NORWAY — The possibility of having an ordinance dealing with tree limbs and property lines came up for discussion during this week’s Norway City Council meeting, but the idea found little support.

Council member Jeff Muraro has asked over the past few months to look into the possibility of creating an ordinance dealing with trees that have limbs that grow over property lines. In some cases, the limbs cause damage and debris on a neighbor’s property.

City Manager Dan Stoltman said Wednesday that although disputes occur on this issue, he was unable to find an example of another municipality that has an ordinance dealing with it.

“This is a problem that exists all over the place,” Stoltman said. “Generally we find that it is a civil matter between neighbors similar to property line disputes, things like that. Talking to the city attorney, I think it is a pretty slippery slope”

Stoltman added that if someone were to trim a neighbor’s tree, and the tree then dies, the neighbor could be responsible for three times the value of the tree. Insurance companies and lawyers might also get involved, he said.

By endorsing such activity, the city is setting itself up to become entangled in all of that, Stoltman warned.

In the end, it was decided there are already tools in place via civil court and insurance, and that neighbors should try to resolve issues. Also, when planting trees, the homeowner should think ahead and plant farther back from the property line.

Although only up for discussion and not action, the council decided against pursuing any type of ordinance.

In other business, the council passed a resolution to better define the property tax poverty exemption. According to City Assessor Jim Waisanen, the former resolution was outdated and allowed too much discretion by the Board of Review.