Dear Tony: Our strata corporation has a parking garage under a landscaped area between our three buildings. The landscaping includes patios, walkways, and extensive planting with trees that now exceed the height of our buildings. We have been advised the parking garage membrane has failed, which is obvious by the extensive number of leaks we have in the garage, and there is a risk of structural damages if we don’t replace the waterproofing. The council held an information meeting last week and advised this will include the removal of eight of the large trees, and all landscaping over the parking garage. We now have a petition for a special general meeting to keep the large trees and make modifications to accommodate them. We have one area where the roots have visibility penetrated a crack in the garage, so removal is clearly necessary.
How do we address this?
~Jennifer M.
Dear Jennifer: Interior landscaped areas provide many benefits to properties. Cooling, aesthetics, noise reduction, privacy, and a natural environment close to facing residences. Unfortunately, parking membranes and structures do not have unlimited weight capacity or eternal waterproofing. They may require a complete removal of the landscaping and trees that exceed the weight load capacity for the structure.
In addition to the unanticipated loads/ weight, once trees exceed the elevation of buildings, they become much more vulnerable to wind effect and snow loads that make them vulnerable and cause movement that also affects ground level landscaped areas.
You are required to convene the special general meeting, and council may also add any other resolutions to the agenda following the petitioned item. Have your structural consultant and arborist attend the meeting to provide an informed update on the condition of the membrane and the risks by the trees.
They can advise if there are any other options.
Tree and landscape management that relates to internal concrete structures, requires routine inspection and maintenance. Most trees are often ignored until it is too late. A damaged or oversized tree can be a safety hazard and result in building damages as well. Where there are walkways over parking areas, property owners should never use salt to keep areas free of ice. The salt will cause corrosion of the concrete and the reinforcing bars within the concrete. If your community is required to remove the trees, consult with a landscape architect before any new plantings are introduced. A new information bulletin from BC Housing that addresses podium issues and management is now available. You can download the bulletin this week from the CHOA website: .
Email Tony: tony@choa.bc.ca.