Landscaping and landscaping

When buying an apartment, owners, in addition to the price, location, layout and technical equipment of the property, pay attention to the courtyard. For young parents, it is important that there is an equipped playground, motorists want to be calm about the safety of their vehicle, older people want benches and shady places to rest near the house. The level of comfort depends on the condition and grooming of the courtyard area of an apartment building (MAB). We suggest you find out whether residents of an apartment building can influence the condition of the site near their home, and what steps should be taken to ensure that the yard is landscaped and looks beautiful.

The local area is the main purpose

According to the definition specified in the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, the adjacent territory of an apartment building is understood as a plot of land on which the building itself, landscaping and landscaping elements, as well as objects necessary for the maintenance and upkeep of the house are located. Such objects include outbuildings, playgrounds, places for exercise equipment and active games, benches and even trash cans.

The local area should be comfortable and functional. If there are no vital elements on its territory, living in such a house will not be comfortable.

Landscaped area with plantings at the entrance - prestige and comfort

The landscaping and landscaping of the site is carried out in such a way that the area near the house is safe and convenient for residents. It is used for relaxation, sports, joint games and social events.

Properly planned landscaping not only beautifies the yard, but also protects from noise, wind, sunlight and exhaust fumes. At the same time, the law defines norms regulating the location of trees, shrubs and flower beds.

Flowerbeds near the entrance, fenced with a low-height fence, emphasize the status of the residents. Houses with well-groomed grounds are considered prestigious, which means that real estate in such objects is more expensive.

Requirements of sanitary standards and rules for the maintenance of the territory of apartment buildings

There are no state standards that regulate the creation of a landscape on a plot of land near a house. But this does not mean that owners can create and implement any of their ideas. When planning work, residents should be guided by the sanitary and hygienic recommendations that are prescribed:

SanPiN 2.1.2.2645-10 Sanitary and epidemiological requirements for living conditions in residential buildings and premises.
Rules and standards for the technical operation of the housing stock”, approved by Resolution of the State Construction Committee of the Russian Federation dated September 27, 2003 No. 170.
SNiP 2.07.01/89 “Planning and development of urban and rural settlements.

These and other documents indicate standards and elements for landscaping courtyard areas, including the distance between objects and fences, and the location of green spaces.

When planning work, you should take into account the number of floors and apartments in a residential building, the year of commissioning and other factors. Owners have the right to place in the local area:

places for recreation, pedestrian and play areas;
plantings and areas for walking pets;
utility buildings and vehicle parking.

It is worth remembering that the territory is clearly limited in area and most likely it will not be possible to place all of the above elements. In order to take into account the needs of all categories of residents, it is necessary to agree on a landscaping plan and a landscaping project at the general meeting of owners (GMS). And only after that begin its implementation.

Order of conduct

Landscaping of the courtyard area is carried out according to the approved program in the following order:

General cleaning of common areas and parking lots.
Installation of garbage containers.
Measures to clean the entire local area of an apartment building.
Landscaping works.
Creation of children's playgrounds and recreation areas in the yard.
Installation of fences.
Repair work.

Improvement of the adjacent territory is carried out on the basis of labor standards, according to standard rules. The sanitary level of maintenance of areas where trash cans and bins are located is monitored, garbage is removed, and flower beds are preserved.

Attributes of landscaping of the territory of an apartment building

Landscaping refers to a whole range of measures, and not simple cleaning of the territory. Landscaping the yard involves:

landscaping and space zoning;
improvement of the earth's surface, for example: filling with crushed stone, paving or laying tiles;
construction of sports and children's complexes;
arrangement of recreation areas with benches and gazebos;
work on organizing parking spaces that are safe for people to move around;
high-quality lighting of the area according to established standards;
installations and equipment in compliance with sanitary and hygienic rules of business sites.

If the project for the development of the local area is not completed by the developer, or the plan has been lost, the owners can order it again from the city architectural service. The project will be drawn up taking into account all the requirements specified in SNiP and will comply with the concept of the urban appearance.

