Solid Waste Servcies At-A-Glance

Information from Fort Worth Code Compliance on the Solid Waste Services.  

You can report missed pickups within 24 hours after your pick up day.  

Their contact is 817-392-1234

or visit fortworthtexas.gov/solidwaste/.

Motion Censored Lights

It was suggested to the board that we wave the fee for home improvement applications, specifically for motion sensored lights on the front of the garage, to help improve security in the neighborhood.  We've reviewed this request and think it's a great idea.  The ACC Request Form can be found on the Forms page HERE.  From now until the end of February, applications can be submitted for lights on the front of the garage with no fee. The lights can be motion censored or non-motion censored.  No other improvements can be added to the form if you want the fee waved.  The installation can happen after this timeline but the application will have to be submitted before February 28.  After March 1, the application fee will be required for this type of improvement.

Look for ideas?  Here are some censored light ideas:

 

3/30/2015 Update - There is a type-o correction with sensor versus censored.  This post is about motion sensor lights, of course, and not about lights that censor your motion.  :)  We apologize for any confusion.

Annual Meeting 2014

Our annual meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 17 at 6:00 PM at 7421 Howling Coyote Ln.  Please bring your own chairs.  Please attend!

The 4-1-1 on Texas Turfs

Maintaining a healthy green yard can be tricky in Texas, however, there are several resources available online to help take the guess work out if it.  Dead zones are not going to spring back to life without some intervention and not one type of grass is going to work for all neighborhoods. 

Below are links to help provide more information on the types of grasses used in warm weather states.  Each one has their pros and cons - for example some are better for the shade while others are better in high traffic areas.  Selecting the right type of grass for your home is only the start - regular maintenance such as spot treating and reseeding will also help continue to keep your yard looking healthy and green.

"Turf Answers For You" (AggieTurf, Texas A&M)

"Building a Lawn Worthy of the North Texas Heat"  (SMU, June 25, 2012)

"Warm Season Grasses" (american-lawns.com)

"Best Lawn Grass Seed for Texas" (Outsidepride.com)

Tips for Planting New Trees

Need help watering your new tree?

An irrigation bag may be the solution you're looking for!

If you are replacing a dead or missing tree then an irrigation bag might be helpful to you.  This is one solution for watering your tree until the roots build up enough to support itself.  Regular watering is important and it's not enough to leave it to the sprinkler systems.  New trees need to be watered once or twice every day for the first few months.  However, with an irrigation bag, watering is reduced to once or twice per week! 

When you purchase your tree, check to see if there is a replacement policy or guarantee - this will be helpful in the event that the tree doesn't make it and will need to be replaced again.  If you purchase your tree from a tree farm, they can also provide helpful tips to maintain a healthy tree.  

Converting PDF

We have the CC&Rs in PDF format and would like to post them on this blog, however, we lack the software to do so.  Is there a neighborhood member that has the ability to convert a PDF to text that can help out?  If so, please contact us with your phone and property address. 

Yard Maintenance - We're Listening

We've heard your concerns and understand there are problems with our current yard maintenance services.  When many of us purchased our homes, we were informed through Beazer that the entire front yard was taken care of by the HOA.  However, at the time Beazer handed over the association to the Bord of Directors (BOD) we noticed that the contract for yard maintenance did not include all that they promised.  What was included was grass mowing, edging and occasional hedge trimming. 

A few years ago we recontracted with Sunspot to include more services for yard maintenance.  We were able to include services such as fertilizer and weed killer applications, cleaning out the creek, trimming the trees and weed removal.  It wasn't everything that Beazer promised but it was much more than what was set up. 

The problem that we see now is that some of these services may be sporadic or not effective.  We are again reviewing the contract and figuring out what our options are.  We are looking for what is practical, what works and also what the cost will be for those services.  We may remove some services or we may add some services.  If you have any input, we encourage you to send us your comments and/or attend the next HOA BOD meeting.  Also, if there are services that are missed that you feel should have been completed for your yard, please contact Sunspot so they can come out for yard maintenance.

With all of this is mind, PLEASE NOTE, that it is ultimately the homeowner's responsibility to keep the yards in a respectable manner and to abide by the HOA rules and regulations.

Sincerely,
BOD