New Plantings Violation Flyer

Started by CW6 • 6 replies • 1263 views

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CW6 (Delaware)
Posts: 11

Posted:

Would like some feedback on the below flyer I've prepared to post in my community. Some background information. We have 5 condo buildings, all with small grassy areas in front of each building. The units are seven years old. Only a handful of residents repeatedly walk on the grassy area, instead of using the sidewalks, causing a worn path in the grassy area. We have tried every polite avenue to request residents use the sidewalks, with negative results. We have just voted to make walking on this small area of grass an enforceable violation, to finally restore the esthetics of the fronts of the buildings. Our condo docs allow us to do this. Last week we spent $6,000.00 on new plantings going across the entire fronts of each building to discourage residents from walking on he grass instead of using the sidewalk. Within hours, some residents were walking on and through the new plantings, including tearing down the barrier tape around the new plantings. I personally dislike going to this extreme, and have voiced this several times to other Board members. But honestly, right now, I'm fed up, and have changed my mind and see a real need to enforce this to preserve the grass and new plantings.

NEW VIOLATION POLICY

TO: ALL RESIDENTS

EFFECTIVE: Now

VIOLATION: WALKING ON Grass/Mulch/Plantings

Walking through/over Protective Barrier

The XXXXXXXXXXXXX Board has made numerous polite attempts to request residents stay off of the very small grassy areas in front of the buildings. We have put up signs on the front lawns, we have posted polite requests in our mailings, most with negative results. As you can see, paths have been made by continous walking on these areas, which we are trying to correct.

Last Friday, on April 26, 2013 we had the landscapers put in all new plantings and mulch along the front of each building, in hopes of discouraging residents from walking on the grassy areas. This was disregarded, within hours of completion, there were both adult and children's foot prints in the new areas, and several tapes torn down.

Thank you to the many residents who respect the preservation of the new plantings and grassy areas.

We had no choice but to make this an enforceable violation:

•
1st offense Warning sent

•
2nd offense $100.00 Fine

•
3rd offense $250.00 Fine

•
4th offense $500.00 Fine

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

Personally, had you brought this issue to the forum prior to enacting this policy I would have suggested incorporating the paths into a landscape design.

I was at one place where a building expansion had just been completed. I didn't understand why they didn't put in sidewalks during the expansion. Overtime (about a month), paths were worn into the dirt/grass showing the routes people used. Shortly after I learned the genius of the contractor when over a weekend sidewalks were installed where those worn paths were.

However, since your Board has already decided how to address the issue, the flyer looks fine.

SteveM9 (Massachusetts)
Posts: 3,699

Posted:

Fines will just cause drama.

How about wire mesh fence? Like this http://i.imgur.com/YnWD0bZ.jpg

MatthewW4 (Arizona)
Posts: 500

Posted:

CW,

I have been to Delaware (wife is a native of Wilmington) and I recall seeing fences of all types offered for sale. If you do not want people to walk on the grass, put up a fence around the grassy area. If the fence is tall enough and sturdy enough, people will walk around it. Add some nasty thorny bushes on the inside perimeter of the fence. Physical barriers are far more effective than threats.

On the other hand, if people are consistently walking across your grass, this indicates that your buildings' architect or developer really screwed up by failing to install sidewalks where needed. (First guess is that parking is to side or rear of building but entrance is at front and the path across the lawn is the most direct.) Instead of perpetuating this poor design, you could just put in sidewalks where people walk instead of trying to force them into unnatural behaviors.

CW6 (Delaware)
Posts: 11

Posted:

Tim,

That was my first suggestion, to incorporate the paths into a landscape design. In fact, I pushed hard for using this option, and was voted down.

Thanks for the feedback.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

Sometimes all you can be is the voice of common sense.
Actually using common sense can be overridden by majority vote of the Board.

MatthewW4 (Arizona)
Posts: 500

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By TimB4 on 05/02/2013 7:36 AM

Actually using common sense can be overridden by majority vote of the Board.

And that is usually the case.

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