Annual Meeting June 10, 2014

Transcription

1 Annual Meeting June 10, 2014

2 Emerald Ash Borer & Riverwoods at New Hope The Threat to our Ash Trees and the Potential Physical & Financial Impact to our Community Including Private and Common Property

3 Toledo Ohio Before & After Ash Borer 3

4 Victims of Emerald Ash Borer Disease 8/23/2013 Welland, ON Canada 2,000 Dead Trees since

5 Photographs of Some of Our Ash Trees Indigenous & Planted Riverview Circle Hidden Court 5

6 Information Provided to Residents Letters of March 26, 2014: 1 Page Mailed & 8 Pages ed Website updated with all Content, References & Links Website Tab ( Emerald Ash Borer ) 6

7 National & Local EAB Infestation 7

8 Where are the EAB now? We have no updated PA information; DCNR reports that they have no funding for the continued tracking of the EAB. Bridgewater, NJ infestation was recently reported in Philadelphia Inquirer article 5/30/14 DCNR is confident that the migration will continue and most untreated ash trees will be attacked and die. Remember that the period from infection to death of a tree can be 1 3 years; it may take another 1 2 years for the tree to become brittle and hazardous. Of course no infection has yet been observed and not all trees will be infected or die at the same time but the death rate will increase exponentially once it begins. With the early warning we have, a long term plan can allow the staggering of events and the spreading out of the costs to lessen the cost impact in each year if it is implemented. 8

9 Our Approach to Implementing a Plan for the Common Property (Page 1 of 2) Understand the issue and the available options (Seminars, Literature & Experts) Perform an Ash Tree Survey of Riverwoods to identify and categorize the trees: (results from recent survey by Bair s = 400 Trees): Common Property Street Trees (30 trees) Private Property - Your Street Trees (85 trees) Excludes other Ash Trees on your property, if any. Common Wooded Property: Close enough to homes, sidewalks, roadways or private property to eventually present a potential Hazard (285 trees) Far enough away not to present a potential hazard (# trees unknown) 9

10 Our Approach to Implementing a Plan for the Common Property (Page 2 of 2) Develop a Gross Estimate of the Options & Their Costs Decide to Treat or Remove &/or Replace the Common Area Trees (Street & Wooded) Develop Criteria for potentially Hazardous trees and their Removal Develop Criteria for Wooded Area Felled Tree Removal Decisions Evaluate How to Fund the Project & Implement the Process Develop a Plan to deal with Homeowners who do nothing (despite warnings) about visibly dead or dying Ash Trees on their private property Note that Ash Trees reportedly become brittle after they die and therefore more prone to have its trunk or branches felled by storms and therefore potentially Hazardous. Earlier felling and removal is less costly. 10

11 A Suggested Approach for Your Private Property Understand how to identify an Ash Tree (Video - 90 seconds) Opposing Branches, 5-9 Leaflets per Leaf, Deep Furrowed Trunk Bark) Determine how many Ash Trees are on your property, if any; it is likely that at least 50% of private property lots do not have any Ash Trees. Those that do are likely to only have 1 or 2 Ash Trees each. Nearby there may be more. If you do have Ash Trees: Assess their value to you (aesthetic, financial, environmental or other) High value trees may be treated and possibly saved but should involve an expert arborist and sooner rather than later Low value trees may be removed and replaced on a schedule that will minimize visual impact and cost (See the considerable Reference material on the website about all the options) 11

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13 Decision Tree Private Property Evaluation Factors: How many Ash trees Preventative Treatment vs. Remove & Replace Costs of Each Make Decision Implement 13

14 Satellite View of Riverwoods at New Hope Bridgewater 14

15 Bair s Survey Ash Tree Map

16 A SERIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF SOME ASH TREES IN RIVERWOODS AT NEW HOPE 16

17 Entrance Hill 17

18 Riverview Circle 18

19 Riverwoods Drive 19

20 Riverwoods Drive 20

21 Hidden Court 21

22 West Riverwoods Drive 22

23 Lakeview Drive 23

24 Phillips Mill Area Ash Tree & Stone House 24

25 Approximate Cost Estimate of EAB Impact Emerald Ash Borer - Potential Impact on Riverwoods Gross Estimate of Ash Borer Tree Felling, Removal & Replacement Costs: Costs Per Jon Kotler's of 5/19/14 & Bair's Estimates Street Trees Common Area Bair's Tree Survey Quantities (4/16/14) 1-3 Year Street Trees Hazard Removals Private Property Trees (Red Dot) Total Average Cost Wooded Area: 75 ' Tree - Cost to Drop & Leave tree ($500 - $600) $ 550 $ 13,750 $ 143,000 $ 156,750 Street Trees: 50' Tree - Cost to Drop & Remove Trees & Stumps $ 300 $ 9,000 $ 25,500 $ 34,500 Percentage of Wooded Enter other % values to see Common Area trees to be 50% approximate cost mpact hauled away (Guesstimate) Wooded Area: 75' Tree - Remove from Wooded Common Property $1,000 $12,500 $130,000 $ 142,500 Total Cost to Drop & Remove (Based on % Removed) $ 9,000 $ 25,500 $ 26,250 $ 273,000 Grand Total $333, $834 Average Cost per Tree Felled Replacement (Street Trees) $ 500 $15,000 $ 42,500 $0 $0 $57,500 Total All Costs - All Areas Total Private Property Only Total Common Area Only (See below) $391, $68, $323,

