Trees

Trees in the Common Area (Maintained by District)

- The District maintains trees in the common areas, including irrigation.
  - Tree replacements were put on hold in 2023 due to the new outdoor watering restrictions and drought surcharge imposed by Aurora Water.
  - GIS tree mapping was completed in 2023 and is being updated regularly.
  - 76 replacement trees were planted in 2022 in the common areas.
  - 238 replacement trees were planted in the common areas in the spring of 2021.
- There is a framework in place to determine replacement tree planting locations
- There is not a request process for placing or replacing a tree in a specific location in the common area. Any assurance about a specific tree replacement that may have been made by prior management companies or in prior seasons is not valid, as landscaping decisions are made periodically according to budget and direction from the Board of Directors.
- To express your concern about a specific tree location, please email us or join the next Common Area Committee meeting.
- To support the long-term health of our trees and landscape, the District occasionally conducts seasonal pesticide treatments targeting common pests such as aphids, pine beetles, and mites. For resident safety, all treated trees will be marked with flags—similar to those used during herbicide and weed spray activities throughout the community. Pesticide Treatment Labels:
  - Aphids – Sap-sucking insects that cause leaf curling and can spread plant diseases.
  - Pine Beetle – Bark-boring beetles that infest and kill pine trees by feeding under the bark.
  - Mites – Tiny pests that damage leaves and may transmit plant diseases.

Tree Lawn (Maintained by Homeowner, City right-of-way)

The “tree lawn” is the strip of landscaping between the sidewalk and the street.
Tree lawn maintenance is the responsibility of the homeowner for the tree lawn area adjacent to their home.
The tree lawn is owned by the City of Aurora as part of the public right-of-way, but the homeowner is responsible for maintenance of vegetation in the tree lawns.
View the Residential Improvement Guidelines for more information on landscaping requirements for the tree lawn area, including the City of Aurora’s requirement for a deciduous tree every 40 linear feet.

Above: Trees in a nursery

Trees in Homeowner Yards (Maintained by Homeowner)

Trees on resident property, including the tree lawn, are not maintained by the District, these are homeowner responsibility.
The builder often plants the initial trees on your lot, these are not planted by, nor replaced by, the District.
If a tree on your property dies, you are responsible for replacing it.
Check your builder warranty to see if a tree is still under warranty.

Tree Requirements – Placement and Size

To modify your landscaping, you must receive written approval in advance before work begins. Submit your plans on the Design Review page.

Tree requirements and landscaping rules can be found in the Residential Improvement Guidelines (latest version is posted on the Design Review page).

Front Yard: Two trees – one shade tree and choice of one ornamental tree or one evergreen tree.
External Side Yard (corner lot exposed to public view): 1 tree per 40 linear feet of side yard.
Tree Lawn Area: 1 tree per 40 linear feet of tree lawn.

Trees shall be installed in the following minimum sizes:
• Shade trees – 2” caliper (diameter)
• Ornamental trees – 2” caliper or 6’ height minimum for multiple stems
• Evergreen trees – 6’ height minimum

Information on the City of Aurora’s minimum tree size requirements are available here

Above: Measuring a tree with a caliper

Tree Recommendations

Recommendation:
- Austrian Pine / Pinus Nigra
- Autumn Blaze Maple / Acer Freemanii
- Canada Red Chokecherry / Prunus Virginiana
- Callery Pear / Pyrus Calleryana
- Colorado Spruce /Picea Pungens
- Downy Hawthorn / Crataegus Mollis
- Ginnala Maple / Acer Ginnala
- Hackberry / Celtis Occidentalis
- Limber Pine / Pinus Flexilis
- Pinyon Pine / Pinus Edulis
- Ponderosa Pine / Pinus Ponderosa
- Russian Hawthorn / Crataegus Ambigua
- Vanderwolf’s Pyramid Pine / Pinus Flexilis
- Western Catalpa / Catalpa Speciosa
- Crabapple/ Malus spp.
- Click here to view updates to the Suggested Plant List
Not permitted:
- Russian Olive Trees: Invasive
- Cottonwood: Aggressive spreading habit.
- Aspen: Aggressive spreading habit.
- Tamarisk: Invasive
- Ash: Attracts and aids in the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer beetle.
- Siberian Elm: Invasive
- Tree of Heaven: Invasive
Not recommended:
- Honey Locust Trees: They have been shown to fail to thrive in this location.
- Linden Trees: Except in very large lots because of their extreme size at maturity.
- Kentucky Coffee Trees: as they have shown to be unsuccessful in this location.

Recommendations from local experts:

Colorado State Forest Service