Q: Heard from a friend living in a nearby community that his HOA is being sued. Reports are that some kid on a bike crashed into a palm tree and cut his arm. No details exactly where this vicious tree was: adjacent to a sidewalk, on a remote slope of the common elements, etc. Appears the tree was trimmed in the usual way where there are short pieces of the “fronds” still attached. Pieces must have been sharp enough to cause the injury. Our board has discussed this matter and is wondering if “shaving” or “skinning” the trunks is warranted — at least up to 8 feet to 10 feet in height. Not sure if either term is correct but it produces a “textured” and not one with, uh, sharp edges. Do we really have to go to this extreme? Would every HOA, park, casino, etc have to do the same? How idiot-proof can you make an environment? Pad the streets so if someone fell, they wouldn’t hurt themselves? Pad block walls so if someone bumped into them, they wouldn’t hurt themselves? The potential cost to shave trees could be enormous on anyone or everyone owning a potentially deadly palm tree. Is this bordering on absurdity?
