Grounds & Lakes Irrigation

Ninety-Day Assessment Update- Initial Draft

If you looked at the Technical Specifications provided in the "New Era Begins June 1st" article in the May update of this page or the Wilhelm Bros. letter to the Community in this space in August, you would be aware of the coming of a "Ninety-Day Assessment of Landscaping and Irrigation Needs" survey.

In early September, we received from Wilhelm Bros. the first draft of their report of some 50 pages with cost estimates and many photos to come.  The GLIC and WB are in process of completing the report in pre-final form for presentation to the Board.  Thereafter the final report will be made available to the Community on this website.  Concurrently, the GLIC and the Board will be fleshing out an Association plant replacement policy addressing funding, plant types and placement and priorities as initially discussed here in the 'Part 1' article in the July Update.

Crane Lake Bank Re-Landscaping

In July, we reported that the banks along Crane Lake would under-go a transformation from being over-planted mulch beds to be being re-planted with bahia grass.  All existing, except trees, was removed and the sod work completed by September 14th.  In the interim, each resident has voluntarily been spot watering the respective portion of the common area behind their dwelling.  The bahia appears to be greening up nicely and Mother Nature has helped a bit in reducing domestic water bills.  Thank you to the residents who participated.  Wilhelm Bros. is in the process of mulching around trees and Russ Hoffman, our lake doctor, is scheduled to install aquatic plants along the shoreline.

The GLIC has just recently submitted a 2008 budget request that addresses additional lake banks to be re-configured and streetscape work.

Storm-water Runoff Quality Testing

You may have seen the appearance recently of some mysterious looking green wooden sheds being planted street- side in the Community (1333 TAD and 672 CPW).  They are part of an environmental study sponsored by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) and the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program.  The study focuses on sampling the quality and quantity of the storm runoff from our landscaping.  The project is part of a larger study to evaluate the effects of storm-water runoff on the Bay.  A minimum of six rain falls will be sampled and analyzed for nitrogen and phosphorous content plus a variety of other minerals and nutrients as well as turbidity, color and conductivity levels.  The sheds that house the sampling equipment are expected to be in place for up to six months after installation.  Similar testing is being conducted at two locations in neighboring Rivendell.  We are hopeful we will measure up favorably compared to our neighbor due to our implementation of the FYN Program.  If you review our Landscaping Master Plan posted here back in May 2006 you’ll see our last Goal (#9) anticipated an attempt by one of our ‘multi-partners’ to measure quantitatively the success of FYN.  We will inform the Community when we are notified of the study results.  The study team (PBS&J) requests that if anyone observes evidence of tampering with the enclosures to please immediately contact them at (813) 281-8391.

For a complete description of the pollutant loading monitoring plan visit: www.sarasota.wateratlas.usf.edu/upload/documents/SaraCoPollLoadMonPlanFINAL03-16-07REDUCED.pdf

Re-alignment of Wilhelm Bros. Duties

I assume everyone is aware that Debbie has been Wilhelm Bros.'  Site Supervisor since their joining us on June 1st.  With the experience gained to this point, WB has initiated some adjustments to the roles of key staff.  Beth or Jeremy, both General Managers, will now be your contacts each Monday from 9:30 to 10:30 AM at the Rec. Center gazebo – holidays permitting.  Either one will help with insights and advice on your landscaping and irrigation issues and help guide the work order and scheduling process.  Debbie will continue on as SS but with expanded responsibilities to survey the entire community including the entrances and Rec. Center area for debris, trash and things out of place or not in good horticultural order; miscellaneous hand weeding and pruning as needed, inspection and treatment for pests and weeds, execute work orders and check out special problem areas/issues and instruct and work with the routine pruning crew as needed.  Vinny is the new pruning crew chief.

We repeat as in prior appeals on these pages that residents do not interrupt the day-to-day activities of the pruning crew.  If you have a landscaping or irrigation issue you are again encouraged to contact LPM by phone or email or visit the Monday gathering at the gazebo.

We thank all the Wilhelm staff for becoming a significant partner in the life of the Community.

Closing the Loop on Turnover Issues

Back in June in the GL&I Highlights report, there was a brief mention of an Association letter sent to LWH requesting funding support for removing invasive plants (Sword Fern and Ruellia/Mexican Petunia).  The letter actually asked for consideration for two items thought by the Board to be turn-over issues i.e. invasives removal and re-programming the residential irrigation clocks so as to conform to a County code dating back before Willowbend starting coming out of the ground.  In the past we have been fortunate in receiving positive responses from LWH as to corrective actions or funding reimbursement for turnover issues.  Regretfully, in this recent instance, we were denied “any further claim or request of a monetary or reimbursable nature”.  Thus the Association will take action on both these issues within this year’s budget.

If you wish to learn more about invasive plants check out the Florida Invasive Plant Education Initiative and Curriculum.

