Pine Tree Roots shape

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reeder1

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Apr 18, 2002
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Irvine, CA
I have a large pine tree next to my home that the homeowner association says its roots are threatening my home's foundation. I don't believe it, but need to know if pine tree roots tend to grow deep rather than spreading. If they do not spread near the soil surface, then they will not encroach on my fundation. Any advice or references would be greatly appreciated to help me save my beautiful pine tree.
 
You say "the homeowner's association" is giving you an opinion on YOUR tree? Is "The Homeowner's Association" a certified arborist? I'd tell them that unless they want to provide a QUALIFIED opinion, they might not want to worry about YOUR tree. :angry:

If, however, you are concerned about your tree, you can find a list of QUALIFIED people to come out and look at it at this site:
http://www.asca-consultants.org/

Or even a certified arborist should be able to give a qualified opinion:
http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/

It would be almost impossible to advise you on your particular tree without actually looking at it. :Eye:
 
Talk about big Brother. Is this your tree and your house? AND do they hate pines too?

Let us know where this one goes.
 
Hey guys,

Welcome to the world of "covenant communities". Our buddy reeder owns these things but pretty much signs away control of these decisions when buying the property. The homeowners association has control over things like the length of your grass or the color of the house, sometimes even holiday decorations. Typically you need permission to do anything. These associations are usually a den of insidious busy bodies with nothing better to do than hassle the neighbors who just want to go about their business. These communities within a community are alleged to have advantages and benefits but I can't imagine what they are beyond maybe a pool, tennis courts and a rent-a-cop. I BET there are no happy chainsaw junkies in this neighborhood.

My advice for reeder would be to have them consult a professional (at their expense) and carefully weigh the pros and cons of making a stand against this band of miscreants. You may end up saving your tree but end up alienating the association board as a result making life all that much more interesting. Good Luck!!!!
 
Mike,
We have them here as well. They even review the shape and color of the bird houses you want to put in your yard.

But to say the pine IS damaging your foundation is a new twist for me.
 
Hey Jay,

I agree, that is definitely pushing the limits of sanity. Are these associations popular in Va? I'm at a loss to see what the attraction is. You get to pay a mortgage, taxes and an association fee! Do the associations in Va maintain the grounds or something like that? The whole concept is not popular in Mass where we don't like to be told anything except where to pay our taxes and how much did they go up this year. We had two attempts at association communities in my area that couldn't sell all of the lots and ended becoming regular subdivisions. A strange and bizarre world we live in.
 
Get this, there reguired by law when you have a subdivision with open space because the open space is still taxed so it has to have an owner.

Every new planned community here has them. And the developer tries to save trees in these spaces and they usually die so the HOA has to deal with them in a few years.
 
The only time a trees roots can effect a foundation is if the structure was poorly designed and built. Then the rees ar contributers to the problem.

The majority of these problems is backfilling with a dynamic clay where the contraction and expantion from drying and rehydration causes the foundation to move.

I recently read a report by a builders association that stated 80% of backfill should be gravel.
 
Assns/Town BS

This sounds like what I went through when I bought this house. Given I got stuck with an ugly spruce at the previous house two blocks away, I asked what kind of tree I was due to get, and got my answer, a pine (no offense to the original drafter of this thread). I hate pine trees except in the wild, they kill your lawn and deposit sap on your windows, cars etc. Well a huge discussion ensued with the builder who told me I had to take a pine because that is what the town had approved in the landscaping plan. I told them that when the town wanted to start paying part or all of my mortgage, I might entertain their request to have a pine on my property. Besides if they planted it, i threatened to hook a chain onto the ???? thing town it with my 4x4 to the nearest vacant lot (which is exactly what we did with my neighbour's pine two weeks after it was planted, and substituted with a sugar maple-they never asked first). So I ended up with a crab apple, after I had a sane conversation with the landscaper.

By all means get a professional opinion and tell your home owners assn to see you in court if the recommendation is to leave it be.
 
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