(C) by www.martin-liebermann.de
Periodically a section of our Covenants, By-Laws or Environmental Control Committee (ECC) Guidelines will be highlighted to inform our residents, both new and old, of our governing documents. These documents may be found on our website at http://www.bchoa.org/information/documents-forms/ In addition, copies can be obtained at the BCHOA office.
The section being highlighted this month comes from Article VIII, Section 1 (i) of the Restrictive Covenants for Beau Chene: “except for those trees that must of necessity be removed in order to clear any lot or portion of a lot for purposes of the construction of improvements thereon, no sound hardwood trees measuring in excess of six (6) inches in diameter two (2) feet above the ground shall be removed from any lot without written approval of the Association acting through its Board of Directors or duly appointed committee. The Board of Directors of the Association may from time to time adopt and promulgate such additional rules and regulations regarding the preservation of trees and other natural resources and wildlife upon The Property as it may consider appropriate.”
This section of the Restrictive Covenants coupled with Section R of the ECC Guidelines are referred to as the BCHOA tree policy.
The only trees that are covered in the policy are sound hardwoods. What is a hardwood tree? Hardwood trees usually have broad, flat leaves as opposed to coniferous, needled, or scaled tree foliage. Another name for a hardwood tree is, appropriately, broadleaf. (https://www.thoughtco.com/common-north-american-hardwood-trees-1343221) A few examples of hardwood trees common to this area include oaks, birches, and willows. In contrast, a few examples of softwood trees common to this area include pines, cypress and junipers.
The Environmental Control Committee (ECC) is the duly appointed committee from whom Homeowners must receive written approval for removal of a sound hardwood (over 6 inches in diameter measured 2 feet above the ground) on developed lots. Committee approval is required prior to the removal of sound hardwood trees. The ECC Guidelines, Section R (Replanting Hardwood Trees) requires when such a hardwood is removed it must be replaced by a hardwood tree at least 2 inches in caliper width and at least 6 feet tall within a year somewhere on the lot.
Submitted by Cristina Donovan