Algae Management for Pelican Lake

After extensive discussions with university professors, an aquatic researcher and a Citrus County lake manager, I am now recommending that we manage the algae on Pelican Lake by harvesting the algae once a month (rather than installing an aeration system).  Manually removing about 80% of the algae will allow us to kill most of the remaining algae with (the normal) chemical algaecides without using so much chemical that it harms the lake.

This is a labor intensive method where we push the floating algae mats to the shore where we transfer the algae from the lake to a trailer with the use of a conveyor.  The algae is then dried and finally transported to the county landscape compost facility.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like more scientific information about the aeration vs. harvesting methods.  Contact information - Russ Hoffman, office 941-488-1942/cell 941-284-0440 or russ@beautifulponds.com

Wilhelm Bros.' Florida Yards and Neighborhood Horticultural Practices
Willowbend Landscape Management Program

On June 1, 2007 Wilhelm Bros. took over the landscaping contract of the Willowbend Homeowners Association.  We are very excited by the challenge of working in one of the very few Florida Yards and Neighborhood Communities.  It has come to our attention that there are some concerns concerning our pruning methods.  To help all involved to better understand Wilhelm Bros philosophy, we have developed this letter with the intent of explaining our horticultural practices within a Florida Yards and Neighborhood Community environment.

Willowbend was developed and marketed as a Florida Yards and Neighborhood Community.  Florida Yards and Neighborhoods (FYN) is a program designed to reduce the environmental and economic impact to our state by practicing sound environmental landscaping.  FYN is based on nine principles:

• Right Plant, Right Place
• Water Efficiently
• Fertilize Appropriately
• Mulch
• Attract Wildlife
• Manage Yard Pests Responsibly
• Recycle Yard Waste
• Reduce Storm water Runoff
• Protect the Waterfront

More information is available by visiting the FYN website.

While living in a FYN community is ecologically sound and responsible, it does not mean the landscape is problem free.  Our local environment offers a variety of climates that have both beneficial and detrimental aspects.  For example, we have just experienced the last of what we hope was a long dry spell.  Hopefully we are at the onset of the long awaited wet season.  The dilemma?  Much of our drought tolerant plant material may now suffer the effects of too much water after it just made it through the opposite conditions.  One of the bigger keys to success in landscape management is to develop deep, extensive roots to withstand ALL forms of stress.

As residents you have taken the first step by buying into a community whose landscape philosophy called for the "right plant in the right place".  In turn Wilhelm Bros was hired as the horticulture professional.  We are doing our part by maintaining your plant material according to its natural habits and forms.  Pruning is a form of stress and should be kept to a minimum whenever possible.  Excessive trimming (which had been the practice of the previous contractor) can cause disease, shorten life span, create shallow root systems and influence excessive growth.  Plants have natural growth habits and patterns.  It is our intent to follow these natural patterns as much as possible in order to maintain plant health.  Most of your plant material seems to be adapting well to current conditions and with proper care will enhance the property and serve the purposes for which it is intended.

During our initial 90 days in Willowbend we will be conducting an assessment of the entire property.  This assessment will identify current problems areas as well as suggested solutions in a goal format.  For example, there are areas that have been planted too densely and areas where plant material has not done well.  There are "right plants" but in the "wrong locations".  Past landscape maintenance practices have created the wrong impression of what the landscape in a FYN setting should portray.  Your plants need to recover from some of these practices and gain back their natural habits.  The purpose of pruning is to improve health and vigor, control growth, train young plants and develop structure.  The material we work with dictates when and how we prune to achieve good health, enhance blooming, develop strong root systems and promote longevity.  During the course of the year pruning methods should change dependent upon specific goals as well as type of plant.  It should not be a constant machine hedging every pruning cycle.  This practice actually promotes unwanted growth.

Presently you may have noticed that landscape maintenance services are probably the highest cost item within Willowbend’s yearly budget.  We firmly believe that the integration of FYN practices will have a moderating affect upon possible future landscape maintenance price increases - without compromising aesthetics.  Please try to accept and enjoy the natural habits of your plant material rather that try to make it into something it is not.  It is not Wilhelm Bros intention, nor is it beneficial, to create and force growth.  Our services are about "maintaining", not pushing or forcing growth (unless it is a horticultural necessity).  Constant pruning and shaping of material beyond its natural abilities is counter-productive to the wise expenditure of your money.

Plant Replacement Issue - Part 1

In June at both a Work Shop and Board Meeting, the Directors began a dialogue about a future plant replacement policy in the Post - Sun State era.  Since developer turnover in March 2005, we have been operating under an informal understanding with Sun State that as long as they were providing landscaping and irrigations services they would provide replacement plants with unlimited warranty.  The SS bid of $149 per house-lot, regardless of size, in response to our competitive solicitation this past spring resulted in termination of their service agreement and the associated 'arrangement' on plant replacement.

By our legal documents (Covenants Para 2.04 (b)) the Association is clearly responsible to "...maintain, repair and replace as part of the common expenses: all landscaping located within the Lots, including all sod, shrubs, trees, ground cover and other landscaping and the irrigation system servicing the Lots..."  This Association responsibility is repeated as an exclusionary clause in Para 3.04, Maintenance Provisions, describing homeowner responsibilities.

