Friday, March 21, 2008

Information from the Southwest Florida Water Management District

Easy tips to tune up your irrigation system and improve efficiency

Making sure your irrigation system is operating effectively and efficiently is always important, but it is even more critical during periods of drought when water restrictions are tighter.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District offers a few simple ways to check your irrigation system. Some of the repairs may require hiring an irrigation professional.

Inspecting your irrigation system

Manually start your irrigation system, for each zone on your irrigation day, to check for leaks, broken pipes, damaged or tilted sprinkler heads, blocked sprinkler patterns and overspray onto impermeable surfaces such as roads and sidewalks.

Check for soft, wet spots that are always around the inground sprinkler head. These spots could indicate a leak that is being absorbed into the ground. Contact your irrigation maintenance specialist if repairs are needed.

Look for dry spots. They are a sign of one of the following: the sprinklers may be placed too far apart; the water pressure is low; sprinkler patterns may be blocked by overgrown grass; shrubs or low-hanging limbs may be blocking the sprinklers; or the screens inside the sprinklers are clogged.

Adjust, move or add sprinkler heads if your current sprinklers do not throw water 80 to 100 percent of the distance to the adjacent sprinkler.

Rain shutoff devices

If you have an automatic sprinkler system, be sure it is equipped with a working rain shutoff device to override the system when enough rain has fallen. As water evaporates from the device, the irrigation system will resume normal operation. Rain shutoff devices are required by Florida law on all automatic irrigation systems installed since 1991.

Make sure the rain shutoff device is located away from overhead obstructions, with a clear view of the sky and at least five feet away from air-conditioning units or pool heaters.

Check the rain shutoff device regularly to ensure the device is working properly and that the corresponding switch in the control box is set at “on." Test the device by wetting the sensor to verify the system won't operate when the controller is turned on.

Adjust the sensor to interrupt irrigation after a half inch of rain. If there is a vent ring located just below the cap, the vent can be closed or partially closed to restrict air flow through the discs. Make sure the vent is closed so it will allow the disks to dry more slowly, thus keeping the system off for a longer period of time. This adjustment is used to compensate for an "overly sunny" location.

To learn more about how to create and maintain water-conserving Florida-friendly landscapes, please contact the Florida Yards & Neighborhoods coordinator in your area. Coordinator contact information can be found on the District's web site at www.WaterMatters.org/yards/.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Welcoming Comittee

In addition to earlier items posted we will also be looking for volunteers for a Welcoming Committee to welcome anyone moving into our lovely community. We will be taking suggestions as to what we should include in our our Welcoming Packet. Some suggestions so far include:

A Welcoming Letter
Current Newsletter
Curreny Homeowners Meeting Minutes
Preston Hollow Phone Directory
Deed Restrictions

Any help with this Committee and your suggestions would really be appreciated.

Prescription Drug Assistance

Patients • Caregivers • Medical Professionals
Civic Agencies • Social Services • Community Leaders


CLIMB ABOARD!

If you are uninsured and struggling, the
Partnership for Prescription Assistance
may be able to help.

Come find out if you may qualify for one or more of 475 patient assistance programs, many of which offer free or nearly free prescription medicines for those in need.

There's a fast, free and convenient way to see if you may qualify…


The "Help Is Here Express” is Coming!

Tuesday, March 25, 2008
10am-noon
Nature Coast Community Health Center
300 South Main Street, Brooksville

The “Help is Here Express” is equipped with computer terminals and phones so people can find out (for free) if they may be eligible for help. Trained specialists will be on board to make sure the process is quick and easy.

Sunday, March 9, 2008

PRESTON HOLLOW HERALD - MARCH 2008

HOA Meeting
Our next meeting is March 18th @ 7:00 PM at the home of Al & Marion Walker, 86 Forest Wood Court. We hope to see you there!
Guest Speaker
Captain Kevin Carroll or a representative from the Spring Hill Fire & Rescue Department will be at our meeting to discuss Spring Hill Fire & Rescue’s Independence.
Safety Tip
We are fortunate to have a beautiful community with SIDEWALKS. Many people walk with their children or walk their dogs in the street. It is dangerous, especially at night. Please use the sidewalks for your own safety!

Board Meeting Agenda Items:

• The Gopher Problem in the retention areas will be discussed at the meeting. We are looking for input form the residents as to how to proceed with this matter. This is a cost issue.
• Volunteers are being sought for the Deed Restriction Committee. Please attend the March 18th meeting so that we can determine the interest for participating in this committee.
• There are currently six (6) homes with unpaid annual assessments. These assessments were due no later than January 31st. Interest is currently accruing on delinquent accounts and unpaid assessments are lienable. If you are delinquent, please contact Margaret Grecco to take care of this matter.
• Discussion regarding selection of Attorney to handle HOA matters

Where do your assessments go? Just to name a few items…

• Lawn Cutting and Maintenance of front entry way and retention ponds
• Irrigation repairs and maintenance
• Pest Control
• Electricity for street lights and entrance way lighting
• Postage and office supplies
• Insurance
• Attorney Fees
• Corporate Tax Filing

Thank you to Al Walker, Tim Butler, Joe Groeneveld, Henry Waller and John Cucinella, who participated in the pressure washing and painting of the front entrance wall. Great job!

From the ACC

Spring is upon us! It’s time to spruce up the lawn. Remember that the swales (area between the sidewalk & street) are the responsibility of each homeowner – Duty to maintain a neat and attractive appearance.
  • ACC Guideline - Lot/Unit owners shall regularly maintain their sod and landscaping by, but not limited to, mowing, edging, weeding, and watering on a regular basis.
  • Gopher Tip - To stop or reduce the number of gopher holes, try this… Force all the dirt from the mound back into the hole. Use a garden hose to push the dirt back into the hole.
  • Parking - If a homeowner has a reason for extended parking of a trailer, RV or the like, please contact the ACC.
  • ACC Guideline / Parking Restriction - In order to preserve the value if the properties and attractiveness of the community, all campers, tents, trailers, boats, recreational vehicles and motorcycles must be parked or stored in enclosed garages out of sight from the public unless prior written consent to the contrary has been obtained from the Architectural Control Committee.
ACC Guideline

No healthy, living trees larger than 3 inches in diameter (9 ½ inches circumference at chest height) shall be cut down or removed from Properties other than those standing within an area to be cleared or excavated for the erection of a building and accessory improvements thereon without the written consent of the Architectural Control Committee and any applicable Government authorities. Subject to this exception, if any tree is cut down, removed or damages without the prior written consent of the Architectural Control Committee, the Owner responsible for the destruction of the tree, shall pay a fine of Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) per tree and will forthwith replace the tree under the supervision and to the satisfaction of the Architectural Control Committee as to type, size, and location of planting of the replacement tree. No trees shall be cut down to add any other structure on said lot.

Let us all continue to preserve the value of the properties and attractiveness of the Preston Hollow community.