With oil dependency costing more and more every day, solar power seems more responsible and cheaper.   PELT has recommended to the Covenants Committee that a “Fast Track” for Solar Shingles be established.  The envisioned covenant would give the Covenants Director authority to grant provisional approval for a property owner’s PIR asking to:

1.    Replace regular shingles with Solar Shingles that, within a manufacturer’s offerings, has the closest color match to the existing shingle color, or which matches the existing structure’s color scheme;
2.    Build a facilitating electrical room/shed which matches the existing structure and which meets existing covenants shed dimensions requirements;
3.    Replace tall trees (with mature heights of 25’ up) with trees that mature with a height between 15 and 25’

The provisional approval would, as usual, require the property owner to produce the appropriate County Electrical and Zoning permit(s) and a final approval would require the County’s Electrical Final Inspection.  Approval of adjoining property owners would not be required as the change would have an overriding community benefit.

…and the Scrub Pines just keep falling

Warning: Scrubus Pineus Virginius (Road Runner-inspired slang for the local scrub pine) are not native and were never meant to grow to maturity. Over time, these spindly trees blow down and the wind threat to the remaining scrub pines is inherently increased. Consider replacing them before they uproot and fall. It is surely more convenient and may be less expensive to have a tree removed before it hits your roof (or like my neighbor, remove several fallen trees).

The scrub pines in Montclair and eastern Prince William are the remnants of the pulp tree farming that flourished during the middle of the 20th Century after the local farms' soil petered out.  Up into the 80's there used to be a railhead along side US 1 in Woodbridge dedicated to pulp tree loading.  Scrub pines are fast growing trees but have an extremely shallow root system and were usually harvested after reaching a height of about 30' and a diameter of 12". They were never meant to be the 40' plus high 30" plus diameter trees you often see today. As these trees blow down, are struck by lightning or die from the pine beetles, remaining scrub pines are more exposed to wind and lightning.

Lightning hits exposes the bark to pine beetles.    Forests are usually surrounded by smaller trees, tall brush and scrub brush which mitigates the effect of wind. Notice how mature scrub pines are void of lower limbs. The streets and other open space subject the pines in Montclair to unnatural wind forces. Heavy rains saturate the soil; strong winds funnel through the streets and eventually uproot scrub pines. Prince William Forest Park used to have a great program "Farm to Forest" that was very informative.

Consider replacement trees compatible with your lot's natural environment. Long needle pines (Lob Lolly for example) are a more robust replacement with large cones (the squirrels will love you) and Tulip Poplars are shade producing, fast growing, flowering native trees that tolerate grades and heavy water run off. Don't forget the PIR and consult a nursery with a legitimate arborist.

Let's be proactive and recommend the Covenants Committee put scrub pine replacement on the "Fast Track" approval process.  In other words, give the covenants officer authority to approval without entire committee approval, as long as the tree replaced is a scrub pine and the replacement is either, a long needle pine, a tulip poplar or an oak.   

Paul Belcher & Carl Marcucci