275 Truehedge Trace: HOA Appeal

Martin's Landing Foundation • Roswell, GA • Tier 2 Hearing: July 28, 2026

Tier 2 Appeal: July 28, 2026

We applied. We hired an arborist. We removed hazardous trees. We are still being fined $1,800 $900.

A formal ARC application was submitted before any work began. An ISA Certified Arborist documented the trees as end-of-life and a fall risk. Full removal was the only safe option. The ARC approved removal of backyard trees for a neighbor's fence project. That same decision was then used to deny removal of three trees actively damaging our home, citing visual impact and requiring a fence plan that had nothing to do with our property. The fine notice stated no application existed on file. That was false.
Leyland cypress cluster growing into the structure at 275 Truehedge Trace
Exhibit A Leyland cypress cluster at 275 Truehedge Trace. Three trees, end-of-life, growing into the structure. Photographed prior to removal. ISA Certified Arborist assessed full removal as the only safe option.
Mar 19
ARC application submitted: before any work began
0
Prior warnings issued before the $1,800 fine. The fine was the first notice we received.
4
Trees from the original application left in place at ARC's request. They were not posing the same documented hazard to the home.
$1,800
Original fine assessed: maximum rate, with a formal application on file
$300
Fine assessed to a neighboring property: no ARC application, no arborist report submitted, same contractor
2
Formal records requests denied. No documents, notes, or communications ever produced.

What Happened

Feb 2026 Initial meeting with ARC representative and arborist. Trees discussed. No objection to side trees raised.
Mar 19, 2026 Formal ARC application submitted via TownSq for backyard and side yard tree removal. Application included property maps, photos, and ISA Certified Arborist report from Bob Coombs, Tomahawk Tree Service.
Mar 23 – Apr 3 ARC site visits conducted. The second visit focused on the backyard trees along the Graves' fence line. The ARC approved removal of those backyard trees. The side yard cypress cluster was a separate matter: the ARC declined to approve their removal, citing the visual impact of removing both sets of trees, and required a fence plan before they would reconsider. That fence plan requirement was tied to the Graves' fence, not to anything on our property. ARC members had internally noted the same concerns about the cypress cluster that the arborist documented.
Apr 2026 All backyard trees removed per ARC approval, clearing the way for the Graves' fence project. The arborist determined the side yard cypress cluster could not be safely pruned: removing dead branches would leave the trees more unstable. The three Leyland cypress trees were removed. They were end-of-life, planted too close together, and too close to the structure. Four trees from the original application were left in place at the ARC's request.
May 15, 2026 Fine notice received: $1,800 at the maximum rate of $600 per tree. The notice stated that no ARC application existed on file. False statement
May – Jun 2026 Formal T1 appeal filed with full exhibit packet. Recusal requested for two ARC members with direct prior involvement. Both participated in the hearing anyway, without explanation. At the hearing, one raised a personal allegation about social media activity, unrelated to the violation.
Jun 18, 2026 T1 verdict: fine reduced from $1,800 to $900. No written rationale provided. None of the factual or procedural issues raised in the appeal were addressed.
Jun – Jul 2026 Two additional records requests submitted. All 11 items denied. No hearing transcript, no ARC notes, no fine calculation standard, no internal communications produced at any point.
Jul 28, 2026 Tier 2 hearing tonight. We are asking the full Board to waive the remaining $900 fine. Tonight, 7:00 PM
Timeline Full chronological record from initial meeting through tonight's hearing. Photos 25 photos documenting the trees, their proximity to the structure, and post-removal state. Documents All correspondence, filings, screenshots, certifications, and reference materials. Unanswered Questions raised months ago that received no substantive response.