Announcements

This is a friendly reminder that per your covenants in Article III Section 3.22, any signs besides "For Sale" signs are prohibited. This includes signs such as the ones lawn care companies use following a service or lawn applications.

The board is aware of the lawn quality issues in the common areas and is making some much-needed changes. The builder had previously opted for a more affordable option that only included mowing. This is why you are seeing so many weeds and the lack of proper lawn and landscape quality. The board is adding a full treatment program along with other changes that will bring the lawn up to the standard it should be.

Your board has also decided that following this growing season, they will begin requiring the same for homeowner's lawns in the neighborhood. This will give everyone plenty of time to bring their lawn up to the quality it should be and will make a huge difference in both aesthetics and home values. 

Your covenants already state that lawns should be weed-free. However, the builder only chose to enforce consistent mowing.  Your new board is doing as they should by choosing to require properly cared-for lawns. Between the common areas and homeowner's yards being treated, your community will be the beautiful upscale community it was intended to be.

Thank you!!

Lawn care tips for fescue in Tennessee (DIY options)

• All lawns were sodded with fescue, a cool season grass. Unlike warm-season turf such as Bermuda which spreads on its own, fescue has to be overseeded yearly to replace what inevitably gets lost during the summer. It only takes a couple of years to have an entire lawn be taken over by weeds without yearly seeding.

• Aeration and overseeding must be done each fall. With a proper treatment program, that is the only time to over-seed.

• Problems with spring seeding - In late winter/early spring, crabgrass preventer (pre-emergent) must be put down.  Crabgrass must be prevented as it is difficult to kill once it has emerged. It is in July-August that you can see the results of what was done in February-March. The problem is that 1. Crabgrass preventer can also kill/prevent seed from emerging. 2. Aerating breaks the pre-emergent barrier stopping its effectiveness. 3. Fall seeding gives the roots 8-9 months to establish before summer as opposed to only a few months after spring.

• The spring application (April/May) should include post-emergent weed control to kill the visible broadleaf weeds that can't be prevented.

• Each of those treatments should include feeding the lawn. There are organic options for this also.

• Fescue should be mowed much higher than warm season turf, 3.5-4.5 inches is recommended.

• When actively growing, it needs to be mowed weekly. You never want to cut more than 1/3 of the total height of the grass.

• If you plan to water, less frequent watering with longer watering times is better than small amounts more frequently. Shallow watering produces shallow roots.

• Let the soil dry out several inches deep before watering. Fescue roots will drive deeper searching for water in between waterings creating a more robust root system. 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week is usually optimal in summer months. Any more is a waste of water.

• Cool season turf turning brown in the summer is not dying if it's being properly cared for. Over-watering will not stop this and will promote fungus and disease. It is only temporarily going dormant to protect itself from the heat just as warm-season grass turns brown in the winter to protect itself from the cold.

In total, there are 5-7 steps that need to be taken to maintain a healthy lawn. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any further questions.

Thank you. 

Summer is right around the corner!

Reminder to keep tabs on your pool fobs! If you have lost your key fob and need to replace it, the cost is $60.

You can order a new pool fob by going to our website:https://www.baldwinparkhoa.com/pool and clicking "Order New Key Fob".

After your order is received, a member of the pool committee will coordinate with you to deliver your key fob. The property management company will activate your fob for you and assess the charge to your HOA account.

NOTE: If you are selling your home or have recently purchased your home, please make sure the pool key fob is transferred to the new owner. Otherwise, the new homeowner will be required to purchase a replacement key fob.

The board wanted to address the fact there have been several concerning reports in the last few weeks of teenage boys vandalizing the clubhouse, and bullying, taunting and acting inappropriately with a lot of the younger kids in the neighborhood.  Baldwin Park is a very tight-knit community here and word travels fast, so you may want to check in with your kiddos to make sure they’re not involved (on either side of things).

Also, numerous homeowners have requested cameras for the clubhouse due to these and other incidents and the board is looking into that.

At the recommendation of the property management company, the board has agreed to implement a single trash and recycling provider (instead of the 3-4 we have now).

The board received quotes from all trash providers in our area. Express was chosen for several reasons:

• Locally owned and operated

• They offer both trash and recycling services (both are not required if you don't want both).

• Lowest Price of all providers (PWS had the lowest base price, however, PWS has a mandatory $8 fuel surcharge that makes their total price higher than Express).

• Reduction of traffic and road wear/tear from multiple waste service providers

Additionally, having a single waste management vendor will allow the property management company to effectively monitor trash bin put out and removal on a single day, rather than having bins out most of the week.

The schedule for Express pickup is:

• Trash - every Wednesday

• Recycling - every other Tuesday

Cost

• Trash: $57 (PWS was $62.10)

• Trash & Recycling: $93/qtr

Homeowners have until Oct 31, 2024 to make the switch.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to our property manager or reach out to the board.

We've had complaints of dogs in the neighborhood off-leash. Per section 3.33 of the CC&R's:

Pet owners shall not allow pets to roam unattended, and pets must be leashed if off their master's Home Site. When pet owners are exercising their pets in the neighborhood, owners must pick up and remove all pet waste at the time of the occurrence. Pet owners shall also muzzle any pet which consistently barks. If the barking persists, the pet owner shall have the pet removed from the Development. If the pet owner refuses, it shall be deemed an "offensive activity" under Section 3.12.

If you observe a dog off-leash, please forward a photo/video to the board or to property management so a violation can be issued.