upon plan.
 
 “Nancy’s letter of thanks means a lot to me, because, even when she was most unhappy, she was very civil and communicative. The only remedy that would have completely satisfied her would have been the removal of the trailers, but she realized that was not an option I could offer. It took a couple of tries, but we were able to work together on a difficult situation, and I hope she will continue to be happy with the outcome,” Bryant added.
 
 “It cost us a little money, but she’s been a good neighbor to us for years, and we wanted to preserve that.”

Published 10-12-2012