Trees are an invaluable part of the environment and human well-being. They ensure we have clean water to drink, pure air to breathe, beautiful spaces to live in, and sufficient shade to cool our homes during summer.
To continue reaping these benefits, different communities have come up with different policies to protect trees and promote a healthy green space. The Bedford community hasn’t been left behind either; there are rules set by the city that the residents must get familiar with to keep their trees safe. These rules, aka Bedford tree policy, regulate various facets of tree protection, maintenance, and removal, to maximize tree benefits.
Where Does Bedford Tree Policy Apply?
The tree policy city of Bedford terms and provisions apply to all vacant and undeveloped properties, all unimproved properties, and all easements and rights-of-way except those that are in a land approved by the planning and zoning commission.
A tree situated in any of these properties should not be removed, cut down, or destroyed, either directly or indirectly without first acquiring a tree removal permit, except for those that have been termed as exceptional.
Tree Removal Application
Before contracting a tree removal Bedford service, the city requires you to obtain a permit. Make an application to the Building Department, providing information on the exact location of the tree that needs to be removed, its name, as well as its trunk height and diameter. The application must also state the reasons for removal.
Once your application has been received, a Building Official will review it, weighing the impact of the removal on the topography, drainage, and natural resources before granting or denying the application. Sometimes the review process will also include site inspection.
A tree removal permit shall only be issued if the tree is situated where buildings, structures, utilities, and other developments are to be placed or if the tree is injured, in danger of falling, dead, interferes with utility service, or is dangerously close to a proposed structure. If the tree is infected with some of these diseases affecting trees in Texas and is deemed a potential danger, a removal permit will also be granted. Once the permit has been issued, the developer can go ahead and hire a certified tree service Texas company to get rid of the tree.
In the event that the tree is removed outside the buildable area, the tree policy city of Bedford laws state that a replacement must be made somewhere within the site. The replacement trees should be a number equal to the diameter of the removed tree.
Tree Protection
When constructing a building or carrying out any form of land development, the developer is required to mark all trees that need to be maintained. They will not allow the storage or movement of equipment or placement of debris within the drip line of the protected trees.
Moreover, during the construction, the developer shall not allow material or equipment to be cleaned under the canopy drip line of the protected tree, neither will they allow waste material like paint, oil, concrete, asphalt, solvent, etc. to be disposed under the canopy of the protected tree.
The Local Tree Experts Overview
The Bedford tree policy lays out guidelines that residents should follow to maintain and conserve community trees and prevent their loss. Whether you are looking for ornamental, flowering, or shade trees for Texas to plant in your property, you must first get acquainted with these rules and their implementation. This will help you understand how to protect your trees whenever you have new construction going on in your property or get rid of those that pose a danger to the property.
