Autumn Walk Friendly Lawn Care Reminders

Recently you should have received a Friendly Lawn Care Reminder in the mail to clarify the maintenance responsibilities of residents.

The majority of the community keeps a beautifully landscaped yard (a huge thank you!), but there seems to be some confusion about what the HOA contract covers and what is the homeowner/resident's responsibilities.

I wish my yard looked this good

Handy Dandy Maintenance Chart

Homeowner Responsibility	HOA Landscaping Contract
Weeding of flowerbeds	Mowing (22x per year), roughly every 7-10 days
Trimming of shrubs and bushes	Edging (11x per year)
Remulching as needed (probably 1-2 times per year)	Spring Only: one-time mulching and trenching of flowerbeds
Removal and/or replacement of dead shrubs or plants	Leaf removal (3x per year)
Ensure proper drainage, correctly position splash blocks, regrade soil to slope away from house*	Fertilizer and weed control
(Optional**) Tree Trimming	Aeration and slit seeding

* Because our townhouses share common foundations, it's important that all of us ensure that our downspouts and splash blocks direct water away from the foundation. Water sitting against the foundation can wash away support and also lead to cracking during freeze-thaw cycles. 

** The street trees in front of our houses are public trees maintained on a 12-year cycle. Homeowners are encouraged to perform minor trimming to keep clearance of 12'-14' over roads and 8' over sidewalks.

---

Your Maintenance Responsibilities
In short, the HOA contract does not cover maintenance of certain items in your yard.

• On a regular ongoing basis the HOA contract covers only the Common Areas, plus mowing/edging of the residential lots. 
• There is a one-time per year Spring Clean Up in March or April when the flowerbeds are mulched and edged, but replacement mulch and weeding is a homeowner responsibility the rest of the year.
• Trimming of bushes and trees is the homeowner's responsibility.

Probably the biggest confusion comes from the Big Blue Liriope planted in many beds. When these perennials first come up after the winter they often look like weeds, which can cause us to leave true weeds in place.

Check Your Drainage
Because the landscaping contract takes care of most of our routine yardwork, many of us may not spend as much time inspecting our yards. Some things to keep an eye out for are:

• Check that downspouts are hitting the splash block and draining away from the house and its foundation at least 3 feet or more.
• Check the grade of your yard. The ground should slope away from the house so water will move away from it.
• Make sure that your gutters and downspouts are clear. If water is sheeting over the edge of the gutter it can wash away your yard and may also not be moving away from our shared foundations.

Rentals
On a different note, we welcome our residents who are renters as well and want you to participate fully in all activities in our community. You are our neighbors too!

Homeowners should note that if your unit changes over to a rental status, that you must notify Autumn Walk HOA or our CAS management company and provide your future contact information.

Big Blue Liriope