We do not live in a mandatory HOA community (voluntary and only $60/yr to cover entrance landscaping and Christmas lights) so we can do what we want but for those who do that get policed on a regular basis and get those annoying letters what are the guidelines for trees? Must you have a specific number? If it's a new planting is there a caliper inch requirement?

Since it depends on the specific HOA, you'd have to check your HOA covenant.

Google then Email me
Perhaps I can dig up some of this mess from past projects to amuse you
HOA = How Oligarchy Assaults their neighbors as demigods

Whitetail said:

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Since it depends on the specific HOA, you'd have to check your HOA covenant.

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Perhaps brush up on reading comprehension.

Texker said:

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Whitetail said:

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Since it depends on the specific HOA, you'd have to check your HOA covenant.

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Perhaps brush up on reading comprehension.

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I read it twice and if they are enforcing a rule, they should have given you the rule book.

It's going to depend on the HOA, size of the lots, prestige of the neighborhood. And of course where. That's why people are saying start with the HOA you are in (even if they don't enforce it). Other similar neighborhoods close would be the next best thing.

Texker said:

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We do not live in a mandatory HOA community (voluntary and only $60/yr to cover entrance landscaping and Christmas lights) so we can do what we want but for those who do that get policed on a regular basis and get those annoying letters what are the guidelines for trees? Must you have a specific number? If it's a new planting is there a caliper inch requirement?

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It's just a question out of curiosity. Lord.

Im not comprehending what he said to deserve that.

I think he's asking, for those in an HOA, what do your covenants require, (ex. quantity, caliper inch).
My previous home's HOA required a min of 1, max of 3 for the front yard out of a list of 6 species.

TexAggee05 said:

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I think he's asking, for those in an HOA, what do your covenants require, (ex. quantity, caliper inch).
My previous home's HOA required a min of 1, max of 3 for the front yard out of a list of 6 species.

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Yes, but did a poor job getting it across, imo. Sounded like he was saying we don't have a mandatory hoa but for those that sign up it's enforced.

If you can do what you want, then do what you want.

I would NEVER live in a subdivision that told me what type, what size and how many trees I could plant.

Martin Cash said:

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I would NEVER live in a subdivision that told me what type, what size and how many trees I could plant.

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Cool. A lot of us wouldn't want to live next to trashed double wides with car parts strewn across the yard.

But that conversation isn't what this thread is about.

City of Fort Worth has a mandatory tree policy. Not sure if it's 1 or 2.

All it takes is one idiot letting their lawn go to hell, painting the house pink, and parking cars in the yard to ruin it for everyone.

Texker said:

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Whitetail said:

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Since it depends on the specific HOA, you'd have to check your HOA covenant.

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Perhaps brush up on reading comprehension.

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Perhaps you should brush up on your grammar, then perhaps it'd be easier to understand. No reason to be an ass to people on here. Your OP wasn't the most clearly written inquiry.

As for my neighborhood, I don't believe we have a set standard for types or sizes of trees. It appears the developer(s) do install at least 2 trees in the front yard that are at least 6" caliper trees, though.

Our HOA requires two trees in each front yard. No size requirement, as the rules were written when the neighborhood was being developed/built, and it was flat ground for the build process (all new plantings by the builder writing the covenants).

Enforcement has been spotty. Seems some people can get by with a small crepe myrtle on the corner of the house, as it's technically a tree. Most have 2 oaks in the front yard, a few have pines.

Current issue cropping up in our HOA is that the letter of the HOA states that if a mandatory tree in your front yard dies it has to be replaced with like size.

This was "reasonable" when all the trees could be picked up in buckets from a nursery and they didn't want you planting an acorn and calling it done. Now the trees are big and itd be 30-50k to replace a tree that big.

It hasn't led to much of a stink yet, as the board has been willing to let people just replace with a nice sized nursery tree, but its causing a big mess on other issues about how much leeway the board has over replacing something expensive and just reinterpreting the rules.

one MEEN Ag said:

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All it takes is one idiot letting their lawn go to hell, painting the house pink, and parking cars in the yard to ruin it for everyone.

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I'd still take that over a Stepford Wives neighborhood.

I'm a fan of cedar elms, pecan, and live oak if you can get one of those planted far enough away from the house. Vitex has always turned into a pain in the ass looking more like a huge shrub when it gets big and the river birches on the lot line always drop sticks and small branches even though they're perfectly healthy.

Trees I've planted have normally been around 4" diameter. I guess a lot depends on where in the world you actually live because here (Charleston) everything grows like crazy but when I was in San Antonio it was a lot slower and I put in much bigger trees over there.

My last HOA started getting lenient with folks who had two live oaks in their yard and asked to remove without a replant. Definitely contradicts the written rules. Trees are mature at this point (25+ years old) and keeping grass alive and sidewalks (and probably foundations) level was slowly becoming an impossibility. Note that they still have their street trees, which the HOA manages...which are also live oaks and destroying sidewalks. 4 live oaks on one suburban lot was sort of ridiculous.

Those who did replant just got standard 15 or whatever gallon saplings. Note that this HOA is pretty anal about things in general.

Texker
I understood what you wrote and that's not my forte .... sorry you got a bit roasted at times

one MEEN Ag said:

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All it takes is one idiot letting their lawn go to hell, painting the house pink, and parking cars in the yard to ruin it for everyone.

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Most cities have ordinance about keeping your lawn mowed, not parking on grass, trash in yards, etc.


Paint color is a gamble but rarely a problem.

Texker said:

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Whitetail said:

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Since it depends on the specific HOA, you'd have to check your HOA covenant.

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Perhaps brush up on reading comprehension.

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you act as if every HOA across america has the same set of rules.

This is entirely dependent on the covenants in YOUR HOA, not anyone else's. There is not one set of rules for trees for all HOAs, and then further, many cities/towns have their own requirements for trees in the tree lawn.

Hope this helps.

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what are the guidelines for trees? Must you have a specific number? If it's a new planting is there a caliper inch requirement?

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I deal w/a ton of different HOA's all over Austin & surrounding areas.

Normally you are required to plant native or adapted trees, such as found in the City of Austin's "Grow Green" publication.
There has been a moratorium on planting Live or Red Oaks in some areas (Lakeway for example) due to the spread of Oak wilt.

The number/size of trees varies greatly, but is typically tied to lot size, two trees at 2" caliper being a usual minimum if the lot has no native trees in the front yard. HOA's will often require an extra tree on a corner lot.

For other subdivisions (like Spanish Oaks in Bee Cave) the number of trees is based upon the square footage of "building envelope" area. (Building envelope area = house footprint+driveway+pool etc.) I don't recall the exact numbers off the top of my head, but something like 1- 6" caliper tree is required for every 2K SF of building envelope area & you must round up. You must also have ornamental trees (redbud, yaupon, etc) planted in numbers according to the SF of building envelope area.

Needless to say, Spanish Oaks can require you to have 75-100K of just trees in some instances.
New homebuilders that don't do their homework & throw a 40-50K number for a landscape allowance are often in for a rude awakening. Sucks to be in those conversations.... they want to shoot the messenger.