By Alexander C. Kaufman | Reuters – 12 hrs agoLOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Kevin Costner is embroiled in another legal battle.
Earlier this month, he won a lawsuit against Stephen Baldwin over the right to British Petroleum's money versus breached bonds.
This time, its Pacific vistas versus peeping paparazzi.
Charles "Rick" Grimm, the actor's neighbor at his beachfront Santa Barbara home, filed a suit for up to $500,000 Monday, alleging Costner breached a 55-year-old contract by planting hedges and trees taller than six feet, blocking the plaintiff's view of the Pacific Ocean, according to court documents obtained by TheWrap.
Costner allegedly broke a contract put into place when the property was initially subdivided back in 1957. That contract stipulated a six-foot limit to hedges.
According to the documents, Costner planted 10-foot conifers to block the view of star-struck vacationers renting Grimm's house.
Grimm, who claimed the obstruction devalues his house by half its original worth, wants the court to order Costner to prune the hedges back to the level of the six-foot, ivy-covered fence that divides their properties and to compensate him with $150,000.
If not, he wants to be paid $500,000 in damages.
Grimm, who owns an investment firm, claimed he spoke repeatedly to Costner's wife, Christine, who said they planted the evergreens to do "what we have to in order to feel comfortable in our own home."
When Grimm confronted Costner a few more times about pruning the pine trees, Costner promised, but failed, to trim them, the documents allege.
Then, in April, Costner planted at least nine tall Mexican fan palms, which Grimm expected will grow thicker and fuller, further obstructing his ocean view over time.
"Costner stated he would not 'back down' on maintaining the hedge and palm trees as he prefers and that he will do everything in his power to secure his privacy," the documents state.
The contract was put in place when subdivider Elsie S. Holloway divvied up what became known as the Holloway Tract. Owners of the newly parceled oceanfront properties signed Holloway's declaration stating "no wall, fence or hedge shall exceed six (6) feet in height."
A spokesperson for Costner did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Pamela Chelin contributed to this report)
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