As indicated in our "A New Era Begins June 1st" article in the May update on this web page, we are awaiting the results of Wilhelm Bros.  90-day Assessment Survey due in September.  This survey report is to include "...identification of dead and dying plant material".  Thereafter, the Board will decide funding availability and replacement plant types, timing, location and priorities.  In the interim, homeowners are encouraged to continue to report plant conditions by email to Lighthouse or in person at the Rec. Center gazebo on Mondays from 9:30 to 10:30 AM.

Lake Bank Reconfiguration Program: Phase 1 - Crane Lake

On July 6th, during a Special Board Meeting, approval was given for our first larger scale project to transform an over-planted and difficult to maintain lake bank into a more esthetically pleasing vista.  Based upon the GLIC's recommendations which considered the results of recent demonstration projects and the views provided by the community as a result of the last year‘s survey, the Board approved the start of a “Lake Bank Reconfiguration Program”.  This is anticipated as a multi-year strategy for the makeover, initially, of the three most seriously over-planted lakes (Heron, Eagle and Crane) in the Community.

The Phase One work will take place along the full length of the Common Area on the west bank of Crane Lake to the rear of 17 residences at a cost not exceeding $12,000.  The scope of work includes removal of all vegetation except trees, re-grade/re-fill the bank as necessary and re-plant its entirety with Bahiagrass.  The new turf will be placed from the waters edge up to meet the existing St. Augustine grass line thus entirely eliminating the present mulch beds.  This particular site was chosen due to its relatively small scale and hence its cost can be accommodated within this year's existing landscaping and irrigation budget.  Comparable work on Heron and Eagle Lakes is estimated to cost approximately $45,000 and $30,000 respectively and both will be addressed for inclusion as a Phase Two project in next year's budget.

The case for using bahia, a more acid soil-loving turf, is supported based on its apparent suitability around the full perimeter of Ibis Pond, the far or eastern bank of Crane Lake and around Sandpiper Channel on our eastern boundary - all despite the general alkalinity of the soil at those locations and throughout the community.  Further, bahia has taken well at the three-lake demo sites i.e. Heron, Eagle and Crane mentioned on this web page in March 2007.

Installing bahiagrass is collectively supported by our horticultural consultant, landscape contractor and lake doctor and by analysis of the results of the community wide lake bank survey conducted in March 2006 and summarized on this web page in May 2006.

Bahia, if left un-mowed, will grow only to a maximum of six to twelve inches and then re-seed itself.  Bahia allows unobstructed visibility of water views and provides the safety benefit of easier observation of wild life.  Bahia needs little maintenance i.e. only mowing as the adjoining St. Augustine is cut, no weeding or special irrigation and no fertilization.  It's just low profile, green, and un-complicated and a reasonable choice -given maintenance cost considerations, resident feedback and our site conditions - for this FYN community.  We hope you like the results!

Special Note to Crane Lake Homeowners: In order to give the bahia a healthy start, Crane Lake residents will be asked to actively participate in a watering program immediately upon placement of the bahia.  The irrigation system on each house lot cannot be manipulated for 'spot' watering each of the individual sections along the lake bank.  A commitment to regularly irrigate is essential to success.  A thorough watering for at least 30 minutes every other day (preferably in early morning) for two weeks after install will help insure solid establishment of a healthy root system.  Neighbors may need to help neighbors with this task.  The collective success of this neighborhood effort may be the model for residents on other lakes to be replanted with bahia in future phases.  This Phase One project will be starting by the end of August.  More information will follow.

GL&I Highlights of the June 21st Board Meeting

The Board approved resolutions:

• To fund at a cost not to exceed $20,000, the upgrade of the streetscape plantings along the full length of Copperwood Drive. Work includes installing over 500 new plants, drainage improvements, soil amendments and mulch replacement as necessary.  Project start is on/about July 7th.
• To fund approximately $20,340 for the removal of two species of invasive plants seen from all community streets on common areas and on 80 house lots. These invasives (sword fern and ruellia/Mexican petunia) approximating 1320-three gallon equivalents will be replaced with appropriate plants from the FL Plant Pallet.  A letter has been sent to LWH requesting funding support as a turnover cost reimbursement.

A New Era Begins June 1st

As previously announced on this page, June 1st is the start date for our latest adventure in landscaping and irrigation maintenance.  On this same page you’ll find a fine letter of introduction offered up by our new partner in this enterprise, Wilhelm Bros., Inc of Sarasota.  With Wilhelm’s (WBros.) entry into the community, the Board anticipates a sea change in the culture surrounding the care of our exterior grounds.  This change offers the potential for improved technical insight and advice into what sets Willowbend apart as a FYN Community.  This new partnership promises improved and more creditable communications with our homeowners, better response times to correct issues and markedly enhanced supervision and management of manpower and other resources necessary to fulfill the Technical Specifications included in Wilhelm’s Service Agreement.  Initially, our part of this new arrangement includes just two elements:  the first is, as mentioned in the FYN Primer also elsewhere on this page, not to intrude on the day-to-day activities of WBros. as they embark on their learning curve in the 'Bend and secondly make their employees feel welcome in a way that is most appropriate as the occasion arises.

