EVERETT, Wash. -- Dozens of trees are at the root of a bitter battle brewing between neighbors.

Last June, Chris Chase walked out of his home to see that his property had been reshaped.

"I was shocked," he said. "I was like, 'What?! Who did it and why?'"

Chase found more than 30 of his trees chopped down to the stumps. Frederic and Holly Anderson live just above Chase's property. They now have a fabulous view of Puget Sound.

The Andersons admit they were clearing trees on their own land, but accidentally went over the property line.

Weeks later, an irrigation pipe broke while the Andersons were out of town, triggering a mudslide through Chase's property.

The Andersons' attorney John Dippold says the couple dedicated $100,000 to fix the hillside.

"The Andersons feel horrible about this whole situation, and have been diligently working with the city to make things right," he said in a statement.

But Chase claims that's not the case, and further blames the city for not taking action.

"But it's up to the municipality to enforce a standard of behavior and they have not done it. (City Attorney) Mr. Hall claims he has, but he hasn't. He's sat on his hands," said Chase.

City attorney David Hall insists the city is on the case, even though the issue remains unsolved five months later.

"The city was out there on day one and we have been taking a number of actions ever since. We're moving extremely fast on this," he said. "We received the plan on a Monday and we had it reviewed and approved, probably by Wednesday."

Hall says stabilizing the hill to keep the Andersons' home from sliding is the city's priority, and hopes to have it completed by the end of the year. Long-term restoration will begin by the spring, he said.

The city has fined the Andersons $38,000 for their mistake.