What does it mean to fell a tree?
Felling is the process of cutting down individual trees, an element of the task of logging. The person cutting the trees is a feller.
Well, I don't want to be a feller!
The problem with my backyard is I planted three ash trees 30 years ago on the back of my property line which is where my garage was built in 1910. If you look at my rear property from left to right it's garage, tree, tree, tree.
So this brings up the issue of tree drip line and root zone protection. This I hadn't thought about!
Critical Root Zone Protection
A critical step in retaining healthy trees is the protection of tree roots from disturbance. Each tree has a critical root zone (CRZ) that varies by species and site conditions.
A common guideline recommends a tree protection zone with a radius of one foot for every one inch of trunk diameter– a 12 to 1 ratio measured at a point 4 1/2' above grade.
My ash trees are big, and as measured from 4 1/2' up from the base their trunks are 32" in diameter resulting in a root zone of 32'.
So to protect the trees I need to place the ADU 32' away from any of these trees trunks. Well, that means I'd have to put the ADU really, really close to my house, which I can since the distance allowed in San Jose is 6'. The question is do I want to do that; can I place the ADU such that it looks good?
The simple answer to that is no!
But the trees don't seem to be affected by the garage so I wonder if there's a City Ordinance that requires an ADU to be built x number of feet from an existing tree?
I emailed ADU Ally at the City who referred me to ZoningQuestions. The City's website shows zoning ordinances fall under the Planning Division, so at least I have an email from a department that falls under one of the four departments that are needed to sign off on permits. Again the four departments are Building, Planning, Fire Prevention, and Public Works
Here's the email in response to my tree drip line question:
ZoningQuestions<ZoningQuestions@sanjoseca.gov>Wed, Apr 1, 2020 at 2:51 PM
To: "ADU.Ally" <adu.ally@sanjoseca.gov>, Dave Del Grande <ddelgrande@gmail.com>
Hello Dave,
We do not have any requirements regarding tree driplines for ADU's.
Thank you,
Danniella
I find it interesting that a city employee would respond with no last name, no title, and does not identify the department they work in, just a first name. Can one say, "CYA!"
Anyway, it looks like I'll just prune my trees back, which needs to been done whether I build an ADU or not. So on we go . . . ;)
Comments