Wollongong LGA, N.S.W., Australia

azrael

Lets introduce some things from this LGA...we'll start light.

This is a brochure on "Trees & Development". It gives specific guidelines on the requirements for DA applications, construction site activitiy and the ROLE of the Consulting Arborist in the process.

Attached Images

WCC Trees and Development Leaflet.pdf (961.3 KB, 20 views)

azrael

From Councils website ... for development scenarios.
Trees and development

TreeDimensional

Azrael, thanks for posting the guidelines for construction. This is the first time I have seen ANY documentation that puts the trees before the buildings.
My question is, what do you do with tree haters? There are people out there that DO NOT like trees, where do they build? The issue really is how we perceive the governments involvement in what goes on on private land.

Don't get me wrong, I would be upset if I owned property in a well treed neighborhood and some joker can in and clear-cut the yard beside mine. But where do we draw the line between protecting tree and developing new neighborhoods? The document that you posted almost states that if you don't like the trees on your future property, bugger off and buy land in the desert.

The other issue that isn't even mention in your document is future plantings. This site has had several requests for information on what to do with the neighbors tree growing over the fence. The doc falls short on advise to prevent feuds between neighbors.

I would like to believe that the authors of the regulations had a vision. As prime real estate become more valuable, don't you believe that the owner of the property be given the task of deciding what will be allowed to live or die on their property. If the planners have all the say, aren't we all going to begin to look the same?

I would agree that the planners have the task of keeping things under control. For instance I would be pissed if I built a $500,000.00 home and some guy bought the lot beside mine and planted a 30 year old mobile home on his lot. But Protecting almost every tree over 10 feet tall is overkill to the developments of communities.

In another thread you started, we are shown what happens when people are over-regulated. The people who are influential, grease the wheels and corrupt public officials. I think most people, when purchasing property, know what is acceptable in a location and what is not. You can't regulate people from making STUPID choices.

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West Central Saskatchewan ISA Certified Arborist

azrael

The above docs are summary documents only.
TD ... my bad ... that I havent yet posted the FULL WCC Development Control Plan (DCP49). The DCP is a mega document ... (will post a link soon). Supplementary/replacement planting is addressed there.

There may be some confusion here as to what PROTECTED means in this LGA ... and implications to development.
In the Wollongong LGA, ANY tree over 3m in height, other that those species specifically listed as EXEMPT, are protected.
That does not mean they cannot be removed ...it just means that a permit is required to conduct any crown work, or indeed to remove the tree if that is required.
Many "protected " trees can fail VTA ... but they need to be assessed first ...either by the Tree Management Officer...or in a development scenario by an independent Consultant Arborist.

The tree inventory and Arborist Report must accompany every Devl. Application lodged ...from subdivisions to decks and carports ... and as I heard this morning ... even small bird aviaries.

There ARE situations where site trees are identified as having high merit for retention (variety of reasons..amenity, historical, habitat, ecological, prominance, cultural, longeivity prospects etc) ... This is both in an existing residential situations and proposed development ... and such trees MAY be constraining to property improvements and future development potential.

This level of regulation ensures that appropriate trees are retained and that they are provided for ... in terms of both their current and future requirements.
... hence why neighbours trees are considered in development scanarios (The scope of potential conflicts SHOULD be addressed by the Consulting Arborist ... so that either plans are amended, or other appropriate protective measures are taken....if it is required) ... and hopefully counter the potential for future disputes.

IMO it is absolutely necessary to regulate trees in development ... Tree locations are inflexible.... Plans on paper are NOT.

Ekka

Got nothing like that here!

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Couldn't agrre with you more Azrael. Ekka we do have stuff like that here just not to the same extent. Natural assets local law (NALL) and emerging community development vegetation protection act.