New solutions for landscaping the yard of a private house

Landscaping a local area is a rather difficult process, but quite interesting. Here imagination can run wild, resulting in the creation of real masterpieces. Any improvement of the local area includes five stages of transformation:

Landscape works . This includes work on landscape design and improvement of the allocated area.
Direct landscaping of the yard . Setting up a garden, planting flower beds, trees and shrubs.
Laying out the tracks.
Paving. This may include paving certain areas using paving slabs, natural polished stone or paving with clinker.
Cleaning the area from remnants of consumables and final work.

Thanks to the landscaping of the local area, the gray courtyards of private houses, cottages and dachas turn into real works of art. You want to come back here again and again to admire the beautiful view and take a break from the everyday hustle and bustle. However, in order for such work to be carried out efficiently and in accordance with all the wishes of the customer, it is necessary to contact only professionals who know their business firsthand.

Types of landscaping near MKD

In an urban environment, green spaces are needed to preserve the environment and maintain the health of residents. To do this, ornamental plants, lawns, hedges and trees are planted around a multi-storey building and used as part of urban landscaping. It is worth choosing seedlings that will likely take root in the local climate and will be easy to care for.

The placement of vegetation should be related to the placement of objects. Particular attention is paid to landscaping adjacent areas that highlight the entrance to the house, children's and sports grounds.

On pieces of land near the entrances, from 3.5 to 8 meters wide, low shrubs, free-standing trees, and flower beds are planted. At the same time, trees should be placed at a distance of 5 meters from the house, and bushes - 1.5 meters.

Children's and sports grounds are also isolated from the roadway with the help of trees or hedges of bushes. The strip allocated for trees must be wider than 3 meters. All landscaping objects must be arranged in such a way as not to interfere with unhindered movement to the entrances.

It is worth considering that cutting down plants without permits is prohibited by law. If any of the plantings are damaged or destroyed, compensatory landscaping is carried out.

Norms and terms of improvement

Landscaping of local areas is carried out according to the program and according to the season. In winter, the snow cover is removed when the layer is more than 5 cm. The paths are cleared and sprinkled with sand. In the summer, plants are watered, lawns are mowed, flower beds are seeded and planted.

Functions performed by plantings:

Protection from noise and dust.
Shelter from the wind.
Insulation from planning elements.

There are a number of requirements for the landscaping process: sanitary safety, seasonality, compatibility of plants with the environment. The adjacent strips, 3-8 m wide, are landscaped; special attention is paid to them, because they emphasize the space near the house. The gaze of all residents is aimed at this space, especially from the first floor. As a rule, compact trees are chosen for this site.

Modular elements for flowers are also being installed. They are grouped by flowering period (lilac, mock orange, honeysuckle, and forsythia are planted). Climbing plants have special decorative capabilities for planting; they add additional aesthetics to the facade, fence, and balconies (wild grapes, ivy). Bindweeds provide a gradual visual transition of the territory to the building.

According to the standards for landscaping the adjacent territory of an apartment building, trees are planted no closer than 5 m from the walls of the building, bushes - no closer than 1.5 m. Otherwise, shading of the building occurs. Also, the adjacent strip should be stylistically connected with the territory of the yard.

Children's playgrounds in the yard are being designed based on a number of specific requirements. The strip of plants should be at least 3 m, aeration and light should be provided. Live shrubs and small trees with a dense / openwork crown (maple, linden, birch, ash) are used. The space of the playground can be divided according to purpose using single or group plants.

In landscaping the courtyard area of an apartment building, shrubs and trees that are characterized by abundant flowering and fruitfulness (quince, almond, spirea, weigela), as well as poisonous plantings (hawthorn, wolf's bast, some roses) are not used.

Who should decide on the arrangement of the local area?

In accordance with Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 491, property owners must monitor the local area if the adjacent area is included in the list of common property. However, they do not clean it or remove garbage. Residents should also not install playgrounds or recreation areas on their own. They can delegate all this work to a management company (MC) or to contractors if the house is managed by a homeowners’ association. To do this, it is enough to conclude an agreement for the maintenance and maintenance of the apartment building.

In cases where the owner of the local area is a municipal service, the owners do not have any obligations to care for and improve the land. All work must be carried out at the expense of the municipality.

Conflicts of law

As already mentioned, the houses built before 2005 did not have formed adjacent areas and were not included in the cadastre. On their own initiative, the owners do not want to register ownership of the land, so as not to bear the burden of maintaining it. But management companies still carry out maintenance and repair of adjacent buildings, care for green spaces, and clean up fallen leaves and snow.

