Front Railings: The front railing project in addition to the few remaining front brick step and stoop replacements has resumed now that warmer temperatures have returned. With the project now 90% complete it is expected to be finished this year. The progression of this five-year capital improvement project will continue to be dependent on weather conditions, and primarily, as finances allow.
Exterior Wood: The window and door exterior wood maintenance has also resumed. The unfinished buildings on Autumcrest from last year will be completed first and then the remaining buildings on Autumncrest closer to Hearthwood should remain on schedule to be completed this year.
Entrances: The island at the Autumncrest entrance will be redesigned mid-May, or some time thereafter, dependant on weather conditions. It will have the same design as the island at the Hearthwood entrance that was completed last year. Current plants that are healthy and fit in with the new design will remain while others that are not used and are removed may be placed in the flower bed around the Homeplace at Adams Farm sign.
Landscaping: Some landscaping improvements will continue removing more of the old juniper bushes and cleaning up natural areas that have become overgrown. As a reminder, now that warmer temperatures have returned, homeowners and residents may not put down mulch with personal plantings due to its nature for termite attraction and breeding. Personal plantings are limited to the footprint of each townhome lot. No planting of flowers, bushes, shrubs, or trees should occur in the Common Area or they will be subject for removal. Always submit an Architectural Request before planting and a Maintenance Agreement may be required.
Front Doors: Painting of all front doors of each townhome was completed in April and for those townhomes that have them all shutters were also painted. Changing the style of your front door does require Architectural Request and approval.
Grilling: The warmer seasons are the most popular for grilling; however, is the peak time for grilling fires. The National Fire Protection Association suggests these grilling safety tips:
- Propane and charcoal barbeque grills should only be used outdoors placed well away from the home, vinyl siding, deck railings, and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
- Keep grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from grill and in trays below grill.
- Never leave grill unattended and keep children and pets away from grill area.
- Check gas tank hose for leaks before using propane grill for first time each year.
- Apply a light soap and water solution to the hose; a propane leak will be identified by releasing bubbles at the leak site.
- If grill has a gas leak, by smell or soapy bubble test, and there is no flame, turn off gas tank and grill.
- If leak stops, get grill serviced by a professional before using it again.
- If leak does not stop, call the fire department.
- If gas odor is smelled while cooking, immediately get away from grill and call the fire department. Do not move the grill.
- There are many ways to get charcoal ready to use. Charcoal chimney starters allow starting charcoal using newspaper as fuel.
- Keep charcoal fluid away from heat sources and out of reach of children and pets.
- If starter fluid is used, use only charcoal starter fluid. Never add charcoal fluid or any other flammable liquids to the fire.
- There are also electric charcoal starters that do not use fire. Be sure to use an extension cord for outdoor use.
- When grilling is finished let the coals completely cool before disposing in a metal container.
- It is not recommended to use charcoal grills on wooden decks as they pose an increased fire hazard risk because embers have the tendency to fall out of ash pans dropping onto the wood decking below, often unnoticed; thus, grilling on the ground is suggested taking all fire safety precautions into consideration.
One simple solution to lessen potential fire hazards is to set the grill on a fire-resistant grill mat available in a range of sizes; the larger the mat, the more protection provided. Any damage to the townhome that may occur while grilling is the responsibility of the homeowner for repair.
Pets: Complaints have been received regarding owners not cleaning up after their pets. It is the responsibility of all residents and guests for immediate clean up and removal of all pet solid waste from Homeplace property. Additional information can be reviewed on the Community Guidelines > General tab on the web site.
Annual Meeting: The Board of Directors would like to thank all Members and guests who attended the Homeplace Annual Meeting in March. The comments and feedback are much appreciated. Membership elected Josiah Owen and re-elected Frank McCormack to the Board of Directors each for a three year term ending in 2018.
Rear Decks: After a recent walkthrough of the community rear decks were observed being used for outside storage. Rear decks, including the area underneath, and on the ground adjacent to the entire rear deck structure, are not to be used for outside storage. All items should be stored in the utility closet on the rear deck or, if appropriate, inside the townhome.
Sanitation: Trash and recycle containers still continue to remain in front of townhomes, on streets, and sidewalks days after sanitation pickup has been completed. Should trash and recycle containers continue to not be stored properly homeowners will be notified and subject to fines. It is expected every week to have all trash and recycle containers returned to the rear of the unit, not the side of the unit, by 7pm, the day of pickup. Trash and recycle containers are to be stored upright in an orderly fashion at the rear of the townhome with lids closed and secured at all times to prevent attraction of wild or stray animals. Where space is available, trash and recycle containers may be placed underneath rear decks.
Parking: Complaints continue to be received regarding parking. Residents should not use Visitor parking spaces on a daily basis and is prohibited. Each unit is allocated two assigned parking spaces. Residents or guests parked in assigned spaces of others, on grass, in designated illegal areas, on any of the main Homeplace streets or areas which would cause partial blocking of streets, or driveways, may be subject to towing at the expense of the vehicle owner. Overflow parking is available at the lower rear of the property if all nearby Visitor Spaces are in use.
Reminders: The Board of Directors usually meet on the fourth Tuesday every other month. All homeowners who wish to discuss a community concern at one of the scheduled Board meetings is asked to please contact the management company one week in advance to be added to the agenda. As always, please refer to the guidelines that are addressed most often regarding Homeplace at Adams Farm for non-compliance located under the Community Guidelines > General tab on the Homeplace web site.