Long Range Landscape Plan Working Group

Long Range Landscape Plan Working Group 

 

 

In November of 2017, the Lakeridge Falls Board of Directors established a working group to develop a long range plan for our landscaping infrastructure.  Community members in this group include Barbara Weintraub, Irene Wolfe, Sandy Hasenjager and Nancy Blair.  The Board envisions that this will be a top to bottom review starting with where we are now, where we want to go and how we are going to get there.  This effort will not discount the possible need for short term goals within a longer ranging master plan.  The group has been empaneled by a Board Resolution for the duration of the project. The group will work directly with current Board members who have agreed to commit all reasonable resources deemed necessary to develop a comprehensive plan that will address the future landscaping needs of our community.

At this time, we anticipate this plan will include:

  • Specific recommendations for all common areas including entrances and exits, the amenities’ center, the boulevard, the buffer zones, the walls and to the extent possible, the areas adjacent to the preserve.

  • Consideration should be given to plant replacement necessary or advisable due to disease, life span, wind and cold intolerance and suitability for our location.

  • The community is on a 3 year cycle for major tree pruning. This practice should be evaluated and tested against best practices, as well as what makes sense for our community.  The large aged out oak trees on the edge of the Northern buffer zone should be evaluated from both a maintenance and safety perspective.

  • It is anticipated this group will consult and work with the company that maintains our preserve to determine just what we need to do to keep it looking like a part of the community, rather than an unsightly area that we may have neglected.

This is a formidable task to undertake, but recall that half of our annual budget is spent on landscaping.  The current Board realizes the importance of this task and looks forward to working with the members of this group to develop a comprehensive long range landscaping plan for our community.

 

The Board thanks the members who have come forward to work on this project.

UPDATES:

  • February 2021 – The LTLG is currently working with the Landscape Architects to improve the landscaping for the interior of the Lockwood Ridge and South (Walmart) walls, planted 20 years ago by the developer and are currently in a state of disrepair. Erosion under the walls has created many large, open gaps. Hedging, bamboo and trees have grown up to, over and against the walls surrounded by dead landscape material, tree stumps, aged-out shrubs, tree roots and bare earth. Large philodendron in many areas can no longer be contained and overhang the path. Sight lines around curves on the walking path have disappeared. Heavy rains often wash earth and debris onto the path. Once this phase is complete, the job of the group will nearly be complete since the remaining common areas under consideration are anticipated to require little or no renovation.

  • February 2020

  • November 2019 – With the renovation of the amenities center nearing completion, the Long Range Landscape Planning Committee made recommendations to the Board of Directors and West Bay Landscaping was able to install the new plantings prior to the Grand Reopening celebration.  Before and after photos below are courtesy of Barbara Weintraub.

  • August 2019