HOA's - got to love them

[kent]

I'm sure those "in charge" of enforcement are nothing more than politicians in training.

Control freak morons!!!!!!!!

San Ramon homeowner fined for removing lawn during drought

In part from: abc7news.com/weather/san-ramon-homeowner-fined-for-removing-lawn-during-drought/275813/

SAN RAMON, Calif. (KGO) --
A San Ramon woman is being fined by her homeowners association for taking out her lawn even though that's what many Bay Area water agencies are asking people to do.

Fran Paxson thought she was just doing the right thing, given the severity of the drought, and the status of her water-starved front lawn.

"It's a variety of mint, low to the ground and it will fill in the whole thing," said Paxson.

She says she approached the Board of Directors of her homeowner's association with plans that included mint and spruce, but no lawn.

The board wanted at least 25 percent grass and Paxson appealed. In the meantime, she went ahead with her new landscaping. Now the HOA is fining her $50 a month.

[Deleted]

This might not look as nice, but in a drought a vegetable garden makes more sense.





www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2014/california-drought/california-governors-third-drought-order-sets-new-water-rules-requirements/
A suspension of homeowners association rules requiring green lawns. The governor says that provisions that obstruct water conservation – such as the landscaping rules in upscale communities – are void and prohibited in this drought.

[sesfw]

I see a law suit coming. And I hope she wins.

[Tennesseer]

Aug 23, 2014 12:48:25 GMT -5 @anne81 said:

Sunset magazine had a really pretty layout on drought resistant front yards.  They were far more lush looking than I would have expected.  I can see how they wouldn't fit in with the HOA's guidelines but it seems like some accommodation should be made.  Dead grass isn't all that appealing.

www.sunset.com/garden/earth-friendly/lose-the-lawn-low-water-landscaping/view-all

Though lawns look nice, what do they give back to the homeowner? Other than high water bills, nothing. Nothing at all.

[Opti]

Aug 23, 2014 12:41:02 GMT -5 @lonewolf said:

This might not look as nice, but in a drought a vegetable garden makes more sense.





www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2014/california-drought/california-governors-third-drought-order-sets-new-water-rules-requirements/
A suspension of homeowners association rules requiring green lawns. The governor says that provisions that obstruct water conservation – such as the landscaping rules in upscale communities – are void and prohibited in this drought.

That helps her if she goes to court and wins her case.

She would have been smarter to wait until they turned her down and

then used either the governor's office or some other avenue to get the decision

over-turned.

Going to court and lawyers cost money. If she wins, she still might need to

pay a special HOA assessment to cover the costs of the HOA going to court

to defend their stance.

[thyme4change]

Aug 23, 2014 16:28:11 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Aug 23, 2014 12:48:25 GMT -5 @anne81 said:

Sunset magazine had a really pretty layout on drought resistant front yards.  They were far more lush looking than I would have expected.  I can see how they wouldn't fit in with the HOA's guidelines but it seems like some accommodation should be made.  Dead grass isn't all that appealing.

www.sunset.com/garden/earth-friendly/lose-the-lawn-low-water-landscaping/view-all

Though lawns look nice, what do they give back to the homeowner? Other than high water bills, nothing. Nothing at all.

Actually, I read a study that measured the amount of a/c used on houses with xeriscape yards vs. grass yards.  And there was a threshold where the cost of water is made up by savings in electricity.  The average temperature of a neighborhood that was mostly grass vs. the average temperature of a neighborhood that mostly was not grass was different by several degrees.  

[Deleted]

HOA's are a creation of the devil.

[Tennesseer]

Aug 23, 2014 17:47:28 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Aug 23, 2014 16:28:11 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Though lawns look nice, what do they give back to the homeowner? Other than high water bills, nothing. Nothing at all.

Actually, I read a study that measured the amount of a/c used on houses with xeriscape yards vs. grass yards.  And there was a threshold where the cost of water is made up by savings in electricity.  The average temperature of a neighborhood that was mostly grass vs. the average temperature of a neighborhood that mostly was not grass was different by several degrees.  

I got rid of half of my lawn by creating islands of wildlife friendly perennials, shrubs and trees. While I probably spend as much money keeping these islands watered as I would on just a lawn, I do get the pleasure of watching the birds, butterflies and bees reaping the benefits the islands offer. A lawn does not offer much to nature.

