Normally I head out the door with my attention on getting to work as probably most of us do.  But this was a Saturday, and I decided to take it easy and ride around the neighbor. What I saw was disturbing.  There wasn’t just a yard here and there that was in apparent neglect, there were whole sections of the neighborhood.  When I returned home, I found a newspaper in the driveway– the North Raleigh News.  And this article caught my eye, and said just about everything that needs to be said. It’s by Jason Foster.  Here’s some exerpts.

As I roam the northern part of the city looking for a place for my family to live, I keep coming across middle-class neighborhoods that are, shall we say, lawn work challenged.

That’s not to say the overgrowth has reached jungle-like proportions, but it’s enough to make me wonder whether mowing the grass and lawn care in general have fallen out of fashion. And it’s not just one or two houses per neighborhood, It’s row after row of suspect lawns, and it gives me pause.

It’s frustrating to see a great house listing, then drive to the neighborhoods and be greeted with a first impression that says “You don’t want to live here”.

Full disclosure: I dread mowing the lawn as much as anyone.  It might actually be the thing in life I enjoy the least.

But there comes a point when the uncut grass, weeds growing in all directions, the kids toys strewn about send the message that the owners just don’t care anymore. Maybe some really don’t care. But if that’s the case, I have no desire to live in your neighborhood. 

To be fair, there are well manicured lawns in each neighborhood I’ve visited.  It’s obvious these people want their yards to have a pleasant appearance/  I applaud them.  But for you folks who are strangers to the mower, what’s the deal?

It’s frustrating to see a great house listing, then drive to the neighborhoods and be greeted with a first impression that says “You don’t want to live here”.

Is it apathy? Are you on vacation all summer? Are you just too busy? Is it just not that big a deal to your homeowners’ association?

Here’s my thinking and Id guess the thinking of others looking to buy. If someone doesn’t care about the appearance of his yard, them he probably isn’t giving his house the attention it deserves.  That attitude spreads throughout the neighborhood and a ‘why bother?’ feeling gains a foothold.  Over time, that doesn’t bode well for property values and resale potential.

I’m not saying everybody needs elaborate landscaping, or should hire a lawn service or spend large amounts of money to make the yard look nice.  Just do your part to keep things presentable.  Appearances do matter.

(reprinted with permission from Jason Foster, Editor, North Raleigh News, an N&O publication, Sunday, August 8, 2010.)

[There are nearly a dozen letters going to homeowners this week concerning their lawns. -Paul]

I need your (collective) help with something.

I’ve been approached recently by several residents citing concerns about things like food left out at the pool, attracting ants and bees; kids running and splashing, disturbing others at the pool; bathrooms left a mess; infants in the pool without a swim diaper.  At the center of these concerns is also the issue of “enforcement” (e.g., who is going to enforce the new non-smoking policy, especially if no one is “enforcing” the pool area already).

I can understand the concerns, and as someone that uses the pool, playground and clubhouse fairly regularly, can appreciate the annoyance that can be caused by these situations.

When I think about what options we have to improve the situation, I see a couple of ways this can play out:

1. We can get rid of any pretence of enforcement and have an anything goes environment.
2. We can appoint smoking police and food police and bathroom police and establish fines and hearings to make sure all policies are being enforced.
3. We can all treat our common areas like our own homes and show respect for each other as fellow members of the same community.

Personally, I like that third option the best.

What I would ask you to think about is something very simple – your fellow Alyson Pond residents.  When you walk away and leave food on a table, it’s your neighbors who either have to clean up after you or suffer from the bees and ants that come in their wake.   When your kids run and splash, it’s your neighbors that you’re annoying. When you let your kid go into the pool with a saggy diaper, well, I think we all get the picture.

I began by saying I need your help with something.  I’ve got a couple of requests.

My first request, as in option 3 above, is that we all treat the common areas as we would treat our own homes. Show respect for your neighbors by cleaning up after yourselves, watching your kids, smoking outside the pool enclosure.   And I would extend this to include things like closing the umbrellas or shutting out the bathroom lights should you suspect you might be one of the last ones to leave the pool – which will go a long way to making sure we’re not forced to unnecessarily spend the homeowner dues that we all contribute.

My second request is that you be respectful should someone – whether a board member or fellow resident – come up to you and ask you to step outside with the cigarette, or should someone point out that your kid is the reason there is almost as much water out of the pool as in the pool.

And my third request is that you let us know what we, as a board, can do to help.   Are people leaving food out because the trash cans are full by the end of the day?  Let us know so we can get more trash bins.   Do we need spend more time at the pool so we (instead of you) can speak to parents about their kids’ activities?   What else would you suggest we do?

I consider myself very fortunate to have lived in Alyson Pond for just over a decade now.   I like that our neighborhood includes people from all sorts of professions and backgrounds, spanning all phases of life.   And I like that, by and large, I’ve found that we are all friendly, courteous, and respectful of each other.   I just ask that we keep this in mind when using the pool and other common areas.

Thank you.