Landscape

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The landscape crew has been asked to blow out flower beds on the Tuesday and Wednesday mowing days since they have not been mulched. They have also been asked to set the mower blades at the highest level to help maintain moisture in the grass. As expected for this time of year, we’ve had more requests from residents that their irrigation system be repaired.

It is important to understand that Horizon provided our mulch last year and we were expecting them to do the same this year. Unfortunately, the owner did not tell us until the end of January that he did not have a crew available to do mulch.  He suggested we use Texas Mulch Masters (TMM) as they have used Horizon for other properties.  Horizon offered to manage our mulch project for 15% of the project cost, but we rejected their offer, choosing to save the money by managing it ourselves.

Mulch has not been provided to un-mulched yards in three weeks.  In a conversation with the owner of Texas Mulch Masters (TMM) we were advised that they have had maintenance issues with several trucks and therefore are behind schedule on major long-term customers.  They need to get caught up before they can resume mulching our area.  Unfortunately, they don’t expect to start back up until May 9.  

Our cost for mulch from TMM is $45 per cubic yard.  This includes mulch, delivery, and spreading.  Comparable mulch would cost $35 to $40 per cubic yard.  We would then have to hire someone to deliver the mulch and then hire a crew to spread it.  The combined cost of these items could be as much as $65 to $70 per cubic yard.  So far, mulch has been spread on approximately half of our homes, requiring 770 yards.  If we changed to another vendor (if we could find one) and our cost would increase by $20 a yard; we would spend an additional $15,000 to get the mulch now over and above the cost if we wait.  All Board members agree it makes sense to wait, plus the mulch from a different vendor would not be the same quality as has already been spread.  

New landscape has been installed in the front beds at the Clubhouse and around the pool. We have received a lot of positive comments.  Hibiscus and Plumbago were installed in the pool area.  The Bougainvillea hanging from the pergola are starting to add color.  All plants in the front and back have been fertilized and will continue to be fertilized every six weeks to maintain the look we all want and enjoy.

We had new pathways installed from the street to the Clubhouse parking lot in front of the Clubhouse, and all are useable.  However, we still have a lot of work to do before everything is finished.  Dirt piles need to be removed, reducing the slope of land on each side of the pathways, and this should be done soon.  To reduce runoff and help stabilize the soil, we are planning to put an 8-10” strip of bull rock adjacent to the pathways. Next to the bull rock we will plant monkey grass to improve the looks and to add additional stabilization of the soil.  

For safety purposes, we plan to have lights installed to illuminate the new pathways which lead from the street to the parking lot.  We also plan to paint a two-foot strip from the curb to create a walking space for residents to access the pathways and we will also mark the individual parking spaces.  Additionally, we will place a sign there to indicate that the right lane is for “thru traffic.”

Option To Decline Front Yard Services

Maintaining front yards of 437 homes to the same standard is a challenge. The service includes mowing, edging, and blowing of front yards. However, some residents want to modify what the yard crew does in their yard, e.g., some want certain areas maintained with only a Weed Eater, others do not want a Weed Eater in their yard, others want their driveway edged only with a Weed Eater, others want their yard blown off but not their beds, etc. Trying to satisfy different individual requests has become a burden. We can’t provide concierge mowing services to 437 homes for many reasons: people on the yard crews change, occupants of homes change, and determining who wants what is time consuming and does not result in good time or money management.

In checking with other HOAs, all yards are done the same way with no modifications. The Board discussed this issue and has decided residents have three options: have their front yard mowed, edged, and blown with no modifications, have their front yard mowed and edged without the beds being blown, or decline yard service and maintain the front yard themselves.

If you want to decline the HOA-provided front yard lawn services of mowing, edging, and blowing and provide these yourself, you need to sign a Declination of Front Yard Mowing Services form, available at the Clubhouse.

You are NOT declining ANY other service provided by the HOA. You can request services resume at any point by contacting the Clubhouse. Your HOA dues will remain the same.