June 9, 2026 Memo to Owners: 

 

To address concerns raised in the last meeting of the homeowners, WPL will take measures this year to add and include fire mitigation practices to its annual dead tree removal. Since 2026 will be our first year to expand these efforts as described below, it is our plan to concentrate on those common areas immediately adjacent to our neighborhood trails and roads. In this first year of fire mitigation, our selected contractor shall focus their efforts in the common areas of thirty feet (30’) adjacent to the neighborhood trails and roads, performing the following tasks:

1. Contractor will chainsaw tree deadwood 1’-30’ off the trail or road on the common areas (only). (NO chainsaw activity on homeowner tracts by contractor)

2. Contractor will remove tree branches below 5’ by chainsaw within the 1’-30’ area of the trail or road on the common areas per forestry guidelines. 

3. Contractor will remove smaller competing trees and brush around the large conifers within the 1’-30’ common area adjacent to the neighborhood trails or roads. 

4. Contactor will remove deadwood on the ground 1’-30’ each side the trail from the common areas and private lots.

 

It is our plan to have a WPL representative with the selected (low bid) contractor throughout the process described in 1/2/3/4 above.

 

Please note the contractor will make every effort to avoid private property, except to remove any deadwood on the ground (only) within the described 1’-30’ of the roads or trails. However, the contractor will remove and mulch any fire mitigation debris resulting from individual homeowners’ efforts. Fire mitigation recommendations can be found on the attached flyer and on the WPL website. Property owners can contract or DIY the removal of limbs/trees/deadwood from their lots. Wood piles against (not on) the trail will be removed and mulched with wood debris removed at the time of 1/2/3/4 above. Homeowner limb/wood/deadwood piles against the roads should be piled at the most non-visual place possible and immediately listed online with the PCFD fire department for mulch and removal. Homeowners should coordinate and consolidate wood piles with their neighbors where possible. All wood piles adjacent to the trails, and those piles not removed by the PCFD, will be collected, mulched, and removed by the contractor at the time 1/2/3/4 above are ongoing.

 

Please note the following contact information for the PCFD, as well as known landscape contractors active in the neighborhood, that may assist your individual property fire mitigation efforts as described in the above paragraph:

1. Park City Fire Department (PCFD) - - Will remove and mulch tree debris stacked adjacent to public roads (only), https://www.pcfd.org/fire-prevention/wood-chipping/

2. Action Landscaping   (435) 640-3488

3. Circle Forestry   (801) 382-7619

4. Prosecutive Landscaping   (801) 293-9273

5. Rent-a-Monkey Tree Service   (801) 919-1142

6. Sav-a-Tree Ser  (435) 200-5544

The above list is for information only, and not a recommendation by the board of any individual contractor.

 

We are proposing to contract the work described in 1/2/3/4 above for latter half of August, subject to contractor availability, to allow property owners the opportunity to complete their individual fire mitigation in advance. To assist with future homeowner insurance renewals, we will photo-document both the wood being removed by the contractor each year, as well as your individual fire mitigation and resulting wood piles stacked along the roads or trails as described. Please text me with your home address at (214) 926-2745 and the location (road or trail) of those wood piles and a photo, or a request that we photo document your efforts. As an additional step toward fire mitigation, will also be photo documenting the mowing or weed-eating of “bush” grass in the common areas, the waist-high, highly flammable, invasive grass that chokes out the low growing native grasses and wildflowers.

 

Feel free to contact me with any questions or through the process describe herein with any concerns. Ben Britten, (214) 926-2745.

 

HOA Fire Mitigation Recommendations: 

 

The property owners have an obligation to maintain their property in good condition, and this should include taking steps each year to maintain or improve fire mitigation on your property. 

 

Please find attached some guidelines from an area service that many of you received last month via USPS mailer. Please note the information from this mailer was printed with the permission of the contractor, but the information herein should not be interpreted as being bylaws, guidelines, or recommendations from the HOA or its board as to fire mitigation or contractor(s) providing such services.

 

In efforts for individual property owners to have flexibility to maintain or improve their fire mitigation each year, neither the HOA, nor the board, will require the submission of landscape modifications or any architectural reviews or fees related to such modifications done to maintain or improve fire mitigation. In addition to the recommendations from the flyer that you may include as part of your fire mitigation on your property, the board would also like to recommend the following:

 

1. Planting or re-planting of trees that can exceed 15’ in height should be planted at least 15’ apart, to minimize dead branches between trees cause by lack of sunlight. 

2. Lower tree canopies should be “lifted” off the ground from 3’ (knee) to 5’ (waist) in height, after the tree has sustained 2-3 years of mature growth and establishment.

3. Remove dead wood and downed trees from your property, including dead branches in existing trees and in dense-wood areas. Thin dense-wood areas on an annual basis.  

4. When modifying your landscaping, consider distance spacing between plants and rock perimeter(s) (vs mulch) adjacent to your home where feasible.

5. Consider mowing or weed eating “brush” grass ( >2’ ) throughout the summer, to allow the lower growth grasses and wildflowers the opportunity to displace it. At the end of the growing season, consider mowing native grasses and wildflowers to a height under six inches (6”) to both minimize fire spread from the dormant growth, while re-seeding wildflowers and native grasses for the following spring. 

 

You will find photos of such recommendations of the WPL website, for your reference and convenience.

 

Regards,

Ben Britten on behalf of The Woods of Parley’s Lane Board of Directors​​​​