Native Growth Protection Area
The common areas in Chestnut Trails were created in 1995 when the neighborhood was platted and at the time the plat was filed were conveyed to and shall be maintained by the Chestnut Trails Homeowners Association. Of these common areas tracts, 998 and 999 are designated NGPA and require special consideration.
Q: Who regulates the NGPA?
A: There are two groups in Snohomish County government involved
in regulating the NGPA. Snohomish County
Planning and Development takes the position that the NGPA must
remain untouched (even left to decay) but Snohomish County Surface Water
Management promotes restoration of the NGPA.
Q: What does it mean restoration of the NGPA?
A: The NGPA tracts are narrow and heavily sloped still
suffering from the loss of native areas displaced by the development of
the neighborhood. Additionally, trees have been removed or cut down but
not replaced as required and there continues to be dumping of plant materials
and building materials.
Q: Is there anything we should be
doing to take care of the NGPA?
A: Snohomish County has recommended that we protect the native
plants by removing highly invasive non-native plants such as Scotch
Broom, Himalayan blackberry and evergreen blackberry. Pulling these
plants out by the roots before they produce seeds and disposing of them
in yard waste is the most effective control method.
Staying on the trails when walking through the NGPA
Q:What can be planted in the NGPA?
A: Only native plants identified for the Puget Sound Lowlands region. An
inexpensive way to help restore the NGPA is to relocate undesired
volunteer evergreen seedlings found in your yard such as cedar or fir
trees to a deteriorated area of the NGPA.
Q: What about dangerous trees?
A: The Association periodically hires a consulting Arborist to survey
the health of the NGPA. Dangerous trees threatening the tot lots or
sport court are scheduled for removal and the reports are available to
homeowners to evaluate their risk due to dangerous trees.
Q: What happened to the trails?
A: The trails in many areas on side slopes were rough to begin
with and have since deteriorated. Fixing the trails is labor intensive
and not something the Association can afford to hire out. That makes it
a volunteer opportunity or it won't get done. An example repair on a
side slope would be placing a native log on the downhill side of the
trail and filling it in to level the trail.
Q: Are the trails required in the NGPA?
A: Trails in the NGPA are not required but are allowed as long as only
native materials are used for the trails. The trails were a feature of
the neighborhood when it was developed and should be maintained to
preserve their value to the neighborhood.