Landscaping-Florida Friendly

A.  Florida Friendly- Florida Law (SB 2080 – Statute 3.73 paragraph 3b) specifies that covenant enforcement preserve the resident's right to Florida Friendly Landscaping. The ARC encourages landscape designs for water conservation. Florida Friendly Landscaping is not sand and cactus landscaping. There are numerous shrubs, ground covers, flowers and other plants that can provide greenery and color in a landscape. All landscaping plans must include significant vegetation, and the guidelines provide examples of plants that will survive under Florida native rainfall. A proper landscaping plan will use beds, islands, fillers, vegetation, paving stones and elevation variation to provide texture and color to the predominance of the landscaped area.

B. Mulches and Fillers: Pine bark, mulches, river rock and stone are attractive landscape fillers, and can be used to provide texture between beds or islands. However, large open areas, such as a full side yard or front yard, are not permitted. The resident should consider the possibility of bark or mulch flotation during heavy rains. Synthetic mulches, synthetic turf, exotic materials or bare dirt are not permitted as fillers. Mulched beds and rock or stone areas require maintenance and weed control must be refreshed once it becomes faded or thinned out.

C: Access: Landscape designs should be careful to preserve access for mowers or other equipment to the rear property. Particular care should be exercised where the spacing with neighboring property is narrow.  Residents should be aware that movement of equipment to rear yards or remote areas can cause significant damage to a landscape. Easements must be preserved.

D: Borders: Landscape designs should maintain borders in such a manner as to allow for natural overlap of mowers or other maintenance tools. In general, grass, curbing, paving stones, or low ground cover with edging should abut neighboring properties. This area is sometimes called the “no-grow” zone.

E: Medians: Mulches and pine bark are not allowed in the medians, as they may wash into the street. River rock and stone are acceptable in the medians. Any plantings in the medians must be of a low-growing type, and must be kept trimmed from the street and the sidewalk or cart path.

F: Beds and Islands: Ground covers, bushes or shrubbery shall be placed at a spacing that will provide coverage of the bed or island within three growing seasons. Sprinkler Heads should be redeployed to efficiently service the planting areas. Micro systems are encouraged.

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COVENANT ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURE

Approved by HOA Board, 8/18/2011

1.       A telephone call notifying the non-conforming resident of their violation will precede a letter confirming the telecon and outlining the violation and recommended solution.

2.       If corrective action is not taken by the resident a formal, signed letter will be issued outlining the violation, a suggested solution, the time frame allocated to remedy and lastly the penalty for not correcting the problem.  This letter will be signed by the HOA Administrative Assistant.

3.       If the homeowner again fails to correct, another letter will be sent advising them of their opportunity to present their case to the ARC.  This hearing is for fact finding and not punitive in nature.  If the homeowner fails to attend, the meeting will commence without their participation.

4.       The homeowner will receive notification of the results within 3 days.

5.       If the homeowner is found to be in violation the penalties will commence until the homeowner is compliant.  Until further notice, the penalty will be deactivation of their entrance bar code.

6.       Homeowners are entitled to due process and may appeal the decision by attending a future hearing.