As has been past practice, WBros. staff will be available for consultation at the Rec. Center gazebo on Mondays from 9:30 to 10:30 AM beginning June 4th.

In closing, the Board thanks all our residents for their patience, understanding and input into this change process.  It has been nearly two years in the making and we all earnestly hope you will be most satisfied with the results eventually to come.

Wilhelm Bros., Inc
Working with Florida’s environment since 1978

May 30, 2007

To The Residents of Willowbend:

We are pleased to have been chosen to provide the landscape and irrigation management services for your Community.  We have long been promoters of the Florida Yards and Neighborhood (FYN) program and look forward to the opportunity to work with the first community of this type in our state.

As we begin, we would ask that everyone please bear with us during the initial stages of our services as we develop a routine and learn the idiosyncrasies of the site.  It should be noted that your landscape can be a series of microclimates that will exhibit various signals, which we will interpret and respond to accordingly.  Our staff is experienced in all phases of Florida horticultural practices and what we initially don’t have an answer to, we know where to go to get one.

During the first 90 days of service we will be doing an evaluation of the site to make recommendations to your Board.  We encourage input from our clientele and if residents have any specific concerns we ask that they please contact Lighthouse Property Management at 966-6844; e-mail toddgates@mgmt.tv; or kyannemerrill@mgmt.tv or contact our staff at the gazebo on Mondays from 9:30a.m. – 10:30a.m.

As we begin, we will be gradually changing the pruning practices used in the past to a style more conducive to the long-term health and vigor of the plant material.  We will selectively trim according to natural shapes and plant function in order to provide you with a landscape that best serves your interests.  We know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and with 275 residents there will be different opinions on the end results.  We will try to deal with these issues as we become familiar with your community and attempt to find a happy medium within the confines of proper maintenance and the guidelines of the Board.

The Staff of Wilhelm Bros. Inc.

The Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program in Willowbend

A PRIMER for ALL RESIDENTS

What is the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program really all about?
FYN really means the application of Florida’s environmentally friendly guidelines when it comes to the type and care of landscape plantings.  The program encourages the use of drought tolerant, plant species that require minimum watering and fertilization and are pest resistant.  Guidelines favor mulch beds over turf grass and espouse the philosophy of “the right plant in the right place”.  This is done by specifying a precise palette of Florida-friendly plants that will have the most favorable chance of flourishing under our unique weather conditions and soil (here at the ‘Bend our soil is alkaline with pHs above 7.0).  The program and the plant palette are described in detail at the web site www.floridayards.org

Willowbend is the State’s first FYN Community and has developed a Landscaping and Irrigation Master Plan to guide and enhance the Program’s implementation.  The MP, comprising nine planning goals, is on the Grounds/Lakes/Irrigation page at our website www.willowbendosprey.com

How can residents contribute to the protection and enhancement of our exteriors i.e. house and landscaping and the surrounding environment?
A good place to start is with Paragraphs 1.0 and 2.0 of your February 15, 2007 Rules and Regulations.  There you’ll find a description of the controls on exterior house appearance and guidance on how to request alterations to your exterior grounds, restrictions on irrigation water usage, limits on types and sources of plant materials and information on yard ornaments and their potential for becoming hazardous flying objects during heavy winds.

Another good reference is the FAQ page on our community website.  There you’ll find answers to questions about what to do and who to contact if you have landscaping and irrigation issues and further insights on how the Board controls dwelling exteriors.  Also, environmentally aware homeowners should be cognizant that whatever may run off their house lot has the potential of impacting our near-by bay waters.  This is a concern because run-off - be it from rainfall, irrigation, fertilizer, herbicide and pesticide applications, washing a vehicle or power washing any impervious surface on your lot etc. - can leach into ground water or courses into a near-by storm water retention structure, then flows through our neighbor, Oscar Scherer State Park, into South Creek and lastly into Dryman Bay.

A Continuing Cautionary Message — In Two Parts. First, We ask all residents, please do not interrupt the day-to-day activities of any Association contracted personnel.  Especially, we request residents to resist the temptation to influence the landscaping and irrigation crews who are tasked to stay on a daily routine maintenance schedule or are working on specific work orders.  They have been counseled to demur - politely - from such interference.  If you have immediate issues related to on-going contractor work contact our Property Manager’s office or an appropriate Board or committee member.

Second, tampering with the irrigation control box on your dwelling or any associated equipment does a disservice to all other homeowners who are abiding by their individual irrigation schedules.  County imposed restrictions directly influence water usage and infractions by residents are subject to Association fines and related contractor costs as mentioned in Para. 2.2 of the Rules and Regs.

