MINNEAPOLIS — A city board says a Minneapolis family must tear down its treehouse.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment capped a two-year dispute Thursday, deciding the large tree house in the Lowry Hill neighborhood violates a zoning ordinance for playhouses because it’s too high and too close to a neighbor’s property.

Homeowner Clement Pryke built it for his 13-year-old son, Daniel. The boy gave a final, tearful plea to the board before the vote, saying he spends a lot of time in his treehouse and doesn’t want to lose it.

But board members said they couldn’t make a special exemption for the family.

Zoning board member Dick Sandberg says it’s a nice treehouse, but it turned into an expensive lesson in the civic process for the family.