How close can I build a new small ADU to the oak tree?

last year

I'm planning to build an ADU in my backyard.

However I have a big oak tree there (trunk proberly 2ft diameter).

I also have a tree house in the tree already (yellow portion in the diagram. it's 11ft x 11ft size)

I'm trying to design an iregular shape tiny home. (blue area).

I read online idealy keep 20ft away from the tree -- obviously it won't make sense to build anymore. so I'm tying to just touch some area of 15ft range. Also FYI my main house is like 12ft away from the tree.

Any suggesiton?

- anything I can do before or after construction to help the tree survice?

- or I'm better off just remove the tree? It would be a shame i lost the tree house...

- another option could be I put a tiny house on wheel in (crane it in). I guess that's least distube the tree... but not really increase property value.

Featured Answer

D Bee

last year

Best check with your municipality. Where I live you can get fined 5 figures for messing with a mature tree. Just my 2 cents.

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Comments (18)

PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
last year
Have you considered building a new small ADU IN the oak tree?
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I don't want to be full of doom and gloom,but take a look at the video below. It appears the ground was saturated and the anchor roots of the tree were only properly formed in a perpendicular direction to the way the wind was blowing due to the sidewalk and street. Check out the site for other examples. Like Meldy said there are always people will say we have never had any problems, or only have had near misses, but the fact remains the danger of damage to home and life always exists when large mature trees are that close to a house. And unfornately this damage can remain hidden for years. Same goes for landscaping. I can not tell you how homes I have seen that have hugely overgrown plant/trees that are to close the foundation that are causing major damage for unsuspecting homeowners. You can do your own search and find more examples of tree damage, etc. The best search is of a recent event hurricane Ike. A huge protion of Ike's damage occurred due to falling limbs and trees. This damage occured in a widespread area from the Texas Gulf Coast all the way up to and through New England. Having said all of that your best bet is to educate yourself on the trees that you have and any type of both native and non-native landscaping that desire to provide and enjoyable trouble free and safe environment. There are no guarantees in life, but placing a house under any part of a tree canopy is just asking for trouble in more ways than one, no matter what energy savings or benefits are. Here is a link that might be useful: Tree falling on house
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beesneeds
last year
That looks tight. How close is that to the redwood and fruit trees on the other side?
Rol H. thanked beesneeds
kevin9408
last year
Prune the tree before, or even after the ADU is built. You will remove some the demand on the root system for water and stuff and have a much better chance of surviving.
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
last year
One rule of thumb I have used sometimes is to not come any closer to the trunk of the tree than 2/3rds the distance from the tree trunk to the tree's drip line. The other rule is to always consult an arborist.
Rol H.
Original Author
last year
@beesneedsthe other side redwood tree and one fruit tree I paln to remove anyway. I believe PG&E even ofer free removal for that redwood tree.
Rol H.
Original Author
last year
@User canopy is less than 40ft in diameter. I plan not to get anywhere within 10ft from the tree. thank you for the input!
Rol H.
Original Author
last year
@Mark Bischak, Architect you mean build an small house around the tree? give you a feeling of living in tree house? I already build a 11ft x 11ft tree house in the tree lol.
Rol H.
Original Author
last year
Now I'm excited. thought about a "Bumerang" layout design. seems this way, i only touch in a little bit of 15ft distance from the trunk. -- the light green indicate a circle of 15ft radius.

Thanks @D Bee I'll check with city.

@Mark Bischak, Architect in this way, seems i followed the rule of thumb: not come any closer to the trunk of the tree than 2/3rds the distance from the tree trunk to the tree's drip line. canopy looks <40ft in diameter (just based on my eyes)
lc
last year
I would echo checking with your city. In SoCal, it can be quite strict. Usually, one can't encroach within 5' beyond the drip line or 15' from trunk, whichever is the greater distance. Since you are saying canopy is around 40', the protected zone would be at least 25' in SoCal. Even if you prune, you can't prune larger than 2" wide branches.
Rol H.
Original Author
last year
@lc the canopy 40' is the diameter, are you saying i need to be at least 25' away from the trunk? even my exsisitng main house is only 12' away from the trunk.... or are you saying 25' diameter range? then I can meet.
lc
last year
I was talking about LA regulations. You need to draw an enclosure 5' beyond the drip line, so if we were looking from the top down, 5' beyond the furthest reach of the canopy. Your house might be grandfathered in or it was there before the tree.
lc
last year
If you want to do anything within that protected zone, you need to submit an oak tree report and apply for an oak tree permit
beesneeds
last year
You are going to need to go to your local builing inspector office. Don't guess at X feet away from trunk, or guess a thumb of X with the canopy- or maybe guess it's a drip line thing.

Don't guess. Your local ordinances and regulations will direct if you can build by that tree, and what you can build. We here can't really guess your local ordanances for you. You seem to be guessing at what your ordanances might be at this point because of other people guessing.

At the same time you can find out what size or footprint of house your municipality will allow in that spot. take your map in and let them guide you.
PRO
Norwood Architects
last year
Not sure what your area is like but in Atlanta tree protection is heavily regulated. As others have said would be best to contact your local building department to find out what their ordinances are.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
last year
being a tree guy.. i have no clue what an ADU is... and have reread this stuff 3 times to figure out what you are talking about ... i give up ...

understand.. it is suggested.. that the trees mature root mass is 2 to 3 times the size of the tree you see above .. in a rather flat pancake shape.. ANY significant construction that severely impacts said root mass will most likely impact the health and eventual age of the tree ...

ken
BillMN-z-2-3-4
last year
I'm pretty sure the OP means this:

https://www.attainablehome.com/can-you-build-an-adu-in-your-backyard/
krnuttle
last year
Tree encroachment having been discussed already, in some areas there are specification on the percentage of the lot that can be build on. ie the some total of all of the foot prints of the buildings on the lot has to be less that a specified percentage of the areas of the lot.

If there are regulations of this type, will your plan meet these requirements.

How close can I build a new small ADU to the oak tree?

D Bee

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