Common Area Trees & Safety

1 The Dangers They Pose

Dead and decaying trees inside common woodland buffers are serious structural hazards. High winds, winter storms, or advanced core decay can cause limbs or entire trees to collapse without warning, resulting in:

• Physical Safety Risks: Threat of injury to residents, children, or pets utilizing our shared paths, trails, and playgrounds.
• Homeowner Property Damage: Threat to border property boundaries, including structural damage to fences, decks, yards, or roofs.
• Utility Outages: Danger to overhead telephone and electrical lines running near wooded paths.
• Increased Fire Hazards: Dry, dead timber increases combustible wood fuel loading inside shared community space.

2 SCCA Domain & Property Boundaries

SCCA is strictly responsible for trees growing within official SCCA common properties.

If a dead tree is located entirely within a resident's private lot, it is the homeowner's responsibility to manage and finance its removal. SCCA assessment funds cannot be legally allocated to private property maintenance. If you are uncertain of property lines, please consult the neighborhood Plat Maps on our Documents page or coordinate with the Board.

3 Evaluation & Action

The SCCA Board coordinates with tree removal contractors to evaluate tree health. Removals are scheduled and prioritized based on proximity to houses or pedestrian paths, and managed within standard annual budgets.