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I live in a very well kept subdivision. It does have an HOA, but there are not many tough rules at all. People keep up their property because they want to and this is why we picked this neighborhood. I am lucky enough to have a very large wooded buffer behind my back yard. There is a nice creek in the middle of the wooded buffer. Nothing can be built there, so I would like to clear some of the underbrush out to have better access to the creek and maybe even have a view of it. Do you think there would be any major issue with someone clearing out the underbrush past their property line, all the way to the creek? It would be between 25 to 40 feet from the back of my property line to the creek, depending on where you stand. The only rules I really see in the covenants are that you cannot cut down trees larger than 4 inches in diameter without permission, as that would alter the wooded look of the neighborhood. It doesn't really state anything regarding my situation. On top of that, the clearing I would do would probably not be noticeable to most people and certainly not from the street.
I'd suggest you find out whose property it is and ask them. If it is declared "common area", ask the HOA before you do anything. After all, it isn't your property.
I'd suggest you find out whose property it is and ask them. If it is declared "common area", ask the HOA before you do anything. After all, it isn't your property.
Vicki
It would be considered common area, as it is the buffer between houses on 2 different roads in the same neighborhood. It is unusable property and I would not be altering the main look of it. I would be clearing out some vines, poison ivy and lots of bamboo looking growth. I would not be touching any of the trees or natural shrubs. There are lots of holly shrubs in there. I would prefer to keep it low key and not announce it to the world.
My neighbor cut a walking path to the creek, which is what got me excited about doing this. He isn't doing more than a walking path, but I would like to have a big view of the creek. He has a drainage pipe for the neighborhood that runs out the back of his property and eventually feeds into the creek. Now after what Mr. J posted, I am wondering if there are any drainage rules that I would need to be aware of before I chop away.
do it at night and claim it was vandals. anyone who complains can be invited to replant as much poison ivy there as they want, provided, of course, they have cleared it with the HOA, the town, all the residents, etc. ;-)
Wake, Orange, Johnston, or Durham counties have vegetated buffer rules protecting existing 50' buffers along rivers, creeks, and streams. The rules help prevent nutrient and sediment runoff from feeding into the Neuse River.
Wake, Orange, Johnston, or Durham counties have vegetated buffer rules protecting existing 50' buffers along rivers, creeks, and streams. The rules help prevent nutrient and sediment runoff from feeding into the Neuse River.
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