Council Caper Three

The case of the missing trees. How Council wrote I had been remiss, but it turned out Council had jumped to conclusions.

The following is a most curious case. I produced a set of documents for a client who wanted some minor alterations and additions including a studio and a carport. They lodged them.

Then one day I had a call from the client saying that I had not located the trees that needed to be removed that were within 3m of the existing residence. I checked the drawings. I had indeed located them. Puzzled I asked the client to fax Council's letter. They had written

"A site inspection has revealed a number of large native trees to the rear of the prosed (sic) extension on the South elevation that will need to be removed if the proposed development is approved. The removal of these trees has not been addressed in the Environmental Impact Statements and has not been sited on the plans."

This was even more confusing. I had indeed in my Statement of Environmental effects addressed the two trees to be removed, both of which were within one metre of the existing struture. The client was quite distressed. I rang the Council and pointed out that it was not good to say the Architect had not addressed something, especially as I had indeed done the right thing. They said they had been told by someone that these trees were to be removed. The clients denied they had said anything.

I visited the site. On site I realised that there were no trees to the South at all. Not one. As the work was to the North side, anything South of that work was in the house. But there were five trees of varying size to the NORTH in the yard. I had not noted them as they were not affected by the work. I located all these trees and measured the distances. There was no way the trees could have been misconstrued as being close to the proposed works. The proposed works were clearly within the existing envelope, which clearly was some distance from the trees. I am still puzzed as to how the situation arose.

I had not thought to obtain a new survey, as the clients had an old survey and the proposal was within the existing building envelope. The old survey had not located the trees. I learnt from this situation that even with an alteration within an existing envelope, it is worth obtaining a full survey at the start of the job. Even if you are not affecting the trees or if a landscape plan is not required, all the tress need to be located.