Massive treehouse creates backyard battle in New Hampshire

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — A treehouse is causing trouble on New Hampshire’s Seacoast.

The parents of an 8-year-old boy say they checked with neighbors before building a treehouse, and there were no objections.

But neighbors were shocked by the immense construction project: The treehouse is 25 feet long and 8 feet high, with a 168 square-foot platform, WGME-TV reported.

“Its size is imposing and dominates the field of view in our backyard and from our house,” neighbor Mark Moses said.

Portsmouth resident Jill Maloney said she didn’t mean to create a backyard battle royal. She only wanted to build a treehouse for her son.

“My family and I never set out to anger our neighbors or make enemies,” she said.

John Raczek, who built the treehouse, said the family tried to please the neighbors by checking with them first.

“Her neighbors were fine with it. They didn’t have an issue,” he said. “She bent over backwards trying to make everybody happy.”

Portsmouth Board of Adjustment ruled last week that the treehouse was more like a deck structure. As a result, they said it requires a 5-foot to 8-foot setback from the fence.

“My objection to this has to do with the fact that it is so intrusive on the other property,” Phyllis Eldridge of the Portsmouth Board of Adjustment said.

That means it has to be moved.

The treehouse trouble was first reported by Seacoastonline.com.