[gooddecisions]

This is the part that bothers me most about the article "In the meantime, she went ahead with her new landscaping". She knew there was a rule, they told her no because there is a rule and she did it anyway. Why do people like this move into HOA communities. It just doesn't make any sense to me. That said, I agree that the HOA needs to realize the reality of the drought. Also, her lawn would piss off homeowners in my neighborhood. It looks awful.

[sesfw]

Living in the desert I look askance at any lawn. Come on people, this is desert,  If you want green grass go someplace that has the water for it.  Our yard is desert landscaping with a drip system for the desert plants.  Our neighbor got rid of his small lawn and put in artificial.  Looks nice ...... and looks the same as regular grass.

Golf courses are especially bad, except most of them use reclaimed water.  We have HOAs here and I don't think any of them have grass.

[NoNamePerson]

Aug 23, 2014 12:41:02 GMT -5 @lonewolf said:

This might not look as nice, but in a drought a vegetable garden makes more sense.





www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2014/california-drought/california-governors-third-drought-order-sets-new-water-rules-requirements/
A suspension of homeowners association rules requiring green lawns. The governor says that provisions that obstruct water conservation – such as the landscaping rules in upscale communities – are void and prohibited in this drought.

Maybe I am an oddity but I spend more money watering my vegetable garden than I do my grass  

[Deleted]

Aug 24, 2014 7:41:58 GMT -5 NoNamePerson said:

Aug 23, 2014 12:41:02 GMT -5 @lonewolf said:

This might not look as nice, but in a drought a vegetable garden makes more sense.





www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2014/california-drought/california-governors-third-drought-order-sets-new-water-rules-requirements/
A suspension of homeowners association rules requiring green lawns. The governor says that provisions that obstruct water conservation – such as the landscaping rules in upscale communities – are void and prohibited in this drought.

Maybe I am an oddity but I spend more money watering my vegetable garden than I do my grass  

Same here, but we can't eat our grass....well, maybe some here could. Might go good in my green smoothies.

[Tennesseer]

Aug 24, 2014 10:03:33 GMT -5 @anne81 said:

Though lawns look nice, what do they give back to the homeowner? Other than high water bills, nothing. Nothing at all.

I have a kid.  We run around on our lawn.

You may think differently once your kid ìs all grown up and no longer wants to chase you around the lawn.

The lawn I do have needs mowing.  I like to mow my lawn-it is mindlessly good exercise.  But I do not like mowing the lawn during the months of July and August-ìt ìs too hot.  Today's temp ìs expected to be around 100 with a heat index around 108.  The mowing can wait.

[Deleted]

Aug 23, 2014 18:24:28 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Aug 23, 2014 17:47:28 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Actually, I read a study that measured the amount of a/c used on houses with xeriscape yards vs. grass yards.  And there was a threshold where the cost of water is made up by savings in electricity.  The average temperature of a neighborhood that was mostly grass vs. the average temperature of a neighborhood that mostly was not grass was different by several degrees.  

I got rid of half of my lawn by creating islands of wildlife friendly perennials, shrubs and trees. While I probably spend as much money keeping these islands watered as I would on just a lawn, I do get the pleasure of watching the birds, butterflies and bees reaping the benefits the islands offer. A lawn does not offer much to nature.

Yeah, and you don't have to mow the darn thing.

[NoNamePerson]

Aug 23, 2014 18:24:28 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Aug 23, 2014 17:47:28 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Actually, I read a study that measured the amount of a/c used on houses with xeriscape yards vs. grass yards.  And there was a threshold where the cost of water is made up by savings in electricity.  The average temperature of a neighborhood that was mostly grass vs. the average temperature of a neighborhood that mostly was not grass was different by several degrees.  

I got rid of half of my lawn by creating islands of wildlife friendly perennials, shrubs and trees. While I probably spend as much money keeping these islands watered as I would on just a lawn, I do get the pleasure of watching the birds, butterflies and bees reaping the benefits the islands offer. A lawn does not offer much to nature.