The question arises: who should pay for the work performed? From the point of view of the law, the land is municipal, therefore, expenses must be covered from the local budget. In practice, most management companies issue invoices for improvements to the owners of apartment buildings. Repeated legal battles over payment for the improvement of land that does not belong to people have ended in verdicts on the legality of requiring owners to pay for the services of management companies. The main argument is that no one prevents residents from carrying out land surveying and registering the local area as their property. In other words, residents are forced to bear the burden of maintenance in an attempt to relieve local budgets.

Responsibilities of the management company for landscaping and landscaping

If the courtyard area is part of the common property, the management company, in accordance with the norms of Article 162 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, must monitor the local area, repair damaged elements, and also care for landscaping elements under the service agreement. At the same time, the list of her responsibilities includes:

equipment and repair of areas for children's games, sports or recreation areas;
repair of other objects located on the site;
cleaning up garbage, fallen leaves, snow and ice during the winter;
planting vegetation, caring for flower beds, lawns, and watering them.

Landscaping activities also include: pruning bushes and measures to prepare plants for winter.

Types of jobs. What specialists are involved?

The list of landscaping works depends on the seasonal factor. In winter, the janitor daily removes snow more than five centimeters thick, clears the paths, and sprinkles them with sand. In the summer, the area is swept and cleared of large debris.

A landscaping specialist takes care of the plants. He must have the appropriate qualifications and skills to work with special tools and fertilizers.

According to the standard, the landscaping plan and landscaping project must include work on cleaning the site, including the parking lot, as well as work on cleaning the territory, installing garbage cans and fences that do not interfere with travel or access to the house. Contractors may be hired to carry out some work.

Who pays for landscaping and landscaping costs at the MKD?

By law, owners must maintain order in the yard and pay for landscaping and landscaping costs. It is worth knowing that if the house is included in the federal program, the costs of improvement will be partially or fully covered by the state.

Repair work on the local area is also carried out at the expense of the owners. Current types of work include partial asphalt of the road, repair of fences and barriers, painting and repair of playgrounds and sports grounds.

Major repairs include: complete paving of the yard, landscaping, installation of sports structures and children's play areas.

To determine the cost of work, an estimate for landscaping and landscaping is drawn up, which is agreed upon by the OSS. A quorum of votes is required to approve expenditures. The estimate may include individual types of work or comprehensive landscaping.

Fences and “bricks”

Often you have to deal with the fact that the area around the apartment building is surrounded by a fence or the passages are blocked by a barrier, and sometimes by reinforced concrete blocks. How legitimate is such concern for the improvement and peace of mind of residents? In the vast majority of cases, the owners’ initiative contradicts the requirements of the law. Any change to the territory must be agreed upon with municipal authorities and architects. Installation of obstacles in the way of traffic, not agreed with the traffic police, is always illegal, and in addition to the traffic police, claims can be made by the Ministry of Emergency Situations (fire departments), public utilities (gorgaz, sewerage, water supply, solid waste removal, etc.)

Before deciding to install a fence, barrier or block, owners must coordinate their initiative with all interested services. Otherwise, you face a fine.

Programs for financing works on landscaping and landscaping of plots of land near apartment buildings

Since 2022, a federal program for the improvement of the urban environment, including local areas, has been in effect annually. At the same time, the residents themselves decide how to improve the yard.

The program operates in all cities with a population of more than 1000 people. From the federal or regional budget, driveways, sidewalks, facades and entrances can be repaired. Benches, lanterns and trash cans are being installed.

Owners have the opportunity to choose landscaping work from an additional list if they agree to pay 20% of the cost of the work. In this case, it is possible to equip children's and sports grounds, pedestrian paths, sidewalks, car parking, and even expand the courtyard passage. Landscaping the site also refers to additional work.

Owners have three options: engage in landscaping of the site themselves, delegate the work to a management company, or participate in the federal program. But first you need to study the legal documentation, draw up a landscaping plan and a landscaping project. The well-groomed territory of the apartment building with growing trees and flower beds always attracts the eye. Living in such a house is comfortable and cozy.