North Whidbey Resident Says HOA Delays Let Evergreen Limb Damage Garage

Alyssa Moncada, a resident of Northgate Terrace in North Whidbey, reported Feb. 20, 2026 that a homeowners‑association policy and its approval process delayed removal of a large evergreen that later shed a limb during a December windstorm and damaged her garage. Moncada says she raised safety concerns before the storm but the tree remained in place while the HOA's approval requirement was pending.

Moncada’s account centers on a single evergreen adjacent to her property in the Northgate Terrace subdivision. She reported that the limb fell in the December windstorm and struck her garage, creating visible damage that has required attention since the storm. The incident has left Moncada seeking clarity from the Northgate Terrace HOA about why the tree was not removed after she flagged it as dangerous.

The issue, as Moncada describes it, is procedural: the HOA’s removal policy and the time needed to obtain authorization delayed action on a tree she identified as hazardous. That delay, she says, preceded the limb fall in the December windstorm that resulted in property damage to her garage. Moncada reported the situation to neighborhood leadership on Feb. 20, 2026 and is pursuing follow up on who is responsible for repairs and for changing how hazardous trees are addressed.

The Northgate Terrace case highlights the intersection of HOA rules and storm-season risk on North Whidbey. Residents in subdivisions with similar approval processes face the same narrowed window to mitigate tree hazards before seasonal wind events. Moncada’s experience raises questions about whether existing HOA timelines and approval steps allow for timely emergency action when a tree is identified as posing an imminent risk.

Moncada is asking the homeowners association to explain its timeline and to consider expedited removal options for trees residents report as dangerous. Her report on Feb. 20, 2026 adds a concrete example to ongoing community conversations in Island County about homeowner safety, property protection, and how local associations balance preservation rules with urgent maintenance needs during wind-prone months.