Mulching Tips.  To maximize the effectiveness of the mulch throughout the community, you can - at your choosing - take the following actions on your house lot:  rake existing mulch back two to three inches from contact with tree trunks and shrub stems and eliminate mounding at the base of vegetation;  break up matted layers of old mulch;  rake excessively thick mulch layers back to grade level especially between houses lots;  lightly scarify the soil at bare spots usually found in high run-off areas e.g. in the swales (the low grade line) between house lots to enhance adhesion of the mulch.

For those inclined to do a little touch-up throughout the year on a self-help basis what you should buy is a melaleuca based product under the trade name, FloriMulch, as manufactured by Forestry Resources, Inc. of Ft. Myers, FL., sized in 2 Cu. Ft. bags.  Melaleuca was applied in Willowbend because beyond the usual weed suppression and moisture retention characteristics of most organic mulches, it offers low susceptibility to termites, good stability in place, color retention, slow decomposition and is harvested from invasive plant materials.

Florida Friendly Plant List for 2006.  You can order a FREE copy of the “Guide to Florida-Friendly Landscaping” which includes the “Florida-Friendly Plant List for 2006” by accessing www.watermatters.org or www.floridayards.org

Other Information Sources.

www.sarasota.extension.ufl.edu ...at Twin Lakes Park, east off I-75 at 6700 Clark Road for a host of FYN and environmental friendly information on-line and on-site.

• www.extension.worldispnetwork.com/FYN/fyn9.html to view a six minute FYN video and learn about the nine FYN principles.
• http://hort.ufl.edu/fyn ...UFL’s site to download the free guide mentioned above and access related FYN info.
• www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/yards ...The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s website for publications and educational materials.
• http://ipm.ifas.ufl.edu ...for Integrated Pest Management information relating to pest control.
• The Florida House Learning Center at 4600 Beneva Rd. South, Sarasota, Tele. 941-861-9851 ...a model home and landscape featuring environmentally friendly materials and methods to support a more sustainable lifestyle.

Landscaping and Irrigations Services Contract Award

At the April 19, 2007 Board Meeting, the Landscaping and Irrigation Services Contract Work Group (WG) culminated a year long effort by recommending award of the maintenance services contract to Wilhelm Bros. Inc. of Sarasota.

The Board approved the recommendation for a bid amount of $372,000 annually.

The WG's recommendation and the subsequent Board approval were based on Wilhelm's over 25 years experience in the business, being the only contractor of the three lowest bidders with FYN Program experience, the findings of the WG's reference checks, the company's management philosophy, its awareness of the Integrated Pest Management provisions of the contract, its best long term vision for Willowbend, the personal presentation of the Principal, Mike Wilhelm, during his interview with the WG, the unanimous consensus of the WG's individual interview evaluations of all five bidders and finally, the offer of a reasonable total dollar cost.

Wilhelm's monthly cost breakdown by house lot size is $83 for a Villa, $98 for a Club home and $109 for an Executive home and for the Common Areas $21 monthly.  This compares to $70, $80, $90 and $9, respectively, for Sun State's current contracted service.  The Board also approved a recommendation to underwrite the additional cost of this contract award for the remainder of the calendar year within existing budget allocations - meaning there will be no increase in Association fees related to this contract award in 2007.

Wilhelm Bros. will commence work at Willowbend on the effective date of the new contract, Friday June 1st, the day after the termination of the Sun State contract.

Overall, this effort is the end result of a 22 month process encompassing the formation of the (then) Grounds and Lakes Committee in the summer of 2005, the subsequent learning curve regarding homeowner experiences/expectations and the concept and implementation of the FYN Program, hiring a horticultural consultant to contribute the technical portions of the specifications that the WG began writing in the summer of 2006, and finally the recent bid solicitation, interviewing and contractor selection process.

On behalf of the Association, I wish to thank members of the WG - Dutch Leonard, Stu Lambert and Jean Malkasian- all members of the GLIC - for their outstanding contributions to this effort.

Our Street Scapes and Lake Bank Demonstration Projects

As requested at the Annual Meeting, the locations of our recent demonstration projects are:

Streetscapes (common areas between the street and the sidewalk)

the corner or Habitat Boulevard and Thornapple Drive

525 Luminary Boulevard

1330 Thornapple Drive

Lake Banks

678 Crane Prairie Way

1338 Thornapple Drive

529 Luminary Blvd

The Lake Bank Demo areas can be viewed from nearby common areas.  If you contact your neighbors involved in the Lake Bank demo I am sure they will accommodate any requests for viewing at their convenience.

Summary of Activities – 2006:

Following is a year-end retrospective of the highlights of this past year’s activities of the GLIC.  The Committee usually meets on the fourth Friday of each month.  Notices of meetings are posted on the Committee bulletin board at the Recreational Center.  We encourage residents to join as volunteers.

