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| THE COLONY NEWS | FEBRUARY 2023 | 9 As we move into 2023, we hope you are all doing well. The Architectural Control Committee would like to thank all of you for the Pride of Ownership you are showing in your property. We are about to begin our second round of home inspections. We would like to again share the camaraderie of the homeowners on Via Isabella and Corte Fortuna, as well as other streets in The Colony, where neighbors helped each other with home improvements, such as replacing house numbers, fixing outdoor lighting, and painting wooden fences. There are so many residents who could use such neighborly help. Who is willing to help a needy neighbor? Maybe that can be a New Year's Resolution for all of us. ARCHITECTURAL CONTROL By Gloria Brosky GENERAL INFO: The LAC will be examining additional turf renovation in the greenbelt areas in anticipation of water possibly being severely restricted next year for "non-functional turf," aka our greenbelts. Once again, we will apply for the water district rebates, which will help cover some or all of the cost. While we have put the discussion of front yard renovation on the back burner at this time, we continue to study new grass seeds and planting designs for front yards in the future. GENTLE REMINDER: Whenever you or your gardener prune shrubs that reach over or through a fence/wall to a greenbelt, please remember to go to the other side of the fence/wall to pick up the clippings. We aren't to leave them for the landscapers. WALKING PATHS: We have some nice walking paths, and several are cement walkways. I am not listing those which parallel Colony Drive or Avenida Florita because they can be seen entirely from the street. The other cement walkways are: G14 & G15 (behind Corte Lucia from Via Hacienda to Via Prima Vera), and G16 & G17 (behind Via Siena from Via Helena to Via Hacienda), G9 (off Via Octavo to Via Graziana), and G11 (from Colony Drive down to where Via Tonada and Via Marisa meet). There are three decomposed granite walkways: G2 (from Colony Drive to Via Barletta behind Via Ambiente), G22 Nutmeg Wall (from left of the Nutmeg gate, behind Corte Fortuna, all the way down to Corte Andar), and a short one in G46 from Calle Galacia to Avenida Florita. I invite all curious residents to get out their Colony Community Street Map, which shows the G areas (former greenbelts) and W areas (wild areas), and then explore. All the greenbelts are accessible one way or another through paseos (because the landscapers have to get in there to mow, prune, plant or whatever). Some G areas are more interesting to view than others. One paseo (to G21) has a chain across it because access for mobility- challenged people is impaired. Wild areas are not for general access since there are no paths, and they have steep slopes, v-ditches, roots, etc., which could cause injury. For that reason, we don't recommend walking there. Lot 221: While you won't see this designation on the map, you may hear it discussed from time to time. It is an area officially in G12 behind Corte Lorca and the mulch pile at Colony Drive and Calle Alpina. When The Colony was first built, it was discussed to make this area the tennis courts, I believe. Over the years, there have been suggestions to make it a dog park or an RV parking area, to no avail. So, you might ask, why is it still fallow and minimally maintained? Joanne Deacon, a Board member last year, delved into it. She said the Board did ask the city about possible uses in March 2022, and the city responded by sending data which would take a civil engineer to understand. Basically, the storm drain area there is considered 'blue water' and we can't do anything to interfere with it. But what would be allowed? The answer is we can plant trees, add a table and benches, add a shade structure, maybe add a 6' wide decomposed granite path. But "no" to adding anything with walls (e.g., a building), and no concrete or asphalt. A dog park? It would depend on the homeowners who flank it, and lack of visibility from the street could be an issue. There are no plans for Lot 221 at this time. VOLUNTEERS WANTED! The Landscape Advisory Committee has two openings for volunteers. We would love to have you join us. LANDSCAPE ADVISORY By Jan Foster, 951-698-0170

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