Tree Near Easement!!

[some_one]

Hi, I am trying to find out if trees can be planted in area marked as easement. We have a 10 feet wide easement behind our block and I want to plant some palm trees there !! But what are the things I have to know!! HELP!!

[Gumby]

Usually an area where your drainage and sewer run underground. You can get the exact location of any pipes from SE water (for a small fee). It means that SE water could access that part of the pipe if they needed to. If there was a blockage in that spot for example, which is highly unlikely. You can get permission to build over an easement which is common for garages and carports. Again, if they need access, you have to allow it. For trees, don't worry about it. As long as you're sensible, plant them without fear. But perhaps avoid the type that like to get into drains - see your local nursery for advice. There must be thousands of garden sheds built over easements and they rarley have a problem. All it really means is that you take the risk.

[Sir Stinkalot]

Nothing really to stop you .... unless you get caught

Generally it will be a drainage easement which will have a water authority pipe laid. Your trees have the potential to damage the pipe and will lead to the need for repair.

The other issue is if they need to access the easement they may need to remove you palms, at your cost.

[some_one]

Is all that 10 feet area out of question? As said if I check with SE water do I have a hope of getting anywhere? And what is it about if I GET CAUGHT?? is it ILLEGAL??:eek:

[Gumby]

Is all that 10 feet area out of question? As said if I check with SE water do I have a hope of getting anywhere? And what is it about if I GET CAUGHT?? is it ILLEGAL??:eek:

No it's not. Just be aware that if they need access or your tree does damage to the drain, you have to cop it. As long as you dont smother the place in palms it wold be fine.

[Sir Stinkalot]

Check your local water authorities website ..... it will be a surprise if they don't have information relating to easements.

[Bodgy]

Just do it, fer Christ's sake.

[Purpleheart]

Hi, I am trying to find out if trees can be planted in area marked as easement. We have a 10 feet wide easement behind our block and I want to plant some palm trees there !! But what are the things I have to know!! HELP!!

When you say "Behind Your Block", I guess you mean "within" you block, just at the back...?

Firstly, you need to find out exactly what the easement is for.

As others have said, it is most likely an easement for drainage of stormwater, but there are any number of different easements. (Eg, easement for overhead power, easement for drainage, easement for sewage, easement for services {electricity, phone lines etc})

The details should appear on your property deed (which either you, your solicitor or your bank should have). It would also appear on the Deposited Plan, of which your block is a part of. (The legal document lodged with the Department of Lands)

10 feet is approximately 3.05 metres, so it is not a small easement. It also dates your land as being created before the metric conversion.

Do not take this lightly. If ever the easement needs to be accessed (and its been around for a while now, so it is more likely), and you have built over it (even if its just a garden shed), or have planted an elaborate garden over it, it may need to be excavated, and you may be put out to have it returned to its previous state.

I see this often in my line of work, and most often it causes problems for people when they come to sell their property (which is a time you can least afford delays).

Ultimately, its your choice, but I'd be going for a simple garden, not a big tree.

Cheers..............

[Purpleheart]

PS - Palm trees have very invasive roots, so if it is a drainage easement, I'd give it a big miss.

[some_one]

Thanks for the information. If not palm what other plant will make some type of big hedge that may form a type of fence and obstruct views, but still look nice, while its roots will not cause mayhem to the easement? We have a fence at the back but since there are new units coming up and one of the main windows and door open our way I just want to create some kind of nice looking back ground!! I was told palm trees look nice which they do, and will do the job nicely planted in the right spots, but since suggestion is of invasive roots I'll give it a mess. The web site for SE Water does have a brochure which says trees are OK but check for best type else where on the web site but I could not find it anywhere! SO probably i'll give them a ring as there is a Storm water drain in the easement!! Thanks a lot..

[Clinton1]

http://farrer.csu.edu.au/ASGAP/

Have a look at the above link and choose some native plants that will reach the height you want. A lot of them will be quick growing understory plants that will be quite dense, but will also have small trunks (multi-stemmed) that are removed easily.
http://farrer.riv.csu.edu.au/ASGAP/A...-14.html#ivory
this one is spectacular, but there is a lot to choose from.

[chromis]

I disagree about palms having invasive roots. They don’t have tap roots and dont have a huge network of lateral roots and have fibrous roots that generally grow into a ball shape. If you put a barrier where you didn’t want it to go that would keep it back.

And on the topic of trees seeking out drains for water I don’t believe is quite correct either. Tree roots find the easiest path through the soil. If they find a crack in a drain that’s an easy path to take. With newly dug drains we always compacted the soil around the pipes to deter roots from growing near the drains. It’s not like trees sniff out water. If there is a trail of water, and the tree is water loving obviously the roots will continue to grow towards the source.

Even trees that are have massive root systems always take the easiest path. We did some work around a ficus (macrophylla) and discovered a 700cm limestone retaining wall near the tree which had been covered up by years of soil. The ficus has sent out a massive root that had hit the wall and ran along it rather then try to go through or under.