Junk Trees: Dealing with the Pernicious Chinese Elm

For the last several years I have been trying to figure out a plan to remove junk trees from my properties.  The most prominent problem was a chinese elm tree straddling the property line of two of our properties.

Junk trees are notoriously resilient to pruning and damage.  When their seeds land in fence lines of absentee owner's properties, they grow unabated and turn into landscaping eyesores.  Often they will grow into fences and destroy concrete.  Such was the case with the tree I was tackling.

You can always tell a chinese elm from the leaf structure.  It has serrated edges and an easily identifiable shape.   The leaves will drip sap on your car or anything else you leave under it. It also casts seeds everywhere in the spring. 

They were once thought of as a good idea by pioneers to the area since they grow without water.  They are extremely drought resistant.  That is great when you are a pioneer.  Today they are a scourge.

 
If you look carefully, you can see the guy wire that has been "consumed" by rampant tree growth.  Looking at the tree rings, it appears the tree grew about an inch or more in diameter each year.

The stump will require an aggressive regiment of herbicide treatment to kill permanently.  If left as it is, it will bounce back with a vengeance next season.

Here is a photo of the landscape before the tree was removed:

 Here is the view afterwards:

If you have a junk tree that needs to be removed, let me know and I can put you in contact with my tree guy.

Things To Do In Idaho: Wolverine Canyon and Forty Horse Cave

While visiting family in Idaho we took some time to explore some old familiar places of my youth.  While my parents moved us around extensively as I was growing up, my extended family stayed put.  I was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho and that is the area where my extended family remains today.  My first home was in Shelley, Idaho and my grandparents lived there for decades until recently.  

That being said, it was time for me to show my wife and kids some of the fun things to do in the area that I experienced as a child.  Wolverine Canyon was our destination.

    
Our journey passes through 900 E. in Shelley heading south.  An old sugar factory is the landmark where you start heading south.  Along the way we stopped to photograph this cool old barn. 

The Blackfoot River cuts through old lava rock on the way into Wolverine Canyon.

On the way into the canyon we ran into this sign.  Apparently, the green energy folks and the pastural conservation crowd are wrangling with each other.

As much as I find wind energy interesting, I do think wind turbines would do a disservice to the vibe of this landscape. 

The canyon gradually narrows and provides a dramatic change in scenery from the endless wheat and potato fields of the Snake River Valley. 

A couple miles into the canyon you will come to Forty Horse Cave.  The name originates from a legend that some horse thief hid 40 of his ill gotten horses there to elude being caught.  Given the steep terrain, I doubt this legend is true.  Nevertheless, the hike is short and fun. 

We parked our car and headed up the hill.

You can see our car parked at the bottom of the hill.  The loose rock and dirt makes for a scramble on some parts of the hike. 

The cave itself is only about 25 or so feet deep.  It appears to be created by water erosion since there were many puddles in the dirt with water dripping from the ceiling of the cave.

There are two trails up.  We discovered the easier one on our way down.  The kids handled both of them well.

The geology and rock features make for an interesting hike.

The whole trip took us about 2.5 hours round trip starting from Idaho Falls.  It was great to share some of my childhood adventures with my own children.

If you are ever in the area and need directions on how to get there, let me know.

Real Estate Bloodlines: Scenes from the Secret Recorder's Vault

I went to do some historical research today at the Weber County building.  I wanted to find out who has owned my home since it was built in 1908.

My quest led me to the Weber County Recorder's Vault.  Located in an inconspicuous hallway on the 2nd floor of the Weber Center, the first thing I noticed was the security coded doorknob and a handwritten note "knock to enter".

Upon knocking, a pleasant elderly woman answers and wisks me into the room.  The room smells of old books.  As I cast my eye around the room, I see rows and rows of disproportionately large books carefully organized.  Their scale is awkward and almost cartoonish.

The clerk asks what I am looking for.  When I respond,  I am handed a note with a handful of letters in the alphabet.  She pulls out a book stamped with a letter on the cover and shows me how to read the cryptic cursive handwriting from the 1800's.  Then I am on my own.

My abstract search reveals some interesting facts about the creation of our home (look for that in a later post).  When I am done, I look at the clock. What I thought was just a few minutes was actually an hour and a half.  I am late for my next appointment...  

Wild West: Farr West City Tamed By The Law

Last month I reported about a project that an associate of mine was working on in Farr West to build an assisted living center for the elderly.  You can read the story in Wild West: Farr West City Denies Developer and Dooms Taxpayers.

Well, it appears that the reality of the situation has finally caught up to the city council.  The Standard Examiner reports the following:

After a scolding from its own attorney, the city council this week granted Anthony Marler permission to build an assisted living facility.

The action reversed the council's ruling earlier this year that the center could not be built because it was on land the council designated as wetlands.

Had the city not reversed course, the penalty the city would pay would likely not me a small sum.  The city attorney cites other examples:

And such a ruling would have severe consequences for the city, he said. He pointed out a case in Boise, Idaho, in which a county lost a similar suit and is now filing for bankruptcy because of the $4 million awarded.

The taxpayers of Farr West can breath a little easier tonight. 

FOR SALE: 1.3 Acre Potential Commercial Zoned Lot - Ogden Valley

I recently listed this very interesting parcel in Liberty, Utah

This lot is at the heart of Liberty, Utah and is zoned AV-3 (click here for more zoning information) for future commercial development. It is located at the corners of 4100 N and 3500 E.

The property is stubbed for culinary water, gas, and electric utilities.  Septic tanks are already installed.

Located just moments away from Wolf Mountain skiing and minutes away from Powder Mountain Ski Resort.

This is a fantastic opportunity to own land in a prime location.  Develop now or land bank for later use.  Contact me with questions and price information.