Landscaping

Mowing and Herbicide Update

Landscaping / By

09/25/2024

No mowing on 09/26, as the grass is still trying to recover from ~6 weeks of “no rain”.

Additional herbicide will be put down tomorrow, as weeds love rain. A product called Drive XLR8 is being used to combat crabgrass.

As always, try to keep your pets off the grass for a few hours after the application in your area, just to be safe.

In addition, an “organic Greener” is being tested in the large area (previously sodded North side) on Belle Vista.

Spraying Herbicide for Crabgrass

Landscaping / By

09/03/2024

Please be advised that our landscaper will be spraying a herbicide throughout the property tomorrow. (09/04/2024) Please stay off the sprayed area until it is completely dry. Generally 2 or 3 hours after it is applied.

More Weed Control

Landscaping / By

07/11/2024

Paused watering Friday due to more weed control operations. The mid-summer surge in weeds is upon us. As always, take precautions around herbicides.

Grubs Prevention

Landscaping / By

06/30/2024

Scheduled for first week in July. Although minimal risk, be careful with pets.As always, take precautions around landscaping operations.

Fall Cleanup

Landscaping / By

12/07/2023 Due to the snow last week, the Landscaper’s Fall Cleanup was delayed and rescheduled for either today or tomorrow. 

If you have placed Holiday decorations/cords/whatever in the HOA Common Areas, they are potentially in harm’s way. I advise to move them until the Landscapers work is complete. While they will be careful, as they always are, there is no guarantee they will see everything. 

Please be advised, the HOA and Landscapers are NOT responsible for any damage to resident items placed in the HOA Common Areas.  

Landscaping Watering Schedule

Landscaping / By

05/25/2023

WE ARE IN A DROUGHT, watering is being adjusted weekly.

Solara, Balboa – M-W-Sa – Zones=1-9, Sun, Tues, Fri – Zones=10-19, , Start=4:00am

Coral Gables, Borego, Bella Vista – M-W-Sa – Zones=1-15, Su-Tu-F – Zones=16-31, Start=4:00am 

Mandalay M-W-Sa – Zones= 1-11, Su-Tu-F- Zones=12-20, Start=4:00am 

Start times for Zones will vary based on the “seasonal adjustment percentages” of watering times. We water less in the spring and fall, and more in a drought (which we are in as of May).

Status

General, Landscaping / By

10/17/2022

Reminder: HOA Annual Meeting is Wednesday October 26th at 7:00 at the Clubhouse. This is a recap and status of the year/4th quarter. 

Reminder: HOA Election is Thursday October 27th 6:00PM – 8:00PM at the Clubhouse vote. Candidates are current Treasurer Don Wittmer, current Secretary Lela LaHa and Mike Hohlman. Please refer to previous email/posting for election and voting details. Ballots were sent via email and posted on the website for Early voting. If you can’t get a ballot from either of those places, let me know and I will drop one off. Please vote.

Landscaping: Landscaping work is about done for the year. You may see them out and about performing Fall cleanup and various minor tasks. Various seed blankets have been put down to help with grass growth in difficult areas. More seeding is planned for spring, depending on budget. 

Private to Public Road: Paused until Hartz is out of Bella Vista. Note the current “tear up” of the parking lot at the Clubhouse by the Gas company, water to follow! Active builder construction damages roads, parkways, etc. As stated previously, the HOA Board will not approach the Mayor or City Planners again until the HOA Board has total control of Balboa Circle (which we do not have yet). The “Private Roads to Public” committee has gathered a bunch of information in preparation for this undertaking. The entire HOA Board fully supports this undertaking, at the appropriate time. 

Street Lights Out on Bella Vista Blvd: ComEd has been called. There is no power to those lights. Don Wittmer has a work order from ComEd. No timeframe for ComEd resolution.

Coyotes: They seem to be back. Stay away, carry a big stick, use good judgment and be careful. 

Boo#ffet: Come and enjoy the food, neighbors and have some fun. Contact Lela LaHa for details. 

Note:  If you have neighbors that do not get HOA emails, please let us know. We don’t know “who they are” unless we are told. Thanks. 

Note: There has been some reports of rumors or “incorrect information” being disseminated. Please, if you have questions or concerns regarding Bella Vista matters, please contact the HOA Board. Thanks. 

Landscaping

Landscaping / By

09/23/1956

1. Bush Trimming is completed. There will be some more “fall cleanup” later on. 

2. The White Flag Areas “to be addressed this year” have been selected. We could not afford to address all areas. There will be a lot of dirt and seed nets applied to the areas to improve grass quality in the coming weeks. As explained previously, we have a “dirt quantity/quality” problem in many areas of Bella Vista, hence the lack of grass and many weeds. We are attempting to address that problem with this project. Unfortunately, we will not be able to make everybody happy this year.

3. All sprinkler systems are turned off.

Landscaping Policy Updated

Landscaping / By

06-22-2022

Minor updates were made to the Landscaping Policy found in Documents regarding “responsibility for lights and whatever in mulch areas”. Any items placed in the mulch by residents are “at their own risk”. Landscapers and the HOA are not responsible for damages to these items, accidents may (and do) happen.

Trimming

Landscaping / By

06-20-2022

Trimming is happening. The landscapers will do their best to trim bushes properly, however if you have exotic plants or bonsai trees, that may not end well. Please be conservative with your “mulch plant” selections and get them approved BEFORE planting. Thank you.

Watering Schedule 2022

Landscaping / By

05-11-2022

Coral Gables – Borego – Zones 1 -15 – Monday, Wednesday, Saturday 4:00am to 11:00ish

Borego / Bella Vista – Zones 16 – 31 Sunday, Tuesday, Friday 4:00am to 11:00ish

Mandalay – – Zones 1 -15 – Monday, Wednesday, Saturday 4:00am to 11:00ish

Mandalay – Zones 16- 25 – Sunday, Tuesday, Friday 4:00am to 11:00ish

Solara – Zones 1 -9 – Monday, Wednesday, Saturday 4:00am to 9:00ish

Balboa – Zones 10 – 18 Sunday, Tuesday, Friday 4:00am to 9:00ish

Note: There may be extended watering times for certain zones (normally sodded areas) during drought conditions.

If you need to know your townhouse’s zone numbers and times (although times may change as we react to watering needs), let the HOA board know and we can investigate.

Mulch Edging and Aeration Issues

Landscaping / By

04-23-2022

MULCH EDGING:The Landscapers will be cutting the edges on the Mulch beds relatively soon (no exact date yet). In order to make this as painless as possible for Xfinity and AT&T customers, the HOA suggests you mark where your line comes in from the grass to the mulch bed with a very visible stake/whatever. If you need a stake, let me know as those short white stakes (that some residents are rumored to use as target practice) are perfect. The HOA has 20 or 30 (I lost count), so If you want one, let me know (offer good until I run out). If you need help, let me know.
AERATION:The recent Aeration caused about 6 or 7 residents pain and suffering as Xfinity and AT&T are supposed to bury their cables at least 6 inches deep, but they DO NOT. Our aeration cores measure maximum 3 inches, so no lines should have been cut, as 3 is less than 6, even these days. Unfortunately, the story (direct from a AT&T guy) is that they “contract out” the “bury job” and routinely bury lines 1-3 inches deep, costing AT&T millions of dollars a year to rebury lines. If your line isn’t buried yet, please tell them to bury yours deep!