Two recent communications to me from SROA staff have agreed with my positions on use of trellises around plants and wrapped protection of tree trunks.

Trellises: In an email to staff, I argued that “trellises” around plants are permitted “Yard Structures and Ornamentation” as the following videos prove unequivocally that they are not “barriers”:

Yard Structures & Ornamentation Ref: IMG_3074

Yard Structures & Ornamentation Ref: IMG_3071

Yard Structures & Ornamentation Ref: IMG_3072

Yard Structures & Ornamentation Ref:IMG_3073

Staff responded: “[I]f you choose to elect to qualify these items as yard structures & ornamentation, they become subject to Section 4.02(F) of the Sunriver Rules and Regulations, as opposed to Sections 3.18c&d of the DCM.” Accordingly, they would not be considered “non-compliant” with respect to the “Tree Protection” rules.

Wrapped trunk protections: I received the following staff response regarding my use of EVERSPROUT Tree Trunk Protectors around the base of Aspen tree trunks.

“In regard to the second item, protective trunk wrapping, staff sees validity to tree wraps as you have described.  However, because they were not considered by the Committee when developing the tree protection rules and there is nothing clear in the Design Manual regarding such, staff will propose adding the use of wraps to the Design Committee for their consideration.  In the meantime, there will not be any enforcement of such until a decision is made.  It will likely take some months for such consideration/recommendation by the Committee.”