Centex Submits Second Set (Concepts) of Plans to Master ARC

Following an (Master) Architectural Review Committee meeting with Centex a few weeks ago, Centex altered some of the plans they originally submitted to the (Master) Architectural Review Committee. These are multiple variations on proposed plans for 23 Neighborhood Development Partners-owned lots in the Single Family Village. A second round of (apparent) concept drawings by Tim Whitten of Whitten Associates was sent to members of the ARC last week. ARC will meet with Centex, Neighborhood Development Partners, and Tim Whitten September 15 for the next round of review. To see the plans for yourself, please contact your neighborhood's representatives on the Master Board/Master ARC.

SFV Board Meeting Sept. 17, 7PM at the VG Neighborhood Activity Center

The next Board meeting of the Victor Gardens Single Family Village Homeowner's Association will be held September 17, 2009 , 7:00PM at the Victor Gardens Neighborhood Activity Center. An agenda will be released in the next few days. Please check back later for those details.

Pool Gate Lock- Some Keys Not Working

There were a handful of keys that residents reported as non-working as a result of recent maintenance on the Victor Gardens Pool gate lock. Our Community Manager, Casey Groff has sent out a few replacements already to residents that've experienced trouble with their keys.

Please contact Casey Groff if you've been having trouble with your pool gate key.

Casey Groff, Community Manager, Community Development, Inc.

7100 Madison Avenue West, Golden Valley, MN 55427

Office: (763) 225-6400, Direct: (763) 225-6498

Email: cgroff@developcommunity.com Website: developcommunity.com

Victor Square Weed Control

The Master Board approved funding for weed removal and control around Victor Square pond to be performed by Goetz Landscape. Work should begin soon.

VG Social Committee Announces Back to School Movie Night...Sept 11th

Hugo's first day of school usually means it's our last Movie in the Park of the summer! Please bring popcorn or a snack to share and head over to Val Jean Park at 7:30PM on Friday, September 11th for a showing of Disney's 'Bolt'. Please check this site the day of the event for any updates in case of bad weather. Don't forget to bring your lawn chairs/blankets! Thanks in advance to Rita Groneberg and Cheryl Viker for organizing this event! Also, a big thank you to Erin Roberts for donating Sara Lee snacks. We appreciate all our volunteers and what they provide to our events and our neighborhood.

Lawn Care - $50 Sprinkler Blow-Out Winterization

Tony Schwab has volunteered to coordinate services with another lawncare professional, Shawn Herman from Classic Lawnscape. Shawn is offering again this year to perform seasonal blowing out and shut-down of resident's individual sprinkler systems. As many may remember, he offered this service last year also. In the past, he also worked with Tony planting perennials in the neighborhood.

Shawn's price for blowing-out sprinklers will be $50.00 per home. He plans on performing the work on Saturday, October 24th.

If you want this service performed, please Call Tony Schwab (651) 429-2000 (home) to sign up.

Lawn Care - $40 Core Aeration Service

Tony Schwab has spoken to Jeff Abrose of Pro-Aire Lawn Service again this year about lawn core aeration services.

"Core aeration is the best method of dealing with the problem of compaction in the lawn. Aeration promotes moisture and air penetration into soils, resulting in deeper and healthier root systems on the grass plants. ... The best time of year to aerate the lawn is late August to early October. Aeration can be done in the spring but will lead to additional weed seeds being brought to the surface where they may germinate. In fall, weed seeds will also be brought to the surface, but they will not sprout." - University of Minnesota Extension Service website

Jeff is offering his aeration service to Victor Gardens Single Family Village residents again this year for a flat rate of $40/per lawn regardless of size. As many of us were his clients last year may know, this is a pretty good deal considering the rental of the equipment (not labor, transportation, or gas) would cost the average homeowner $40 for a day.

Jeff did a great job on our lawn last year, and I would recommend his services to anyone. He's asking interested residents call him directly at (651) 274-1535. He'll likely coordinate a schedule sometime between now (Sept. 1) and the third week of September.

Pool Gate Lock

A few residents have told me about a problem they've been having with their pool gate key. The lock on the pool gate was replaced recently, and the new lock should work with everyone's old keys. Unfortunately a few are having trouble with the new key/lock. To troubleshoot the problem, I'd appreciate any reports of non-working keys. Please email me if your key doesn't work. Thanks!

Groundwater Issue Update - City of Hugo Will Help With Downscaled Solution

Yesterday, Tony Schwab and a small group of residents met, walked around some of their affected properties, and discussed the next steps for them. Afterward, Tony contacted the City of Hugo's Development Director Bryan Bear. The City of Hugo is interested in helping residents through this situation. Bryan has offered to meet again with the small group of interested residents in the hopes of modifying the formerly proposed Houston Engineering plan. When the meeting is scheduled, I will announce it via this website and the email subscription list.

For those who are still interested in solving groundwater in and around their homes, but have not attended recent meetings on the subject, please call Tony Schwab at (651) 429-2000.

Going forward, the solution to groundwater problems will likely be handled on a case-by-case basis. It will not be solved with a systemic neighborhood-wide approach. Now is the best time for residents with groundwater issues to involve themselves. Those who do not participate in this latest approach may be missing an opportunity of financial and/or engineering assistance from the City of Hugo and the Rice Creek Watershed District. For more information, please contact Tony Schwab.

Groundwater Issue - Next Meeting Scheduled for Monday, August 17, 7PM.

The last meeting about the Single-Family Village groundwater issue was cancelled due to bad weather. Tony Schwab has rescheduled the meeting for tomorrow, Monday evening, August 17th at 7PM. The meeting will begin at the ball-field bleacher seats in Arbre Park across Tony's home, near Garden Way and Arbre Ln.. From there the group will do a walk through of some of the affected areas. The meeting is for those homeowners interested in pursuing solutions of groundwater problems. The group will continue working towards a plan to present to the City of Hugo and the Rice Creek Watershed District. Homeowners interested in participating in a potential solution, but not able to attend the meeting should contact Tony Schwab at (651) 429-2000.

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

Footbridge Complete, Trail Extended across Clearwater Creek

A small pedestrian bridge has been completed in Victor Gardens across Clearwater Creek between Pratt's Creekside Village Homes and the Single Family Village area near Grantaire Lane. The City of Hugo's trail system has also been somewhat extended on either side of the bridge.