Brandermill is the natural place to be and as a canopy community, we love our trees! We try not to remove trees unless they are dead, dying or have potential to create a safety concern. Staff enlists the help from licensed and insured Contractors for certain tree removal situations, but for the most part our in-house maintenance team addresses trees in the Brandermill owned common areas.
Dead Trees Within BCA Owned Common Areas
Brandermill Community Association may remove dead trees from common areas if they threaten personal safety or individual property. Otherwise, in keeping with Brandermill environmental policies, the areas will be left in its natural unmaintained state.
The Association does not perform any regular maintenance to the natural common areas unless they are located within the vicinity of an amenity or BCA owned facility. Some dead trees if deemed not hazardous may be left to naturally fall on their own and decompose, other dead trees that cannot fall safely may be cut and left in place to naturally decompose in the wooded common areas and their stumps may be left to help maintain erosion control.
The BCA does its best to protect and maintain the integrity of the community, its natural common areas and Swift Creek Reservoir by following best landscape and tree care practices; and abiding by Chesterfield County regulations and Virginia State laws. If you notice a dead tree that needs our attention, please refer to the work order process.
Fallen Trees and Debris Responsibility
Regardless of where the tree was standing beforehand, entire trees or portions thereof, leaves, fallen limbs, branches or debris that naturally cross the property line now fall under new ownership. The Property Owner is responsible for trees and debris located within the bounds of their land and ownership. The BCA cannot address or remove any portion of tree that has fallen onto personal property and members are not authorized to address any portion of trees that have fallen from their property onto BCA owned land.
The Association and/or the affected property owner may cut the tree or debris at the property line and the remaining portions shall be addressed by the appropriate owner. If you have experienced personal property damage you will need to contact your insurance provider for assistance.
If you would like a tree assessment, please refer to our work order process.
Encroaching Tree Limbs or Debris
If tree branches from BCA owned common areas are encroaching onto your property, hanging over your roof or yard and/or dropping limbs and debris onto your personal property, you are authorized to cut the encroaching material at the property line and remove what is within the bounds of your property only. You do not need approval from the BCA for trimming only of encroaching limbs that have crossed the property bounds.
The Association does not permit debris as a result of trimming encroaching limbs to be disposed back into the BCA owned common areas and asks that you completely remove them from the location. Encroachment of nuisance plants such as poison ivy/oak, english ivy or turf weeds are also the responsibility of the property owner and BCA will not address nuisance plants within the natural common areas that have crossed or are encroaching onto your space. If you would like an assessment, please refer to the work order process.
Fallen Trees or Debris in the Roadways
If a tree or limb has fallen onto or across the roadways, please report this to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles as they own and maintain all public roadways within the community.
To file a ticket with VDOT visit their website where you can enter the information electronically. You can also call 800-367-7623 to report a road problem over the phone. The Virginia Department of Transportation may or may not immediately respond to a fallen tree and often have unexpected and irregular response times.
If a tree is impeding traffic or becoming a safety hazard, please contact the Chesterfield County Fire Department or Chesterfield County Police Department for assistance. The BCA will only address portions of trees that remain on association owned property after VDOT and the County address the trees within their owned spaces.
Neighbor to Neighbor
If a tree falls from your neighbors property, please communicate with your neighbor and your Home Owner’s Insurance if there is any property damage. Brandermill will not interfere with a neighbor-to-neighbor dispute.