One of our community’s most valuable assets is the landscaping. The grasses, trees and plants are all carefully selected by our landscaping committee and maintained for the common good by a professional landscaping company. The largest budget item by far is our landscaping budget; this is closely followed by the cost of irrigation water to maintain the landscaping in dry weather cycles.
There are some significant challenges that all of the Burnt Store Marina communities face in providing beautiful and well maintained landscapes. Each of you as a Courtside Landings homeowner should be aware of these challenges so that you will understand and appreciate what we have and enjoy throughout the year.
First, we live in Zone 10a of the United States Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone. That simply means we must have trees and plants that can survive the heat and also the minimum temperatures that we face from time to time. Second, our irrigation water supply contains a high percent of sodium (salt) so we also have to choose salt resistant grasses and plants. Third, we have an unpredictable climate regarding the amount of rainfall we have each year. So we have to choose plants that withstand extremes of dry weather, or droughts, and very wet weather that comes with tropical depressions or even hurricanes from time to time. Over the ten years that the Courtside Landings Condominium Association has been in existence, we have experienced all of these challenges and will do so in the future.
As a result of the hard work that many of our homeowners have done over the years, we have developed some simple guiding principles to help us cope with the challenges and provide a beautiful community landscape throughout the year.
- All of the trees, plants and grasses planted around the community including plants adjacent to the individual homes are located on common property and owned by the Condominium Association. The individual homeowner does not own his yard or the plants and trees located there.
- Plants that are planted under the direction and control of the Landscape Committee and Board of Directors will be maintained by the Association in coordination with our professional landscaping company. This includes decisions of whether to remove or replace plants that are unsuitable material, infected, diseased, or dead or might otherwise threaten the structure or safety of a home.
- Individual homeowners are not permitted to remove or replace plants without consulting with the Landscape Committee. This is to insure that plants meet the hardiness requirements and are harmonious to the community landscaping plan. However, individual homeowners who desire to plant flowers, plants, trees or the like in their yards may do so at their own expense; a plan must be submitted to the Landscape Committee for concurrence with the community guidelines. For your information and convenience, the Association shall maintain a list of desirable plants that meet the hardiness standards and will govern the selection and approval process.
Landscape maintenance requests should be directed to the Property Manager, never directly to the landscape maintenance company.
Contact a member of the Landscape Committee for additional information.
If you would like to join the Landscape Committee contact any member of the current team.
| BEFORE you plant anything
Residents of Courtside Landings take pride in their homes and often want to add personal touches to the HOA owned land and landscape. The Landscape committee has been tasked to oversee our beautiful neighborhood and to ensure it remains beautiful. Please follow these simple rules BEFORE you plant anything. 1. An Architecture Review Application must be submitted to the landscape committee via the management company for approval before any plant material may be installed. Residents should remember to wait for approval before proceeding with the project. Please note that any cost to purchase or install the requested plants will be borne by the Homeowner. 2. OWNERSHIP
3. PROHIBITED PLANTS: Thorny plants such as agave, cactus, Madagascar palms, etc. are strictly prohibited as are Sago palms, Areca palms, and bamboo. Prohibited plants will be removed by the landscape crew. 4. MULCH: Front beds are mulched to provide continuity throughout our neighborhood. Other landscape materials (rocks, pebbles, shells, etc.) are prohibited. The landscape crew will remove any unapproved materials. 5. SPECIAL REQUESTS: Requests to remove and replace healthy plants will be considered, after submission of an ARA, at the homeowner’s expense. The first priority for expenditure of Association landscaping funds is to remove or replace plants that are unsuitable material, diseased, or dead, or might be a threat to the structure or safety of a home. 6. TRIMMING: Some homeowners have a “specialty” plant or two which require the utmost care. In order to maintain the beauty of these plants, they may be tagged with a colored ribbon for homeowner trimming. Plants common throughout our neighborhood are not to be tagged and will be trimmed during the regularly scheduled trim cycles by our professional landscape crew. As we are striving to maintain harmonious continuity within the community, homeowners are prohibited from tagging whole beds. The community is prone to frequent heavy rain storms and the area between homes is a frequent source of complaints of poor drainage. Homes in the community were constructed without gutters – this is quite common in Florida. The Association is responsible for correcting drainage problems, however we can help you:
BE-CAREFUL IF YOU DIG Irrigation pipes are everywhere and in most places no more than 6 inches below the soil level. In the lawn pipes can be almost anywhere, as they interconnect the maze of irrigation heads. Along sidewalks and driveways you will always find a buried pipe close by. Cable TV and telephone wires crisscross your lawn, under driveways, sidewalks, and through the landscape beds; they are inches below ground. |
References There are several reference documents available for your use Landscape Documents (Pending revision and update) and Original Landscape Drawings. The original landscape drawings are provided for historical purposes.  The Ashe
Planting Annuals Most annuals and perennials will not survive in our soil nor will the tolerate our irrigation water. For improved success purchase an annual soil mix such as Osmocote® Planting Soil making sure the planting is mounded. Plant and then water with fresh water initially to supplement or replace irrigation water. A blossom booster and fungicide, applied as directed is also recommended. If your annuals do not survive when planted in the ground, more success may be achieved by using pots and avoiding any contact with our irrigation water. |
