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'OVERNOR "ROWNS CLARION CALL FOR #ALIFORNIANS TO CONSERVE WATER OFFERS OUR ASSOCIATION BOTH CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES 4HE CHALLENGES COME WITH PENALTIES FOR WASTE AND FAILURE TO REDUCE CONSUMPTION 7ASTE CAN BE SEEN BY WATER RUNNING DOWN THE STREETS FROM OVERWATERING FRONT YARDS BACK YARDS AND COMMON AREAS BROKEN OR LEAKING IRRIGATION PIPES AND CONTINUED RELIANCE ON SPRINKLER SYSTEMS 4HE GOVERNORS GOAL IS A PERCENT REDUCTION FROM 4HE USAGE FOR OUR ORIGINAL METERS DURING THE lRST THREE MONTHS OF THE YEAR WAS HUNDRED CUBIC FEET AND 2AINFALL FOR THESE PERIODS WAS INCHES AND 4HE MAJOR DIFFERENCE IN USAGE BETWEEN AND IS THAT IN THE FORMER YEAR PERCENT OF THE YEARS RAINFALL WAS IN &EBRUARY AND -ARCH WHILE IN ONLY PERCENT OF THE TOTAL WAS IN THIS PERIOD WHEN OUR PLANTS AWAKEN FROM WINTER SLUMBER 4HE NUMBERS ALSO HIGHLIGHT HOW IMPORTANT RAINFALL IS TO OUR LANDSCAPE /VER THE PAST SIX YEARS OUR *ANUARY THROUGH -ARCH CONSUMPTION HAS VARIED FROM lVE TO PERCENT OF OUR TOTAL ANNUAL CONSUMPTION 4HEREFORE IT IS DIFlCULT TO DRAW CONCLUSIONS THIS EARLY IN THE YEAR AS TO HOW WE ARE DOING IN MEETING THE GOVERNORS GOAL /PPORTUNITIES WILL DEVELOP IN THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS AS WATER COMPANIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ESTABLISH INCENTIVE PROGRAMS /UR WATER COMPANIES "EAUMONT #HERRY 6ALLEY 7ATER #OMPANY "#67# AND THE 3AN 'ORGONIO 0ASS 7ATER !GENCY 3'07! HAVE NOT PREVIOUSLY OFFERED INCENTIVES FOR CONVERSION FROM WATERCONSUMING TO DROUGHTTOLERANT LANDSCAPES 4HIS PUSH BY THE GOVERNOR SHOULD CHANGE THEIR APPROACH !DDITIONALLY THE #ITY OF "EAUMONT WILL LIKELY STEP UP THEIR EFFORTS TO lNALLY BRING ITS LONGPROMISED WATER RECYCLING FACILITY ON LINE /F COURSE WE CAN EXPECT RATE INCREASES TO ACCOMPANY THESE CHANGES /UR ASSOCIATION AND OUR BUILDER HAVE INITIATED EFFORTS TO REDUCE OUR DEPENDENCE ON SPRINKLERS .EW LANDSCAPE AT THE 3UMMIT AND ALONG &OUR 3EASONS #IRCLE IS WATERED BY DRIP SYSTEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TURF 4HE SIZE AND FREQUENCY OF NEW TURF AREAS ARE BEING REDUCED /UR TRAFlC CIRCLE AT #ROOKED #REEK IS NOW ON A DRIP SYSTEM AND GRASSFREE #URRENTLY THE !SSOCIATION IS DEVELOPING PLANS TO UPGRADE OUR ,ODGE INTERIOR GROUNDS TO BETTER ACCOMMODATE THE GROWING DEMAND FOR EXERCISE FACILITIES )NCLUDED IN THE PLANS ARE AN ADDITIONAL TENNIS COURT AND PICKLEPADDLE BOARD COURT AND A PUTTING GREEN !LL THESE ADDITIONS WILL REPLACE TURF /THER TURF SHOULDERS ARE BEING EVALUATED FOR ELIMINATION OR CONVERSION TO ARTIlCIAL TURF SIMILAR TO THE PROPOSED PUTTING GREEN 'REAT EMPHASIS IS BEING GIVEN TO COMPLETE ELIMINATION OF ALL SPRINKLERS )F THE GOVERNORS ENCOURAGEMENT TO WATER COMPANIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IS FULLY REALIZED MANY OF THESE PROPOSALS WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR OFFSETTING FUNDS 4HIS IS ONLY A START 4HE !SSOCIATION NEEDS TO DEVELOP AND ENDORSE A lVE TO YEAR PLAN WITH ASSOCIATED BUDGETS AND PRIORITIES FOR LANDSCAPE CHANGES THAT WEAN US OFF THE LUSH DESIGN THAT ATTRACTED MANY NEW HOMEOWNERS 4HIS DESIGN IS PROVING UNREALISTIC IN #ALIFORNIAS ROLLER COASTER DROUGHT AND mOOD CYCLES 7E CAN DECIDE WHAT WE WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO LOOK LIKE OR -OTHER .ATURE AND OUR GOVERNMENT WILL DECIDE FOR us. 4HERE ARE OPENINGS FOR NEW MEMBERS ON THE ,ANDSCAPE #OMMITTEE AND WE NEED HELP TO MEET THESE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES !PPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE ,ODGE DESK ~ Leonard Tavernetti 18 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | MAY 2015 Landscape Committee

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