2009 Aug 3 National Tree Day vs Master Association actions
2009 August 3 SSSFHOA Meeting Minutes for today.
National Tree Day
National Tree Day, is a big community tree-planting event. This year’s event, held on Sunday 2 August, saw more than a million native trees and shrubs planted at over 3,000 sites around the country. This wonderful achievement is the result of thousands of schools, community and green groups, as well as hundreds of local councils who facilitated tree-planting projects in their local area. To the groups and individuals who made this event such a wonderful success Planet Ark says thank-you!
July 25, 2009 – Park trees are a backdrop for the pavilion- they provide shade, privacy, ambiance.
Trees clean the air, make oxygen, tree roots purify the water.
One week later, August 3, 2009:
Trees that took two decades to grow have been cut down. Shade and privacy are gone.
July 25, 2009 – ‘Stoked on Coconuts’ – natural stage for ska band with trees for curtains
2009 – August 3 – Background trees were cut so that maintenance crew could more easily mow
and houses on north could see lawn. Looks like we need a different maintenance crew……
July 25, 2009 SSSFHOA picnic attendees gather around trees (open section of park was empty)
One week later: August 3, 2009 – Our trees, 20 years of growth – lay cut and dead on the park beach. The duck nests have been destroyed or exposed. There were many ducks a week ago, only two were visible this day.
Duck nesting area ruined
Keith B. Clapier, owner of Park City Arborist, was hired by the HOA at Deer Lake Village on Queen Esther Drive to clean up their 1.5 acre pond. Besides removing 1,000 pounds of goldfish from the water the pond is being cleaned by big mouth bass and plantings around the perimeter of the pond. Clapier is an expert on surveying wetlands and riparian habitats (areas bordering waterways). Clapier will be planting riparian zone trees like cottonwood and birch as well as introducing native grasses and aquatic plants to the Deer Valley pond. “Ideally, 100 percent of the shoreline will be covered in plants,” he said, Clapier is a 20-year native of the U.S. Forest Service. “Trees placed in the right places will not obstruct views, but will provide the water with cooling shade and over-hanging branches from which insects fall in, nourishing the fish and amphibians (frogs, salamanders)….Properly placed aquatic plants in ponds and streams have dense, fibrous root systems that filter out sediment and contaminants, and remove fertilizer nitrogen that causes algae to bloom and thrive.” Properly planned and planted waterways attract water fowl, deer and moose, and are visually more attractive and beautiful to look at and enjoy. Clapier can be contacted at435-513-2188
See MHOA Minutes from August 2008 to see how this very unfortunate circumstance came about.
“Les asked to have more visibility around the lake to have the bushes and trees removed at the park ….Les said that he has walked around with the Fire Marshal and that we could do a burn with approval in the spring……..”
https://www.silverspringscommunity.com/wp-content/uploads/2008-august18-la.pdf
“Les Carriel suggested that all the trees and shrubs along the west and part of the north border of the Park be cut down in order open up the view [Les wanted to be able to look across the lake to the wide lawn in the Park. The willows and trees were blocking his view]. The view along that portion would be very limited as it would look onto the Park Place homes. Steve Hogroian said that he spends six or eight months of each year in Florida where they have mangrove trees along a waterway. It was discovered after the removal of some of these trees that they were serving a very important function. The roots were filtering the water and keeping it clearer and cleaner than would have existed without them. Steve warned the group against removing the vegetation. Jeffrey Nielson then suggested that instead of removing the vegetation that it be trimmed to 8’ from the ground so that there would exist an eight foot view with a canopy of leaves and branches for shade and beauty. This suggestion would save the trees and their benefit to the water and appreciation by park users. Some Silver Springs CC&Rs do not allow the removal of native vegetation.”
The 2009 MHOA minutes have been repeatedly requested from MA manager Robyn Bailey who has refused to make these Minutes available. The MHOA should have brought this action before the whole membership at their annual meeting. The same meeting at which amendments to the 1990 Bylaws should have been approved by the 508 property owners who finance the park, tennis court(s), and lakes.
National Arbor Day is the last Friday in April, but many states observe Arbor Day on different dates according to their best tree-planting times.
This is how the MA board has explained their actions:”Your association is embarking on long deferred maintenance and improvement of the big lake park. First step will be to eliminate the uncontrolled willow brush along the shoreline that has restricted lake views, provided a haven for illegal activities, and limited the usable park environment. The reclaimed land down to the water will gradually be returned to member use as the brush is replaced with natural cover and grass, most probably by summer next year. The beach will be rehabilitated and the rock rip-rap on the slope to the beach will be refurbished.”~~~~~~If maintenance is truly what the MA is embarking on then the weeds along the road, the center flower bed, and around the latrine should be better maintained. Also the pavilion fascia needs painting. Cattails along the waterways (especially in NorthShore) and fish ladders are out of control. Other Silver Springs Community waterways need maintenance. MA maintenance should be evenly distributed to the entire community. The majority of time and cost seems to go to Silver Willow Lake and the requests from its surrounding homeowners?~~~~~~A quick survey of park users have all stated they are disappointed with the removal of the willows. Throwing frisbees and tennis balls for dogs now more readily become water-borne as the willows are not there to stop them. The ducks are missed now that their nests have been removed. The ambiance of a woodland is gone. Privacy has been lost.
2011 March 26– Swaner Nature Preserve is soliciting for volunteers to harvest dormant willows in preparation to plant them along the waterways in an effort to help preserve water quality and fish habitat. “The willows will shade and cool the stream, help prevent erosion, provide leaf litter for insects and supply bird-nesting habitat.” This effort is the complete opposite of the decision made to damage the park environment as committed by the Master Association board and Greenleaf Maintenance to our lake park. See above photos of how our community park trees and shrub willows were cut and removed from the lake park beach at the request of a particular homeowner on the opposite bank so he could have his desired “clear view of the park lawn area.”
RECOMMENDED PARK MAINTENANCE
The MA Board collects $88, 200 each year for tennis court, park, and lake maintenance.
Water is free from the lake. Taxes are allocated on our individual home taxes.
How much can it cost to mow and weed for six months out of a year?
Paint fascia on pavilion