• Sarasota County Neighborhood Grant request to jointly fund establishment of www.willowbendosprey.com website submitted in February and approved in April
• Community wide lake bank survey conducted in March and results presented to Board in April and May
• Draft Landscaping and Irrigation Master Plan offering nine priority Planning Goals first published in May and received final Board approval in August
• Offer from First America Bank to donate two live oak trees was accepted and trees were successfully transplanted in the Spring on the west bank of Ibis Pond behind the Recreational Center
• Significant improvements instituted to improve water well reliability by contracting for regular preventative maintenance services and instituting in-house volunteer daily surveillance procedures – all contributing to significant future cost savings
• Installed rain sensors on both wells to conserve irrigation water; installed filters to improve water quality by removing sediment throughout the irrigation distribution system and thus lengthening its lifespan at substantial cost savings
• Several thousand feet of drip irrigation line submerged in the lakes and resulting in direct loss of irrigation water, were removed in August.  Excessive lake levels reduce the effectiveness of the community-wide storm water drainage system
• Specifications to mulch the entire community for the first time finalized in March and work was executed in September/October; mulching tips published to guide homeowners on how to voluntarily prepare and maintain mulch beds before and between community-wide applications
• Instituted weekly meetings among GLIC Chairperson, Property Manager and Sun State representative to review progress of work tasks and status of outstanding work orders; Board President meets monthly with all the people above plus the Sun State Site Manager; over 350 work orders processed through the year
• Numerous actions taken throughout year to improve water quality and aquatic plant conditions in all eight lakes
• Replaced, under warranty, approximately 140 defective irrigation control boxes in May thru July
• Committee members assigned geographical “Street Mayor” responsibilities to identify landscaping and irrigation issues in common areas for correction or improvement in their respective areas of the community
• Work Group comprised of selected committee members, the Property Manager, horticultural consultant and two Board Directors established mid-year to write bid specification for contracting all community landscaping and irrigation services; draft first presented to board in November and approved subject to legal review
• Committee’s Florida Yards and Neighborhood (FYN) Program and technical knowledge bases were expanded via numerous plant nursery field trips, guest speakers and attendance at County Extension Service educational offerings
• Received Board approval in November to conduct six landscaping demonstration projects - one on each of three different lake banks and one at each of three “streetscape” locations in common areas between sidewalks and streets
• Throughout the year 37 Architectural Change Request (ACR) forms were processed by GLIC
• GLIC was authorized an annual budget in November and thus became a statutory committee as of January 1, 2007

Florida Friendly Plant List for 2006

Did you know that by going to www.watermatters.org or www.floridayards.org you can order a FREE copy of their “Guide to Florida-Friendly Landscaping” which includes the Florida-Friendly Plant List for 2006.

Mulching Tips:

Based on a July Board decision, all house lots and common areas excepting the lake banks, the annual plant beds and the tot lot will now be re-mulched starting on Monday, September 11th.  Hopefully you have seen the two demonstration locations near the Recreational Center where the new product we will be applying – FloriMulch - has been in place for several months.  In March 2006, a competitive bid specification attracted four bidders.  The spec called for a final uniform mulch bed depth-comprising both the existing and new layers to be between three and four inches.  Southeast Spreading Company will execute the work using a 13-person crew in 16 workdays at an approximate cost of $120,000.

Sun State, in addition to its normal schedule, will undertake a concentrated weeding effort just prior to start of the mulching.  In the interest of maximizing the benefits of the re-mulching, we offer some suggested preparatory actions that are worthy of implementation at homeowner discretion.  The first are strongly encouraged:

• Clean up debris and remove all foreign objects e.g. spare bricks and roof tiles, lawn chairs, garden hoses, plant pots, stepping stones/pavers etc.—anything sitting on bare ground or old mulch.
• Uncover all your Sentricon termite clean-outs (the green circular covers), pool clean outs, A/C condensation drains, any other ground fixtures etc. The contractor is required not to cover them with new mulch.
• Either just before or just after the new mulch is applied, give the soil a good soaking where you have especially valued plantings.

The following actions are at your choosing:

• Rake existing mulch back one to two inches from contact with tree trunks and shrub stems and eliminate mounding at the base of vegetation (the contractor is required not to place mulch against the bases of plantings).
• Break up matted layers of old mulch and spread to grade level.
• Rake excessively thick layers of old mulch back to grade level especially between houses lots.
• Lightly scarify the soil at bare spots usually found in high run-off areas e.g. in the swales (the low grade line) between house lots to enhance adhesion of the new mulch.

PLEASE do not interfere with the contractor's activities on your house lot or in the common areas.  If you have a question or concern contact a member of the Grounds, Lakes and Irrigation (GLIC) Committee or Lighthouse Property Management.

Landscaping Problems: A Thorn in Your Side?:

If you discover a problem with your landscaping or irrigation, please email or call our Property Manager, Todd Gates, at Lighthouse Property Management (toddg@lhmrealty.com or 941-966-6844 - ext 307) or his able assistant Kyanne Merrill (kyannem@lhmrealty.com or ext 305).  Direct contact with Willowbend’s property management office will lead to the quickest resolution of your issue.

