In December the Masters association will have the sable palms and hardwood trees trimmed as part of its regular maintenance program. And as a final cleanup from hurricane Ian, the dead branches from the Canopy trees will be cleared.
At the Board meeting of November 15, there was a lot of discussions concerning clean up of dead branches and trimming of trees throughout the Masters Community and whether hurricane downed Canopy trees needed to be replaced.
Tree Trimming and Removal of Dead Branches From Trees on Your Property
If an owner has dead branches on the trees on their property (other than the Canopy trees), it is the homeowner’s responsibility to hire a contractor to clear these branches.
If you wish to take advantage of Greenscapes (with its subcontractor, Johnson Tree Services), working in the community to have your trees cleared of dead branches or additional tree maintenance, please contact Jami at Greenscapes ASAP. This work is NOT covered by the Masters Association.
I have been asked to list tree services that have worked within the Masters community. I am not endorsing these businesses. These are the contractors that I have received good reviews on the work they have completed.
- Greenscapes of Southwest FL Office: 239-643-4471 Jamie McGarvey, Landscape Manager
- Johnson Tree Service: 239-947-4720
- TLS Lawn & Tree Service: 239-851-1353
Regarding tree trimming, all work is to be performed in accordance with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI A-300and Z133.1 standards) and associated Best Management Practices for Tree Pruning. Please note that trees may not be trimmed merely to improve views.
Replacement of Hurricane Downed Canopy Trees
The Association considered whether hurricane downed Canopy trees should be replaced as some members thought it might no longer be desired.
Various rules and regulations regarding trees must be considered:
General Trees
- The Lee County Land Development Code requires one General Tree per 3000 square feet of development area.
- 75% of the General Trees must be native trees, and no more than 25% can be palms.
Trees along the road
- The Lee County Land Development code requires five trees per 100 linear feet along the street.
- 75% of such trees must be native trees. 50% can be palm, however they need to be clustered, NOT lined up with equal distance between them.
- Three palms equal one canopy tree.
Pelican Sound – Declaration
- Paragraph 5.2 states that “Trees within a neighborhood Association that are on an easement will be maintained by the Neighborhood Association including trimming, fertilization, and replacement … If said trees are damaged as a direct result of a storm, the Neighborhood Association shall be responsible for replanting or replacing.
To ensure compliance, hurricane downed Canopy trees will be replaced.
ARC Application for Planting, Removal, or Replacement of a Tree
For your information, I have included the ARC application process:
- Submit Exhibit C – ARC Tree/Palm Removal and Replacement Application.
- When removal is approved, a replacement tree/palm may be required. If so, it will be noted in the approved application. In the event a replacement tree is required, complete the tree replacement fields.
- As we are single family lots, a Village of Estero “Vegetation Removal Permit,” is not required. However, every lot is required to maintain two native trees in compliance with Lee County Land Development Code. Canopy trees on a resident’s property count as native trees.
In the event of a storm or natural disaster, a tree or palm is downed or sustains significant damage that creates a hazard to buildings or safety to people, an approved ARC tree Removal and Replacement Application is waived.
If you have any questions/comments or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
Celeste Eaton, Masters ARC Chair
217-617-2331 celeste.eaton@gmail.com