Image Up Advertising & Design

| THE COLONY NEWS | APRIL 2024 | 11 By the time you read this, the LAC will have completed our March Area Walks. e results will be compiled by the Landscape Dept. and sent to Environmental Concepts, our landscape company, for pricing of replacement plants. Aer that, our Landscape Superintendent, Anthony Reynoso, will prepare the request to the Board for funding. Aer Board approval, the plants will be purchased, delivered, scheduled for planting, and THEN actually planted. ere is a process for everything, and we request your patience. It has come to my attention that some newcomers are not aware the golf course has "fingers" of land which protrude into our neighborhoods. ese areas are NOT owned by e Colony, and thus are NOT MAINTAINED by e Colony. ese looked awful until some residents took matters into their own hands and began working there. If e Colony eventually owns the golf course and the fingers, the golf course-hired landscape company will manage the work done there, not OUR Landscape Department (and not OUR LAC). Frequently asked questions about front yards: 1. Who owns the front yards with the trees and plants? Answer: You, the homeowner (lot owner). e Landscape Department maintains them, but you own them. 2. If I own the trees and plants in my front yard, can I have what I want? Answer: When you bought your house, it came with trees and plants. If you would like to change them, you can pick from a large selection of approved trees and plants, have your old items removed, and the new ones planted by our landscape contractor. Of course, you will be paying for all this privately. Just fill out a Landscape Change Request form to get the cost and make the decision. 3. If I own the trees and plants in my front yard, I want to prune them myself into shapes I like. Answer: Sorry, but that is not allowed. One reason for this is uniformity of Colony pruning rules covered in the contract with the landscapers. 4. Can I plant flowers (annuals) in my front yard?: No, you are not allowed to add any plants (or mulch) there yourself. Neither you nor your personal landscape contractor are allowed to do work in the front yards. e Colony Landscape Department is responsible for all landscaping work in front yards. Frequently asked questions about tree roots: 1. I think tree roots are liing the pavement in my front yard or back yard. What do I do? Answer: Regularly inspect sidewalks, driveways and patios to help ensure that problems are discovered, documented and repaired as quickly as possible. Contact the Landscape Department and fill out a Property Service Request form, stating the problem and what you would like to have done about it. e Landscape Superintendent will investigate, and wherever possible, save the tree. Sometimes a root barrier can be installed and roots pruned away from the site to prevent possible further damage. Sometimes the pavement is lied by the roots of a tree the previous owner had chopped down (Google Earth maps oen show this to be the case). But who pays for the pavement repair? e homeowner does. 2. e plumber says roots have ruined my drainage system. What do I do? Answer: Roots enter drainage systems; that's what they can do. Even the smallest crack or unglued joint can draw the attention of tree roots to moisture. e homeowner is responsible for drain cleaning and repair from the back yard to the street. Again, please contact the Landscape Department for details. To new homeowners, perhaps you have finished interior renovation and now are taking a breath, looking outside. Who is responsible for what? I invite you to refer to e Colony Homeowners Telephone Directory (2023 edition until the 2024 directory is delivered), especially Article 24, pages 71-73 (Maintenance Matrix) and Article 25 – Landscape Maintenance Standards and Guidelines, beginning p. 74. Responsibilities and procedures are spelled out. For those of you with computer savvy, this same information is available on the Colony website. When moving into a community with rules and regulations, it's always helpful to consider "inquiry before action." e Colony Landscape Department can help you navigate what is possible and how to get it done. LANDSCAPE ADVISORY By Jan Foster, 951-698-0170

• Cover