California law recognizes the right of two adjoining landowners to agree on a specific line or marker to act as the property lines between the two parcels, notwithstanding the legal description in each parcel's deed.
If the property line goes through the middle of the tree trunk, the tree is jointly owned by you and your neighbor. Since you jointly own such boundary trees, you are allowed to trim them. But if your trimming kills the tree or you cut down the tree entirely, you could be liable for timber trespass.
The Boundary Line Agreement (BL AGR) provides a procedure for County review whenever a point or line determining the boundary between two or more parcels of real property cannot be identified from the existing public record, monuments, and landmarks or is in dispute. RCW 58.04.
A boundary line agreement is a legally binding document that sets clear boundaries between neighboring properties, providing certainty and preventing conflicts.
California law recognizes that property owners may agree to establish or adjust boundary lines. These agreements can be made through written contracts or mutual consent. However, boundary line agreements must be in writing and signed by both parties to be legally enforceable.
Boundary lines help determine the extent of a property and its legal ownership. Specifically, these lines define a property's physical limits and help prevent conflicts between neighboring property owners.
For the agreed boundary doctrine to apply, there must be: (1) uncertainty as to true boundary line; (2) an agreement between the adjoining neighbors fixing the line; and, (3) acceptance or acquiescence to the fixed line for at least 5 years or under circumstances where substantial loss would be caused by a change of ...
Under such an agreement, the parties acknowledge the true boundary line between the properties, and the encroaching owner releases any claim to the strip of land encroached upon. In return, the “encroached upon” owner allows the encroachment to continue for so long as he/she is not adversely affected.
These “side” issues include such matters as resolving substandard access to the public road and meeting bulk zoning regulations such as lot width and area. A Boundary Line Adjustment, then, is an Administrative action by the city or county planning authority. In contrast, a Boundary Line Agreement is a judicial action.