Cleaning out common areas

quote: First thing that happened after we moved in was that the owners of those areas weeded out all the natural brush and made it look nice and clean ... gah. So I paid a hefty lot premium for the view of a natural area and it disappeared, and across the street we will have a commercial area. quote

I agree Gammonbabe - why do people move here to the 'natural place to live' Broadlands and then have to clean out all the natural bushes, etc. that are homes to wildlife and replace with ugly mulch. It's not their property - there should be a law against it.

jaeris

 

Isn't against HOA policies to mess with common areas like that? I back to wooded wetlands that are protected by the Evironmental laws. If I EVER see anyone mucking around with them they will have Homer to pay!

 

That's what I thought, that it was against the law. But when I called the HOA about it I was told that that area was not considered wetlands (different story than the saleslady told us), and that there was nothing they would do about it. I still think if it is a wooded area it is wetlands and nobody should clean out the brush. Next thing we know they chop down the trees (a few were already cut down), and than all we have look at is the fence and the hospital.

M.

 

Hmmm? What about it just being a common area? You just can't go doing what you like in those areas. Well if they can do it, you can too. There are plenty of saplings growing around. I dig up at least ten sprouts a year. Get one and replant!

 

It is NOT permissable or allowed for residents to go into ANY common area and clear out anything without expressed approval from the HOA.
There have been a few times when residents around a common area have asked permission to clear up debris, remove dead limbs, brush, etc. and that has been approved. It is generally done under the direction of our Open Space committee members.

 

Is it possible the land is actually their property?

 

Actually I am assuming that it is, but I don't think they would be allowed to remove the trees and the shrubs. Again, my main complaint is the fact that we purchased our lot specifically because of that wooded area and paid a lot of extra money for it because we were told that it is a wetlands area and would stay the way it is. After the fact it turns out it is NOT a wetlands area and the natural beauty of it disappears within a few months of moving in.

M.

 

That really stinks. Broadlands is billed as a Nature community. sigh.

 

everybody likes the nature, until it's their kid that gets poison ivy. We back onto wetands (stream and trees) and we own 10-15 feet into uncleared land. Our neighbor cleared everything except the mature trees and tried to grass it over (verdict still out on the grass growing). We landscaped with woodland plants down to the wetlands and the only clearing we do is the <thought for censors> poison ivy and sticker vines that try to take over. After 5 years, I've started carefully thinning (for sapling health). Other neighbors have cleared and mulched to make room for the playsets. others clear right into the common ground, figuring no one is going to care.

 

As long as an owner's property is not subject to an easement, I have absolutely no problem with someone clearing their own land</u>. It is their own property, after all. If it doesn't violate HOA or county guidelines, they can do whatever they want. Neighbors might not like it, but that's the nature of property ownership.

Clearing brush, trees, etc. from a common area is a completely different situation, however. No one should be clearing anything from a common area - any decision to do so should be left to the HOA.

 

I agree. I get nervous anytime I see someone out there with a chainsaw. Last winter two live trees were cut down for no reason that I could see.

 

There is a covenant about tree removal. To summarize, trees should not be removed unless they are dead, or there is danger to people or property, or if detremental conditions exist. These detremental conditions include: physical intrustion by tree roots and branches into houses that causes damage, excessive shade, or if they block views or sight lines.

The diameter and species of the tree is also considered. Replacing the tree may be required. However, in order to get approval the following items are required: 1) a copy of the site plan showing the house, drive, property lines and the tree location is required. 2) Photos of the house and property with the trees identified. 3) A description of the tree and reason for removal 4) The tree should be marked with a ribbon or spray for identification (so that visual inspection of the property can be done) 5) information on replacement plantings, if applicable.

It does take alot to remove a tree, we don't normally approve many of these.



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

No this was a common area and it was done so they could mow without having go around them.

 

First I've heard of it ... where was this done, I'll look into it.



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

No need. The trees are already gone and have been for over six months. It didn't really hurt the view just made me nervous.

 

OK .. I can understand. I heard chain saws yesterday along the trail, and needed to check that out myself. Turns out a dead tree decided to tip over last week.



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

A neighbor (I barely knew) across the common area from me had supposedly ordered mulch and was set to have it delivered Saturday to mulch the common area between our homes. He came by Friday and was asking for my help and my money (but not my permission!). I advised him that the HOA would have a problem with it and he laughed; I then told him that I would have an even bigger problem with it and strongly recommended that he shouldn't screw with the common area. He didn't. I'm happy to say that the common area has recovered nicely from when it was "disturbed" during the orginal construction (1999).

 

Thank you ... the HOA would have made him remove any mulch and return the site to its original condition.



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

Hey Neilz - we back to trees but not wetlands. A portion of our property that abuts the tree section is scrub/weeds/wild growth. Can we sod over this? Or is this a ? for Wes?