STREET TREE POLICY   

 

 

 

OBJECTIVE:          This Nottingham Forest Homes Association (NFHA/or Association) Street Tree Policy is to provide direction to the Association Board of Directors (Director(s)) and members of NFHA (Residents) on the upkeep, maintenance, replacement and selection of street (city) trees (hereafter, street trees) within the boundaries of Nottingham Forest (NF).

 

POLICY:                 It is NFHA objective to maintain the neighborhood amenities, property values and public safety by performing the following services:

 

Ø       Prune and/or trim street trees;

Ø       Coordinate replacement of street trees with a tree appropriate to the site; and

Ø       To correct street tree conditions posing a threat to public safety.

 

DEFINITIONS:     The following describes street trees and NFHA boundary:

 

Ø       Street Trees:  Also referred to as City Trees.  These trees are between the city street and city sidewalks, or if no sidewalk exist it is the tree within the normal distance from the city street that a sidewalk tree would be placed, usually between two to three feet from the city street.   All other trees are the complete responsibility of the resident.

Ø       NF Boundary:  This policy does not include trees along 119th Street, 127th Street, or Switzer, which are consider boundary or perimeter trees, and will be covered with a separate landscaping policy.  Only trees within the boundaries of NF are included in this policy.

 

APPROVED TREES:            The following trees (Approved Tree) are approved by NFHA for use as street trees, from a previous vote of members of NFHA, and in rank of order of members’ votes:

 

Ø       Northern Red Oak, Quercus Rubra

Ø       Red Maple, Acer Rubrum

Ø       Sugar Maple, Acer Saccharum

 

Replacement trees will be approved trees that are approximately 2 inches trunk diameter.

 

POINT OF CONTACT:       A single point of contact for the maintenance, removal and replacement of trees will be the member of the NFHA Board of Directors with responsibility for trees, or his designated replacement, who will act as liaison between Resident, NFHA and City of Overland Park (City).

 

RESPONSIBILITIES:           The following is the division of responsibilities for Directors, Residents, and City:

 

Ø       NFHA:   Act as liaison between Resident and City for decisions on tree replacement and type of replacement tree from Approved Tree list (above) and maintenance.

 

Ø       City:   Removal of street trees badly damaged, dangerous or ugly.  Rule of thumb is any tree that is missing at least one third of the trunk would be removed and replaced.

 

Ø       Resident:

§         Ultimate responsibility for street trees lies with the homeowner, who must provide the normal watering, fertilization, and other care, to include routine tree trimming to the City standards, and other care and maintenance to keep trees attractive and in good health; and

§         Residents should engage the Association Web Site (www.nottinghamforest.org) and provide name, address, phone number and location of the tree to be removed and tree selection from list of Approved Trees.

PROCESS:                    

 

Ø                   PRUNING AND TRIMMING:

                                                          The Association Point of Contact will contract with an arborist   to prune and trim street trees, or Association trees on a regular basis.   This frequency will be on a three (3) year cycle with a level of service emphasizing aesthetic and structural integrity.

 

Ø                   REMOVAL OF DEAD TREES:

When the Association is made aware of dead or severely damaged trees, The Association Point of Contact will verify the status of dead street trees.   If necessary, NFHA will then contact the City with a formal request for appropriate City action.

 

Ø                   REPLACMENT OF DEAD STREET TREES:

The Association will plant only trees that are appropriate to the site and from the Approved Tree list (listed above under Approved Trees).  The appropriate tree for the site will be determined by an arborist on the basis of shape, color, mature size, disease resistance and sturdiness.  Resident may request a specific tree from the Approved Tree list.

 

Ø                   STORM DAMAGE:

§         In the case of any damage from storms (rain, wind, ice, snow, etc), or in the case of damage from a traffic accident, the City will trim all damaged limbs from those trees which are in the city right-of-way:  between the street and sidewalk or up to eleven (11) feet from the curb if there is not sidewalk, depending on the configuration of the individual property;

§         The City will do an “immediate trim” of trees that pose a safety hazard (in the street, obstructing a sidewalk, etc), and after all the debris has been trimmed and removed, the City Forester will assess damaged trees that did not initially pose a safety hazard to determine if they need total removal;

§         The City will pick up and dispose of limbs and trees after the trimming or removal has been completed.  Debris must be at curbside, no bundling, and no limit of length of limbs;

§         The City will stump grind.

 

 POLICY CHANGES, ADDITIONS, AMENDMENT:   

This Policy can be changed and/or amended or canceled by a majority of votes of the Board of Directors of NFHA with a quorum present.