A JAPANESE MAPLE will be fluffy, low spreading and compact enough to offer great privacy on a first floor without adversely impacting your foundation. I live in USDA Zone 7A in an area with only 20 ft between houses and my JAPANESE MAPLE is planted about 8ft from my foundation. After nine years of casual biennial pruning, it is plenty short enough to allow sunlight in the room from the top, but WELL SHEILD the room from street views. The leaves are so small, but so profuse it acts more like a shrub, but with TONS more interest. Raking is a non-issue. They just blow away and mulch the azaleas in the understory. Robins love it for nesting --always a window level nest every spring--and the fall color can't be beat. Your national tree is a maple...so look up how this low spreading JAPANESE version would do in your zone. Good luck!