" I learned maples should be planted 20-30 feet from foundations and concrete driveways. "

That may be optimal siting but it is by no means a requirement! Any large tree can produce surface roots in time but maple roots tend not to be overly aggressive in this regard. And FWIW, with a structurally sound foundation, tree roots of any type are unlikely to be an issue. They just cannot penetrate solid concrete.

The tree is fine as is....your concerns are overstated.

We have a huge maple certainly not 30' from our house and it has been there for 60 yrs no damage to the foundation and a vry healthy tree I love the shade it gives but I really hate the maple keys that produce little maples everywhere but no intention of getting rid of the tree.

Tree removal is expensive. Unless you think it going to damage your house or your neighbors house, I would leave it.

I don't know about maples but we have had trees to close to a block wall lift the concrete foundation and wall in two separate houses with their roots.

I would be more concerned with the one next to the garage….

This maple appears to be 12" from the concrete. The trunk will grow and move the concrete, it isn't going to stay 9" caliper forever. Distance from the house is fine but the tree will move the driveway. In a previous house I built a timber retaining wall next to a sidewalk, on the other side of the sidewalk was a gum. In the five years I lived there the gum pushed the sidewalk laterally several inches causing the wall to push inward even with the weight of soil and established plants behind it.

Surface roots of trees lift sidewalks and driveways everywhere. Yes, it's been planted too close to the drive to leave it unscathed in the future but it is certainly not a valid reason to chop down a perfectly healthy tree now!!

If this was so necessary, there'd be thousands of less trees in my land of the giant conifers than there is now. You adapt and live with it. We need more trees and less driveways!!

If that is a maple next door, take s goid look at its roots. Surface roots are often tte result of soils that roots don't penetrate well - rocky of clay, for instance The roots seek water and oxygen. It may or may not be a problem for years. Have the tree trimmed on occasion. Look around your neighborhood

The tree has long cracks running down the trunk already already. The cracks were there before we added garage and extended driveway. Does that say anytjing about the health of the tree?

Not necessarily. If you have questions about the tree's health, have it evaluated by a certified arborist.

I would never cut down a beautiful, healthy tree in anticipation that SOMETHING might take place off in the future. If the tree suffers and becomes unhealthy, remove it then - that may never happen. In many years, the trunk might approach the edge of the driveway. It looks as if that portion of the driveway is not where you actually have to drive, I'd prefer to provide a cut out in the driveway for the tree. Like gardengal says, more trees, fewer driveways. In the future (or any time if you're concerned about the future health of the tree, you could remove the edge of the driveway and add a permeable border.

Not all edges need to be straight:

"And FWIW, with a structurally sound foundation, tree roots of any type are unlikely to be an issue. They just cannot penetrate solid concrete."

This is just not true. They certainly can. Don't know that it will happen in this instance, but it is possible.

Call three tree companies and ask their opinons and get estimates. They will either want to make money off the remove, off a growth inhibitor, or you might get one that says it is ok for now.

" This is just not true. They certainly can. Don't know that it will happen in this instance, but it is possible. "

They cannot and do not!! Tree roots may be able to lift and crack a concrete slab but they cannot penetrate a solid concrete wall. The ONLY way that could happen is if the concrete was already cracked or had some other kind of structural weakness. When tree roots encounter a solid concrete or rock surface, they simply change direction. They DO NOT GO THROUGH IT! Damage to an intact foundation attributed to tree roots is 9.5 times out of 10 due to soil subsidence.

20 years ago my town the developer of a nearby neighborhood planted maple trees in the “tree lawn” between the sidewalk in the street/curb. The trees have grown tall. And the sidewalks in the neighborhood are a mess. They have heaved at nearly every seam. Homeowners have, at considerable expense, either ground down or lifted slabs of cement to level them. I would watch the tree and your driveway carefully….

Based on comments, here I’ve ayttached

few more photos.

I'd cut it down and plant another tree, maybe something smaller like a dogwood, further out in the lawn.

A few more pics to show we attempted to accommodate the maple by curving the new driveway extension leading up to the third garage bay. It’s also easy to see the tree nicely shaded that side of the home before we added the third bay. The driveway in front of the third bay serves as busy guest parking, which will further compact the soil and stress the tree. Overnight parking is prohibited on our street during the winter months for snow plowing purposes.

We’ve decided to remove the tree before it gets bigger and costs more to take down. It’s sad to see happen, especially because we are at fault for honing in on its space. No plans to replace the maple, as the neighbor’s trees already shade that side of the home. However, we will be planting a river birch in the front yard this summer.

Thank you for all your input. Very helpful.

Before I read your post above, I was going to comment that it’s cheaper to take down a smaller tree than a mature tree. Also, wait for winter when the tree companies are not so busy. You’ll get a better deal.

I would be more worried about the girth of a mature maple's trunk that close to the drive, because if the roots don't push the concrete (it has already cracked through at the contraction joints leaving it susceptible), say, growing towards wet soil because your downspout is dumping right there, then the base of the trunk (root collar) will certainly encroach past the slab edge. Also then the mature canopy size hanging over the house.

The tree is young. Better to remove it now. It's in the wrong place. Plant a new one with better placement based on fully mature growth. Heck, plant 3, as long as placement is considering mature growth sizes. I have met many absolutists that put plantings in the wrong spots and don't understand sizes, or sun, pruning, or anything, but say "it's a tree, must remain." Conveniently forgot that probably 10 trees were removed to just build their house.