HCA INFORMAL FALL 2023 CLEAN-UP ... TREE DEBRIS

Original rendered visions, actual construction drawings, and as-built photographs show designed, managed, park-like modern landscape that extends modern Hickory Cluster building architecture.  However, long-time residents indicate that, due to budget limitations, HCA abandoned efforts in the mid-1970s to maintain cluster Common Areas according to the original modern landscape visions of Simon, Goodman and others.  For a more detailed discussion, see the Goodman Site Landscape page on this website.

As a result of this 1970s abandonment, and until about 2013 when a new HCA Board of Directors addressed it, lots of HCA Common Area trees and bushes dropped lots of HCA dead branches every year within our 18 acres due to storms, winds, drought, insects, or just old age.  And this debris was allowed to accumulate year after year, turning HCA into an unsightly and overloaded dead wood graveyard, and mega-food source for HCA Common Area-based termites that then also attack and feed on Hickory Cluster home wood components, costing HCA Members thousands of dollars in otherwise unnecessary pest control treatment expense.

HCA is responsible for maintaining HCA Common Area, including HCA trees and bushes, and fallen and trimmed HCA Common Area tree and bush branches, including the time and expense of packaging and removing resulting debris.  It is not HCA Member homeowner responsibility to either trim HCA Common Area trees or bushes, or to package and remove fallen or trimmed HCA Common Area tree and bush debris.

However, when HCA formally neglects to do so, HCA Member homeowners may sometimes informally trim HCA Common Area adjacent trees or bushes when they grow too big and impact their homes or other HCA Common Area infrastructure.  Even then, it is not HCA Member homeowner responsibility to use their own time or money to package and remove fallen or trimmed HCA Common Area tree and bush debris.

Since about 2013, and during formal or informal semi-annual Spring and/or Fall clean-ups, HCA Members collected fallen and trimmed tree debris at certain points within the cluster, locations easily accessible for removal to respective streets by grounds crew trucks, that then HCA removed following the clean-ups, sometimes as part of annual Fall leaf removal, and typically before the first snow and/or the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.  

Most tree and bush debris collection occurs after Summer when daytime temperatures drop into the 50-60F range, when it is cool enough to wear and work in protective long pants and long sleeve shirts, and when seasonal ground cover and mosquitos have receded.   

A recent example of a homeowner having to step in is the overgrown HCA Common Area Block 2 bush between 11557-61 Maple Ridge Rd.  It grows like a weed and onto the adjacent concrete stairs railing, creating possible accessibility and hazard issues on its West side, and home invasion ant paths on its East side.  After hearing that some neighbors still preferred to use the tree-impacted railing, rather than the completely clear railing on the other side of the stairs, an adjacent Member homeowner again trimmed the offending branches away from the impacted railing as he has done so in years past.

The following are several, but not all, typical HCA Common Area tree and bush debris collection site examples:

BLOCK 1 ... On the woods side of the footpath parallel and adjacent to the Maple Ridge Rd. guest parking between Blocks 1-2.

BLOCK 2 ... On the woods side of the footpath immediately behind 11557 Maple Ridge Rd. between Blocks 2-3.

BLOCK 3 ... On the woods side of the footpath and fire hydrant behind 11534 Hickory Cluster between Blocks 2-3.  

Have fun, and get some fresh air and good exercise!

HCA GOOD DOGS, NOT-SO-GOOD DOG WALKERS

$10 REWARD ... FOR NAMES OF INCONSIDERATE DOG WALKERS        PICTURED IN THE HALL OF SHAME

Doggies are fun, friendly, loyal, and lovable.  And they trust their owners and walkers.  So in many if not most cases, good doggies doing bad things are not the dogs' fault.  Their inconsiderate walkers specifically ALLOW good dogs to do bad things.  

As a result, Hickory Cluster has become a defacto dog park and/or dog relief station where dozens of resident and non-resident dog owners and others walk their dogs, and ... inevitably ... pee and poop night and day on rear patio walls expensive and time-consuming to repaint, light pole bases expensive to replace, grassy areas that take lots of time to regrow, or otherwise immediately around HCA Member homes and cars.

If the dog walkers just allowed THEIR dogs to do THEIR business right around THEIR own homes or cars, so only THEY would be impacted, it would be a non-issue.  

But no, the dog walkers insist on spreading the joy everywhere else so their neighbors can also share pee-bleached now-dead greenery, or even worse, walk through the never-100%-complete picked-up dog poop on the way into or out of their front doors, rear patio gates, or cars.

And HCA Member dog walkers insist on doing this DESPITE at least one long-standing HCA rule against it.  More specifically, HCA Governing Documents General Resolution 2:  Code of Conduct Rules and Regulations, page 2, paragraph 10 states:  "Please walk dogs in the wooded areas, not in planters or on common grassy areas, nor on traffic islands or where children play."  It's a shame that we even have such rules, but unfortunately we do because some people are so inherently thoughtless.

One example ... and what inspired this post:  This morning at about 9:00 a.m., an HCA Block 2 Member homeowner observed another Block 2 homeowner walking her big loveable dog along an HCA footpath behind a neighboring home.  After several minutes of stopping and intensely watching her dog find the right time and place, she then clearly allowed the dog to squat directly near the neighbor's rear patio wall, and within the clearly expected walking path from the rear patio gates to the rear footpath of TWO Goodman Houses.  So now every time her two neighbors come out of their gates they can unknowingly enjoy her dog poop remnants, possibly infectious e.coli. bacteria, and distinctive stink on their shoes, then possibly track it all into their own kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, or wherever.

Another example:  Yesterday morning an HCA Block 2 Member homeowner observed a non-resident and his cute medium-size dog walk right up to the front entry door planter of another Member's Goodman House.  He specifically stopped there and clearly watched his dog pee on obviously otherwise well-maintained Liriope plants only a foot away from the door.  When asked about 30 seconds later why he did that, the dog walker blatantly lied:  "Oh, sorry, I didn't notice."  

Really?

Is this your idea of "community?"

YOU cannot control YOUR dog?  And if it's not a problem, then why don't YOU do it around YOUR own house?

Do YOU want to step into what's left of YOUR big dog's massive pile of poop right outside YOUR home or rear patio?  

Do YOU want to smell dog pee right outside YOUR home as more dogs sniff and repeat in the same place?

Do YOU want to always see previous greenery, now dead and pee-bleached yellow, outside of YOUR home?

Please do your part to address this inconsiderate dog walker behavior.