HOA dumped tree stumps to rot

Started by JohnE15 • 5 replies • 1147 views

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JohnE15 (Maryland)
Posts: 1

Posted:

Hello guys. I'm in a bit of a dilemma with my HOA. A summary is as follows:

HOA board just had a 90ft tall, 4 ft wide tree cut down behind my home (outside of my fence area) but within 30 ft of the home.
The contractors were told to leave the entire tree trunks where they were felled.
This has been done before in the past and you can still see some trees rotting away from years past, before I moved here.
These dead trees unfortunately attract termites, which I have already seen around my home.
The HOA doesn't plan on removing the trees because they felt it was expensive at roughly $1000.
Meanwhile, the HOA is currently gearing up to spend up to $10,000 on planting flowers in the entry way to the community in order to beautify it.
We do not have a functional sprinkler system to water flowers, and the HOA is considering paying for $200 for water trucks to stop by and water the flowers periodically.
No votes were taken on either the flowers or the tree stump removals. In fact, I wasn't aware they were leaving the tree there until they did. It also wasn't discussed in the HOA meetings.
Requests to the HOA to get the tree removed have been ignored so far.
My home is the last one in the back of the community tucked away, so they don't care how it looks. The front area however, they want to spend ridiculous amount of money on.

What are my options in this situation? This is in Montgomery County, Maryland btw.

Thank you!!

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

John,

Realistically, your options are limited.

1) Pay to remove the wood yourself
2) Request a meeting with the Board to discuss the issue in person
3) Gather support and get yourself elected to the Board to be part of the decision process that deals with this issue.
4) Cut it up and use/sell it as firewood

None of those options are great.
Options 1 & 4 are probably quicker
Option 2 may or may not produce results
Option 3 is the best option in the long run.

I will say that my Association, Fairfax County VA, will often have the company leave larger branches and trunk sections (cut into lengths of 2 feet or less) as firewood as a service to our residents. However, I can understand your concerns as well.

I will add that since we have started working on our storm water management methods, we have started having more and more wood taken out. If the wood is blocking (or partially blocking) the flow of rain water, you may have an additional argument.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

Here is another option I found when looking up the issue on the internet:

With Association approval, ask the local boy scout council or church group or any other group that has a camp if they want to come and take it away as firewood.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

Removal of the tree stumps and debris cost money. Your HOA may not have enough money to cover the removal. Plus it's considered "Natural debris". Which will eventually return to the earth of which it came. So why put the debris into a dump when it will just decay and eventually make that land replenished?

As for the termites being attracted? That's a good thing. Why? As the pest control specialist explained to me... It's keeping the termites from your home. Why would the termites go to your house if it has a great food supply outside of it? We had people who wanted to replace their railroad tie walls with concrete because of termites. Well if we did that then the termites would be driven straight to their homes!

So let the termites do their job and keep them away. Eventually the wood will rot and leave a good soil. Plus you should be treating your home for termites. I don't believe it's a HOA thing to do that.

Former HOA President

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

Melissa,

The OP and I live in the same area.

Grinding of tree stumps in our area is about $150 to $200 per stump
The savings I've achieved by leaving the wood vs. having it hauled away is about $200 to $250 per tree.

Per the OP, the Association is spending $10,000 in planting annuals at the entrance and more money to have water trucked in until they are established at $200 per watering. Having the money doesn't seem to be the issue. Where the Board chooses to spend the money is more of the issue.

Tim

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