Landscaping Concerns & Grounds Maintenance Update

Many residents have expressed concerns about the condition of many of the planting areas in and around our Association-owned common areas and City-owned Parks. Last year, through the efforts of residents volunteers and the Landscape Committee, the group maintained as much as they could without any budget. In many cases, residents generously paid for improvements with their own money.

This year a limited landscaping budget was restored. The Master Board prioritized high-visibility areas that needed the most attention, and hired Goetz Landscape of Centerville to renovate and improve a few key areas. A large amount of the effort and the budget went to repairing numerous broken irrigation systems throughout Victor Gardens, re-purposing the old main entrance fountain, and installing perennial and annual planting beds at Victor Gardens entrances North and South of Frenchman Road, along Everton Avenue near Lake Area Bank, and renovation of landscaping around the Neighborhood Activity Center and Pool.

Many resident and Board Members realize there's more work to left to do. The Master Board is working towards a few important coordinated solutions.

1. The Board approved a bid to remove the weeds around the Victor Square fountain pond this season.

2. The Board will re-form a Landscape/Grounds/Garden Committee made up of resident volunteers.

3. With the help of a new Landscape Committee the Board will maintain, through volunteer and contract help, the areas that were most recently renovated and re-visit the other areas including the planters on the Victor Hugo Blvd. bridge, the Victor Square fountain pond beds, Victor Square planters, secondary entrances, Provence Way Green, Flora Way Green, and Jardin Fountain mini-parks, Postal Stations, Poet's Green, Val Jean Park, Arbre Parks, etc.

4. Mark Vlker and the City of Hugo's Public Works Director, Scott Anderson, will meet in the next few days to discuss the shared maintenance responsibilities of Victor Gardens Parks. A few years ago, the former developer , CPDC met with City officials at a meeting in which some of the responsibilities are clearly spelled out. (View the complete list, and Parks turnover meeting notes at this link). The two will also discuss, among other things, replacement and maintenance of Trees throughout Victor Gardens Parks including Victor Square Park, Val Jean Park, and Arbre Park.

I'd like to take this opportunity to ask concerned residents to review the responsibilities list, and post comments of other areas that might be missing from the list or might need extra attention of the Board and the future Landscape Committee. As always, your constructive comments are welcome. Please take a moment to let us know what we could be doing better.

Thanks, Mark

VG Organizational Chart

Over the last year I’ve heard many questions asking which company was in charge of specific areas.  Who was the master developer?  How does Community Development fit in?  To clarify things, Mike Bailey and I drafted a chart to illustrate how VG was organized.  I fact checked it with Dave Hempel, of CPDC at yesterday’s Board meeting.  

The chart shows the organization as of today.  It may change significantly over the next few months as the Single Family Village association is turned over to homeowners and if homeowners gain control of VG’s Board.  In any case, we hope the chart makes the organization more understandable.

Visit the Documents Page to download the PDF copy of the chart.

Garden Matter Still Unresolved

As many of you know, the Garden area near where the Land Office used to sit is the source of some controversy.  Some of the issues relate to the responsibility of irrigation, plantings, and budget.  Charles Kirk, who represents Victor Gardens Townhomes residents, CPDC, the developers, and I need to work together to solve these problems.

Despite the great efforts of Victor Gardens Garden Committee, the current state of the Garden is a disappointment to many of us.  Whether we live in the townhomes or the single-family homes, we must work together to settle the issues.  Until that time, unfortunately, major improvements to the Garden will be delayed.

Mark

Follow-Up : CPDC’s list of Questions

Residents of Victor Gardens asked the following list of questions.  In the past there has been some confusion and/or miscommunication regarding some of the items. 

Shelly Tompkins, Vice President/Broker of CPDC, has the authority to answer the questions and has taken responsibility to follow through on CPDC’s responses.  In consultation with employees of CPDC, Mrs. Tompkins clarified the developer’s position and answered questions at a June 1 meeting with neighborhood representatives.

CPDC follow-up list as of May 23, 2007: Based upon meeting notes and some follow-up clarification with Mrs. Tompkins, Mark's impressions of CPDC's responses are in blue.

1.)  Unsold lot appearance – tall grass & weeds The unsold lots were never intended to be mowed on a frequent schedule like public parks or common areas.  Until the lots are sold and developed, CPDC commits to limit the growth to an approximate knee high level, and will first mow the week of June 11th and as needed the remainder of the season.

2.)  Signs: Remove or change remaining incorrect signs with references to the “Land Office”  The incorrect signs will be corrected and/or repainted within the week of June 11th.

3.)  Signs: Replace missing lot identification signs At this time, the developer’s marketing budget does not allow for replacing missing signs.

