Announcements

We understand that the recent fires in Los Angeles have raised concerns about fire safety in the community and surrounding areas. Please know that we prioritize vegetation management and work diligently to reduce fire risks. Most of these concerns are centered on trees near homes and Acacia Redolens, commonly used throughout Ladera Ranch by the developer for slope coverage. Our scheduled annual maintenance, which has been ongoing from the time Ladera was first developed, includes clearing brush, trimming trees, reducing plant height and adhering to Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) fire safety directives and requirements. While we understand concerns from homeowners, and we are sensitive to these concerns, we are not in a position to remove healthy trees upon request because they are near homes, or clear slopes solely due to the presence of specific plants like Acacia Redolens.

Managing Ladera’s Urban Forest

Managing an urban forest consisting of over 39,000 trees and 75 different species requires a significant amount of resources – both in terms of time and budget. Trees are an integral part of Ladera Ranch and provide many benefits to the homeowners of Ladera Ranch. Trees improve air quality, intercept stormwater, improve public health, reduce stress, increase property values, and conserve energy.  In addition to these benefits, Ladera’s vast urban forest makes Ladera Ranch very unique and a desirable place to live. With so many benefits there is a lot of effort that goes into making sure trees are kept healthy so their benefits can be enjoyed for many years to come.  

There is a saying in arboriculture that “trees are trimmed for the health of the tree.”  This saying means that we trim trees as needed for the tree to be healthy and thrive. We know that this doesn’t always match up with homeowner expectations, so we wanted to take some time to explain this philosophy and tree trimming policy.  

Many homeowners would like a tree in the vicinity of their home to be trimmed yearly or sometimes more often, for a variety of different reasons. This is oftentimes not necessary, again, for the health of the tree. Trees that are on slopes or not near homes can have a trimming cycle that spans 2-4 years and, in some cases, even longer. If a tree becomes too heavy and has the potential to break or fail, we will trim the tree to keep the tree healthy. As the Urban Forest of Ladera Ranch continues to mature, the frequency at which trees are trimmed expands. Trees are not trimmed or removed simply because they drop leaves, cause a mess, lean, etc. That said, LARMAC does have a Common Area Tree Removal and Replacement Policy homeowners can learn more about on Laderalife.

Acacia Redolens (“Acacia”)

Since 2019, our approach for managing the over 5 million square feet of Acacia has been strategic, consistent and guided by expert advice. LARMAC works closely with OCFA and follows their directives to ensure compliance with all regulations. As we do each and every year, we meet with OCFA in the first quarter to review the vegetation management plan, which includes the review of ongoing Acacia removal projects as well as recently completed projects and the prioritization of the next wave of Acacia removal locations. It’s important to note that we sometimes must adjust our schedules based on OCFA’s guidance and/or direction.  Approximately, 1,000,000 square feet of acacia has been removed in Ladera Ranch since 2019 and that number is growing. Please visit the Acacia Removal FAQs section on Laderalife to learn more about these projects.

We understand and empathize with the concerns many of you have expressed. Please rest assured that LARMAC continues to take a proactive and strategic approach in managing Ladera’s vast tree population and the prioritization of the Acacia removal and replacement projects to ensure a safe and compliant community. Please visit our dedicated landscape page on LaderaLife for updates. As with any project or scheduled maintenance, budgets and available funds are critical elements. Unfortunately, LARMAC is not able to undertake projects beyond the available resources (homeowner assessments) and those vary depending on location – Master Association, Slope 1, Slope 2 and Covenant Hills.

In addition to inquiries about Acacia and tree removal, some residents have reached out about hazard/fire insurance. Specifically, you’ve shared concerns with increased insurance premiums and non-renewals. These are real concerns, and we understand. LARMAC saw a 25% increase from 2023 to 2024 – that’s on the low end compared to other associations in the State. California was in an insurance crisis before the recent fires in LA and it’s too soon to fully understand the impact these fires will have on the insurance marketplace going forward.     

Again, we want to thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we continue to work together to keep our Ladera community as safe as possible.

Additional resources can be found on the Community Safety page.