26 Gross Estimate of Ash Tree Removal & Replacement Costs Common Area (30) Summary of Removal & Replacement Costs (Based on 50% Removal Rate of Wooded Area trees) Street Trees Private Property (85) Wooded Areas 1-3 Year Removals (Red Dot) (25) Hazard Trees (260) Total (400) $24,000 $68,000 $26,250 $273,000 $391,250 Note: Total includes Private Property Trees 26

27 Cost per Unit Owner per year Allocated Cost per Unit Owner per Year Cost per Unit Owner per Year based on % Removed & No. Years Allocated $600 3 Years 4 Years $500 5 Years $400 $300 6 Years 7 Years 8 Years 9 Years 10 Years $200 $100 $- 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% % of Common Wooded Area Felled Trees Removed 27

28 Estimated Private Property EAB Treatment Costs "For Homeowners with Ash trees, the following charges will apply: Merit - $98.00 minimum charge up to 33 inches of trunk diameter. $3.00 per inch thereafter Safari - $98.00 minimum charge up to 16 inches of trunk diameter. $6.00 per inch thereafter Triage $98.00 minimum charge up to 9 inches of trunk diameter. $11.00 per inch thereafter" No. Trees/Avg.Dia Merit Treatment (Annual) Safari Treatment (Annual) TreeAge Treatment (Every 2 years) Estimate of Diameter Inches to be Treated Estimate of Diameter Inches to be Treated Estimate of Diameter Inches to be Treated Avg. Diameter & Inches of Trunk > Limit Avg. Diameter & Inches of Trunk > Limit Avg. Diameter & Inches of Trunk > Limit No. Trees/Avg.Dia No. Trees/Avg.Dia Cost for No. Trees & Diameter Treated Cost for No. Trees & Diameter Treated Cost for No. Trees & Diameter Treated No. Trees/Avg.Dia Cost/in. thereafter Diameter Limit (in.) No. Trees/Avg.Dia Cost/in. thereafter Diameter Limit (in.) No. Trees/Avg.Dia Cost/in. thereafter Diameter Limit (in.) $ 3 > 33 inches $ 6 > 16 inches $ 11 > 9 inches 1 $98.00 $98.00 $ $98.00 $98.00 $ $ $ $ $98.00 $98.00 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $98.00 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $1, $ $ $ $ $ $1, $1, $1, $2,

29 Gross Estimate for Preventative Treatment Summary of Alternative Treatment Costs for One (1) Tree Tree Diameter (DBH) Treatment 10" 15" 20" Merit $ 98 $ 98 $ 98 Safari $ 98 $ 98 $ 122 TreeAge (2 yr) $ 109 $ 164 $ 219 Note: $98 is Minimum Charge per Visit 29

30 The Bottom Line Estimated Annual Impact Per Unit Annual Payment Required to Pay for Removal & Replacement of Common Area Trees Based on a Common Area Cost Estimate of $323,250 & 50% Removal Rate of Wooded Area Trees Approx. Number of Annual Years Amount 10 $ $

31 Additional Source of Funds We have revised the fee on new SF sales transactions from $500 to $750. TH fee is unchanged at $250. Based on an estimate of 10 SF + 1 TH Sales per year, the contribution will be $7,750 per year Current Capital Contribution Reserve equals $42,000 NOTE: All funding (Annual + Capital Contribution) will be isolated and maintained in an account specifically for the EAB Project. Any future unused funds will be used to reduce future Annual Assessments 31

32 Summary & Conclusion (1 of 2) We must accept the fact that the EAB will arrive at Riverwoods and will accomplish the same Ash Tree devastation as it has elsewhere Preventative Treatment may be a viable option for High Value trees on private property but it does not seem so viable for the Common Area trees, especially those in the Wooded Areas. EAB Infestation has not yet been detected but once it is, it will progress fairly rapidly to all area Ash trees and within about 3-5 years thereafter it will kill all of the untreated Ash trees in Riverwoods. Based on several critical assumptions, the cost impact on Common Property trees is estimated at approximately $325,000 32

33 Summary & Conclusion (2 of 2) The financial impact on homeowners will be mitigated if funding is begins in 2015 and is extended over the next 10 years - if the damage & risk timeline will permit it. Current Capital Contribution funds plus additional funding from new unit sales transaction fees can be used to help reduce the impact The beauty and therefore the marketability of our lovely community will be under attack. Whether you plan to stay in Riverwoods forever or leave in a few years, we need to work in concert to protect and enhance our homes and our community. This is only the first chapter of our EAB story & it is not yet finished. Doing nothing is not a viable option. 33

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35 Stay Informed Sign Up for our Website Update Service Forms are available at front & rear tables Thank You for your attention. 35