4.)  Existing fenced garden: Finish off the fencing in the garden to a logical stopping point.   CPDC has donated the land that contains the “garden” to Victor Gardens Community Association (the master association).  The garden is now a “common area”.  CPDC will also donate some of the remaining metal fencing to the VG Community Association.  Since CPDC no longer owns the “garden”, it will be the responsibility of the VG Community Association to use the donated fencing as it wishes in the garden, and make changes to the fence at its expense.  Irrigation, or other improvements to the new common area will also be the responsibility of the VG Community Association. CPDC will assist by recommending ways to connect electrical power and a permanent water supply to the garden. The HOA received a quote from Early Bird to extend irrigation to the garden and it was about $1500. The HOA will have to determine if this price is acceptable or if there are alternative options.  Please see attached site plan to view the boundaries of the garden. Click here for site plan download

5.)  Garden expansion: Receive permission to temporarily expand garden to the East of existing garden.

The garden will not be expanded.  The area to the west and outside of the garden will remain clear until it is redeveloped in the future. It was reseeded June 1st.

6.)  Save fencing & monuments: Preserve & store wrought-iron style fencing and decorative monuments (land office & main entrance). The metal fencing and small wooden monuments from main entrance will be left in the garden location and donated to the VG Community Association.  If the Community Association sees no useful purpose of the additional fencing, CPDC will remove them from the site.  Everyone must be aware that future development will impact improvements to the garden by bringing utilities to the townhome lots.  This can not be prevented and CPDC will be responsible for final grade on all impacted locations but not replacement.

7.)  Remove silt fence & barbed wire fencing: Remove fencing, mostly near walking trails and roadways need to be removed.    Barbed wire fencing will be removed in selected locations, especially along nearby trails.  Not all fencing will be removed.  Dave Hempel &/or the City will determine which areas can have silt fence removal.

8.)  Remove debris: Remove barrels from the Northern side of the lake, East of the Community Center.   Due to the nature of the debris, it must be removed and disposed of on a specific schedule.  It will be completed the week of June 11th.

9.) Displaced trees near main entrance: Ask new property owners to save & move shrubs and trees near main entrance to new locations if possible. CPDC does not own the retail areas.  CPDC has contacted the owners of the retail properties, and has requested that remaining trees be saved and replanted elsewhere.

10.)  “Welcome to Hugo” monument sign: Complete electrical and landscaping work around the monument sign.  CPDC has an agreement with the City of Hugo regarding all improvements to the monument sign.  Until the lights are delivered and Xcel provides electrical service, the light wires will be taped to the top surface so they are not obviously complete.

11.)  Trusses left by Nottinghome Builders: Please speak to Nottinghome Builders and/or the truss company to remove these items. Nottinghome Builders has called the truss company and asked to remove the trusses.  Nottinghome Builders must be contacted if the remaining materials are not removed by mid July to make a second removal request from the truss company.

12.)  Victorgardens.com website: Is there any timeline for updating the victorgardens.com website?   The marketing budget allows for the updating of the victorgardens.com website.  Changes will be made, and the updated site will be posted by mid July.

13. Intranet: Is there any timeline for updating the Victor Gardens Community Intranet?   

CPDC voluntarily turned over control of the Community Intranet site to VG Community Association.  Neighborhood input is sought to determine the future of this site. Based upon that input, it may be determined that the site should be updated, changed, or discontinued.

ALSO:  The fountain at VG’s main entrance has been disconnected because of nearby retail construction.  The fountain may be reconnected at a future time after retail construction is complete.  As a temporary measure, the fountain will be capped with plastic and topped with mulch to clean up its appearance, and provide an easy clean-out process in the future. The area in front of the main entrance fountain will be renovated.  The existing pile of paving stones will be re-used as edging stones around a new planting bed in the median. Any remaining pavers will be given to the VG Community Association for re-use in the garden. Since there is no water supply currently connected to the median area (because of nearby construction) the new bed will be planted with hardy – and drought resistant flowering plants.  Renovations will be completed by the week of June 11th.

ALSO:  CPDC has committed to freshen the wood mulch by raking under the Arbre Park's bleachers and tot lot area.  The mulch improvements will be by the City in 2008.

Social Activities & Garden Committees Forming

There are two new ways to become involved in your neighborhood.  Two new committees are forming, a Social Activities Committee and a Garden Committee. 

In the past, the neighborhood’s Social Activities Director worked with neighbors to plan activities like movie nights, hay rides, visits from Santa, etc. In the future, members of the Social Activities Committee will work to continue the events.

Spring has arrived.  It’s a perfect time for you to get involved with the Garden Committee.  You’ll enjoy working together to beautify Victor Gardens’ common spaces.  Please email Rachel Kirk, rkirk@moundsparkacademy.org   about your place on the Garden Committee.