Martin's Landing Foundation  •  Roswell, GA  •  HOA Dispute

Roswell, GA  •  Martin's Landing Foundation

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

Our arborist flagged them. We applied. They reviewed it twice. Then they fined us anyway. Two hearings later, the Board upheld it. Here is everything that happened, so the next homeowner knows what they're walking into.

Things we learned the hard way

Fact 1 of 16

How We Got Here

  1. 1 Submitted a formal ARC application with a licensed ISA Certified Arborist assessment before any work began.
  2. 2 Site visit 1. No objection raised to the side trees.
  3. 3 Application hearing. No objection raised to the side trees.
  4. 4 Site visit 2. No objection raised to the side trees.
  5. 5 Conditional approval issued: backyard trees approved, side trees deferred pending fence plans for a fence project that was not ours. No written explanation for why a fence plan had anything to do with hazardous trees.
  6. 6 We raised real concerns about the verdict. Those questions went unanswered and remain unanswered to this day.
  7. 7 Arborist called out for the work. Determined the trees could not be safely pruned: partial removal would make them more unstable, not less. Our arborist determined that full removal was the only safe option because partial removal would increase instability.
  8. 8 Fined the maximum amount. The fine notice stated no application existed on file. That was incorrect.
  9. 9 Tier 1 appeal filed. The hearing included specific members we had formally requested be recused due to conflicts of interest. The request was never acknowledged. They participated anyway.
  10. 10 Tier 2 Board hearing: July 28, 2026. We presented the complete record. The final decision did not meaningfully address the arborist's conclusions, the inaccurate fine notice, or the unanswered questions we had raised throughout the process.
  11. 11 July 29, 2026: verdict by email. The Board voted to uphold the $900 fine. No criteria cited. The final decision did not identify or discuss any contrary arborist assessment or other technical evidence. No further appeals available. Case closed.
We have lived happily in Martin's Landing for six years and have made it our home in every sense. We have consistently updated and improved our property, always with committee approval. We have made friends across every subdivision. We spend roughly 40 hours and thousands of dollars each year on Halloween and Christmas displays because we love this neighborhood and the people in it.

None of that mattered when it came to this process.

As we found out, it only takes that one time for everything to change. We are not sharing this out of bitterness. We will pay the fine and move on. But the biggest takeaway for us is how this governing body operates behind the scenes, and we think our neighbors deserve to know.

People pay for education. That is essentially what happened to us, unknowingly. We just want to make sure the next person does not get blindsided the same way we did.

Enforcement Comparison

Three tree removals in Martin's Landing. Three very different outcomes. See how our situation compares to two other properties in the neighborhood.

View the comparison →

Independent resident website. Not affiliated with Martin's Landing Foundation, Inc. Commentary reflects our personal experience and opinions. Factual statements are based on documents, correspondence, recordings, photographs, and attributed public statements in our possession.