I did this when I had a townhouse with a very small fenced in yard. I didn't even do islands. I made the whole thing one big flowerbed with stone pathway splitting it into thirds. I friggin loved that yard. Now I have a lawnmower - brand name SON that is really dependable. I am forbidden to buy a lawnmower so who am I to argue

[gooddecisions]

We have two little kids and play outside almost every day. I sit in the grass, they roll around in the grass, kick the soccer ball around, etc. Anything else would track way more dirt inside and/or be uncomfortable to sit on. But, I'm on the east coast and there is no drought. I grew a vegetable garden for a few years and watered it every day. Controlling the horn worms and wild life was awful, which made the garden super high maintenance. Getting a CSA box was cheaper and easier, so I ditched the garden. In comparison, it takes about 40 minutes to cut the grass once every 7-10 days from May-Oct. We water it twice a week for 15 minutes in Jun, Jul & Aug (edited to cross June out, since we did not even water in June, so two months of the year) and it's lush and green. The rest of the year it's is maintenance free. I love having a "lawn", but I just call it my yard.

[OldCoyote]

Aug 23, 2014 18:24:28 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Aug 23, 2014 17:47:28 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Actually, I read a study that measured the amount of a/c used on houses with xeriscape yards vs. grass yards.  And there was a threshold where the cost of water is made up by savings in electricity.  The average temperature of a neighborhood that was mostly grass vs. the average temperature of a neighborhood that mostly was not grass was different by several degrees.  

I got rid of half of my lawn by creating islands of wildlife friendly perennials, shrubs and trees. While I probably spend as much money keeping these islands watered as I would on just a lawn, I do get the pleasure of watching the birds, butterflies and bees reaping the benefits the islands offer. A lawn does not offer much to nature.

Just had a vision of Tenn tiptoeing thru the tulips!

[mmhmm]

Aug 24, 2014 10:36:06 GMT -5 OldCoyote said:

Aug 23, 2014 18:24:28 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

I got rid of half of my lawn by creating islands of wildlife friendly perennials, shrubs and trees. While I probably spend as much money keeping these islands watered as I would on just a lawn, I do get the pleasure of watching the birds, butterflies and bees reaping the benefits the islands offer. A lawn does not offer much to nature.

Just had a vision of Tenn tiptoeing thru the tulips!

I've seen a couple of pictures of Tenn's home. The landscaping is really quite lovely.

[Tennesseer]

Aug 24, 2014 10:36:06 GMT -5 OldCoyote said:

Aug 23, 2014 18:24:28 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

I got rid of half of my lawn by creating islands of wildlife friendly perennials, shrubs and trees. While I probably spend as much money keeping these islands watered as I would on just a lawn, I do get the pleasure of watching the birds, butterflies and bees reaping the benefits the islands offer. A lawn does not offer much to nature.

Just had a vision of Tenn tiptoeing thru the tulips!

   

Though you would be wrong.  Tulips do not thrive here.  Tulips need extended cold weather to do well and my/our winters are relatively mild compared to the northern areas of the country.  

On occasion, we can have 70 degree plus weather in January and February-though that means severe/tornadic storms can shortly be expected.

Daffodils do well here. So maybe I tiptoe through the daffodils.

[Tennesseer]

Aug 24, 2014 10:39:24 GMT -5 mmhmm said:

Aug 24, 2014 10:36:06 GMT -5 OldCoyote said:

Just had a vision of Tenn tiptoeing thru the tulips!

I've seen a couple of pictures of Tenn's home. The landscaping is really quite lovely.

Thank you.  And not a tulip ìn sight.  

[NoNamePerson]

Aug 24, 2014 10:44:04 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Aug 24, 2014 10:36:06 GMT -5 OldCoyote said:

Just had a vision of Tenn tiptoeing thru the tulips!

   

Though you would be wrong.  Tulips do not thrive here.  Tulips need extended cold weather to do well and my/our winters are relatively mild compared to the northern areas of the country.  

On occasion, we can have 70 degree plus weather in January and February-though that means severe/tornadic storms can shortly be expected.

Daffodils do well here. So maybe I tiptoe through the daffodils.