Lighthouse maintains a log of work orders that allows tracking of a specific work order to assure actions have been taken.  While we do not wish to discourage homeowners from speaking with the Sun State representative on Monday mornings, from 9:30 to 10.30 AM (note revised time), at the Gazebo adjacent to the Recreational Center) doing so may not result in a easily traceable work order.  Routing your complaint via a member of the Grounds, Lakes and Irrigation Committee will probably also result in a delay to eventual resolution.  Again, the most efficient reporting mechanism is for the homeowner to directly contact Lighthouse Management and provide a detailed description of the problem.  Then follow up from there with them.

Lake Breaking News

We wish to thank homeowners who were recently inconvenienced due to the pumping of our lakes.  It was necessary to lower the water levels to meet Sarasota County's mandate of introducing aquatic plantings on the littoral shelves.  These plantings will play a role in the control of algae.  The littoral zone needs time for the water lilies to spread and cover the shallow areas.  As the plants shade the bottom, the water will cool and the algae will dissipate due to a lack of sunlight.  This is a slow process, but the plants are doing very well.  The lakes are going through growing pains.  We will keep working to kill the algae, but the long-term solution has been implemented - adding plants to cool the water and reduce sunlight.

The water control structures for each lake are designed to slowly release water during light to average rain and quickly release water during heavy rainfalls.  The entire system is designed to prevent flooding during the proverbial 100-year flood. While lake levels may seem high, the water control structures are working well.

Recently, the Board approved removal of excess netafim from the lake banks.  The contractor will also remove any netafim actually in the water.  This action will hopefully yield significant savings in Willowbend's water usage.  The program is scheduled to commence during July.

Pumping of Eagle, Owl and Pelican Lakes

We would like to apologize to residents living on Eagle, Pelican and Owl Lakes.  Over the next several days (week beginning June 5) we will be pumping water from these lakes to lower the water level in order that we can meet the County's mandate of placing appropriate plantings on the littoral shelves.  These aquatic plantings will also play a role in the control of algae.

The intention is that the draining pump will run for several days at a time from (approximately) 9.00 AM to 5.30 PM.

We apologize for any inconvenience but this is a case where we might have to experience a little bit of noise in the short term in order to provide a long term solution to our algae problem.

VISION STATEMENT

The image of Willowbend should be the product of a multitude of decisions leading to a long-range strategy aimed at developing an identity of quality and excellence.  This strategy, involving a variety of partners, must consider the physical features that contribute to the maintenance and enhancement of homeowner property values and that advance the quality of life of community residents.  A number of Goals have been identified for incorporation into a Landscaping Master Plan.  These goals are designed to create a sense of pride - based on care and attention to our surroundings - that will clearly mark Willowbend as a community of distinction.

OVER-ARCHING GOAL

To undertake a phased, multi-partnered effort to modify the implementation of the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program in Willowbend with the goal of maximizing homeowner satisfaction with the landscaping throughout the community while sustaining the overall spirit and intent of the program.

PLANNING GOALS

Priority

1. Improve contractual delivery of landscaping and irrigation services.
2. Modify and enhance community streetscapes.
3. Upgrade the drip irrigation system to maximize service life.
4. Identify and implement landscaping modifications to perimeter walls and lake banks.
5. Improve water well reliability.
6. Enhance the appearance of entrances and buffer areas - i.e. sense of arrival improvements.
7. Create a large tree management plan.
8. Formalize a community FYN education program to include an updated plant pallet.
9. Measure success: create a methodology to quantitatively evaluate the FYN program.

Protect your Netafim!

If you know you are getting a dead plant replaced or getting a new plant installed (thanks for getting Board approval), here's a tip to protect your drip irrigation line (the brown tubing called netafim) from damage by the Sun State installers.  If you don’t care to do it yourself, try to insure that the installers rake or scrape the mulch well away from the intended spot so that the netafim in the area is exposed.  After installation, make sure the mulch is raked back into place - no closer than 1-2 inches from the stem or trunk.  There have been a number of incidents where the netafim has been inadvertently cut in the process of replacing/installing a plant causing a preventable irrigation problem.  Remember to give your new plant extra water after it is installed until it becomes established.

Who to Contact with Your Issue:

A reminder - landscaping and irrigation issues should not be called in directly to Sun State in Parrish.  A local call or e-mail to our Property Manager, Todd Gates at 941-966-6844 - ext 307 or toddg@lhmrealty.com is the very best way to get the proper early attention and tracking of a work order related to your issue.

TO MULCH OR NOT TO MULCH?  PART 2.

In Part 1, your February ‘06 Newsletter indicated that the prior Board in December ‘05 decided to delay mulching until this spring.  This decision was based mainly on there being insufficient year-end funds to re-mulch the entire community, full build-out had not been reached so as to achieve a uniform mulch appearance throughout and a different type of mulch (a melaleuca based material- trade named Florimulch) was being considered.

In the meantime a competitive bid specification was issued in early March and three bids ranging from $119,865 to $203,777 were received by the end of March.  The lowest bid exceeded the year’s budget by about $7,500 so action had to be delayed until the Board’s April meeting.

As many of you recall, our last re-mulching was done in April 2005 but we have recently learned that it is common practice in this region for annual re-mulching to be done in the November timeframe.  This is primarily for two reasons: first, it’s at the end of the growing season and landscaping firms are better able to apply man power to the work and second, it’s the end of the rainy season and the material has time to ‘set‘ before the next wet season.  And there is maybe a third that I hear whispered around the neighborhood –it looks good for the year-end holidays.

So with the delay to sort out the funding and in deference to local common practice, the Board decided at its April 20th meeting to break the April cycle and undertake a November full application of mulch and repeat that cycle in subsequent years.

LAKE BANK SURVEY RESULTS  [Options Excel / PDF] [Total Overview Excel / PDF]

After 150 responses were received (Thank You!) and tallied, they were presented at the April 20th Board meeting and underwent extensive discussion.  The decision of the Directors was to authorize Mark Malkasian to approach our horticultural consultant, Mike Holsinger, to begin an effort to price out the first three options on two of our eight lakes as “representative” of costs to be considered as part of future decisions/actions.

IRRIGATION UPDATE

In the April President's Message there was a mention that something was quite wrong with the time clocks that control house irrigation.  Well-- suspicions confirmed!  But the good news is that Sun State has, due to much encouragement from our Irrigation Committee, wrought an agreement with the manufacturer, Hunter Industries Inc., to replace clocks on ALL house lots.  The new units come with two-year warranties.  Sun State has so far replaced nearly 50% of the clocks and is at the same time verifying that your schedule is properly programmed.  Also, at our request, they are installing 9-volt batteries to cover two issues:  first, the batteries will extend the service life of the internal memory circuit in cases of power outages and also minimize the worry about the GFI breaker being tripped while the resident is away for an extensive period.  This concern as described also in the April newsletter by the Irrigation Committee addressed the connection between a tripped GFI circuit and the resulting power shut-off to the clock.  Now with battery back up, the clock memory is extended and power is available to activate your irrigation on schedule.  These 9-volt batteries will be replaced next February and yearly thereafter.

TAMPERING WITH IRRIGATIONS CLOCKS

Considering the implications of the clock replacement effort, it is worth reminding all of a policy, first published in June 2004 by the Developer and restated in our Rules and Regulations (Para. 2(c)) that irrigation boxes or any other associated equipment are NOT to be tampered with by residents.  Homeowner infractions are subject to $100 fines and may include any related repair costs.

WORTH REPEATING FROM PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS

• PLEASE  do not interrupt the day-to-day activities of the grounds or irrigation crews who are tasked to stay on a daily routine maintenance schedule or are working off of specific work orders.
• IRRIGATION PIPE.  On each house lot there should be a black bubbler pipe at the base of each tree.  Scratch around and uncover the white coupling at the hose end and insure the black end cap is open and water is flowing when your system kicks on twice each week.  ‘Open’ means a one-quarter turn from the fully closed position of the black end piece.  Check periodically since debris can slowly choke off the hose end.  If you find missing/damaged hoses or hose ends please notify Lighthouse Management by phone (966-6844 x305 for Kyanne or x307 for Todd) or email (kyannem@lhmrealty.com).
• DIRECT CONTACT WITH SUN STATE.  If you have an issue regarding landscaping or irrigation on your lot you can meet with a Sun State representative at the Recreational Center gazebo on Monday mornings from 9:30 to 11:00 AM.  Should this time not be convenient then you can “deputize” a fellow homeowner - in writing - to speak on your behalf.  Alternately use the phone or email contact info above.
• DRAINING SWIMMING POOLS AND HOT TUBS.  It is suggested that home owners drain excess water from pools and tubs by running a hose from the valve at the base of the pool filter housing along the swale between house lots to a street gutter or as preferred by our Lake Doctor, the grassy or mulched area near a lake bank if available.  The “quick purge” method of removing the filter housing and turning the pump motor on, usually favored by pool service personnel, can lead to soil or bark mulch erosion in the swale, scouring around and under the pool equipment pad and the house foundation and drowning of vegetation.  Further, the impact on our landscaping and the underground aquifer is unknown when creating a sudden and very localized flood containing chemically treated water.  Realizing that pool service techs are quick-in/quick-out people, we appeal to our homeowners to self-drain by employing the “slow drain” method where a hose is used.  This technique is helpful in conserving water by recharging our storm water retention systems and protecting our environment and landscaping features.

As a last bit of advice, there is no absolute reason to worry about a full or overflowing pool or tub since your pool deck is designed to handle any overflow.  But for those who are absent from their home for an extended period of time, whether or not you leave the care of your pool in the hands of a pool service, turn off the valve to the skimmer.  That way if the water level falls below the skimmer, which can be harmful to the pool equipment, it's not a problem.  In any case tell your pool service not to worry about water levels.  When you return, then and thereafter, employ the hose method, if needed.