I started to comment about the tulips but wasn't sure if they did well up there or not!! They do really well here on the Gulf Coast as long as they are bought in a bouquet from the florist   

[mmhmm]

Aug 24, 2014 10:45:21 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Aug 24, 2014 10:39:24 GMT -5 mmhmm said:

I've seen a couple of pictures of Tenn's home. The landscaping is really quite lovely.

Thank you.  And not a tulip ìn sight.  

Nope. Nary a tulip! Some really nice trees, though. 

[OldCoyote]

Good  morning Tenn.  I have desert landscape in front with huge different cacti,  large native mesquite tree,  Grass in back,  I do have a water bill.

Hummingbirds, Lots of hummingbirds at time, Boy are they territorial.

Lots of bees I do worry about them being Killer bees though.

I think I have seen some pictures of Tenns yard also, very nice.

[Tennesseer]

Aug 24, 2014 10:47:19 GMT -5 NoNamePerson said:

Aug 24, 2014 10:44:04 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

   

Though you would be wrong.  Tulips do not thrive here.  Tulips need extended cold weather to do well and my/our winters are relatively mild compared to the northern areas of the country.  

On occasion, we can have 70 degree plus weather in January and February-though that means severe/tornadic storms can shortly be expected.

Daffodils do well here. So maybe I tiptoe through the daffodils.

I started to comment about the tulips but wasn't sure if they did well up there or not!! They do really well here on the Gulf Coast as long as they are bought in a bouquet from the florist   

We can plant tulips ìn late fall and about half will bloom in the spring.  But then the bulbs die from the summer heat.  Too hot and not cold enough here to survive but a one-time planting.

[Tennesseer]

Aug 24, 2014 11:06:54 GMT -5 OldCoyote said:

Good  morning Tenn.  I have desert landscape in front with huge different cacti,  large native mesquite tree,  Grass in back,  I do have a water bill.

Hummingbirds, Lots of hummingbirds at time, Boy are they territorial.

Lots of bees I do worry about them being Killer bees though.

I think I have seen some pictures of Tenns yard also, very nice.

OC-I believe you have a number of different types of hummingbirds out west and southwest.  East of the Mississippi River, we pretty much have just the Ruby Throated hummingbird.  Fun to watch.

just a few miles south of me in Holly Springs, Mississippi is the Strawberry Plain Audobon Center.  During the first or so week of September, the center has their annual hummingbird festival.  The grounds are full of hanging hummingbird feeders and there are hundreds upon hundreds of hummingbirds vying for space at the feeders.  These hummingbirds are tanking up on sugar energy to begin their migration further south and across the Gulf of Mexico to their winter grounds in Central America.

Fascinating watching these little machines.

[zibazinski]

I like knowing where different posters are from and what birds, plants, flowers are particular to them

[Tennesseer]

Aug 24, 2014 11:38:00 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

I like knowing where different posters are from and what birds, plants, flowers are particular to them

If and when you permanently move to Florida, you can kiss lilacs goodbye.

[gooddecisions]

I'm in the Mid Atlantic, and I love flowering shrubs. In the mulched areas, I grow knock out roses, hydrangeas, rhododendron, azaleas, day lilies, phlox, other varieties of roses, mums and daisies. This time of year, I have geraniums in the hanging baskets on the porch and marigolds in the flower bed. In a month, I'll plant pansies and maybe some more mums to replace the ones that didn't do well.  I'd like to start some black eyed susans somewhere. They look amazing in the shared HOA maintained areas. The shrubs and mulch areas are more work and require just as much water as the grass- if I want them to live and flower- which I do.

Also, just timed it...20 minutes to cut the front yard and 10 minutes to cut the back, which is half mulched and wooded. 1/2 acre lot.

[Tennesseer]

I bet kent didn't see a regional landscaping and nature discussion coming when he started this thread.

[mmhmm]

Aug 24, 2014 13:03:15 GMT -5 @anne81 said:

If and when you permanently move to Florida, you can kiss lilacs goodbye.

My uncle grew up in upstate New York and really missed the lilacs so he planted them in our CA backyard.  They did terribly until we had an intense cold snap one year - actual snow.  The next spring they were really pretty.  I don't think they bloomed again for a long time after that.

We had a lilac bush in southern California many years ago. These were bred to grow there, but they had no scent. What's a lilac that doesn't smell like a lilac?