Free Mulch (Cont'd)

Our tree trimming vendor, UTC, who is here through Thursday doing annual tree trimming, will be leaving behind some mulch on Pacifica Way and Monterey Place.

Help yourself to all you can carry away, and more!

The mulch is an excellent combination of ground cover and plant nutrients for your yard.

Free Mulch

Attention home gardeners:

Our tree trimming vendor can leave behind freshly chipped wood from tree trimming which is great for mulch or ground cover.

We need to know how many homeowners would like to get some to figure out how much to get and where to leave it. If you would like to get some, please email MMS.

Crab Grass

If you are seeing streaks of dry grass on your lawn there is a good chance it's dead crab grass.

Check out "Crab Grass" on the right for how to get rid of it before it takes over your lawn.

Garage/Driveway Lights

The garage lights are controlled by a photosensor on the outside side wall of the garage. The photosensor (mounted high on the wall) detects ambient light level so the garage light fixture only comes on at dusk and turns off around dawn.

Start by checking your garage light bulb. If it’s OK, check your photosensor.

Your photosensor might just need cleaning or got blocked when you repainted your house.

If the photosensor has failed ON, so that the garage light is always on, the easiest thing is to install a dusk-to-dawn bulb, which has a built-in photosensor and will restore the automatic functionality, and not waste electricity by keeping the bulb powered in the daytime. These are available in energy efficient LED and compact flouresent types for a little more than a regular bulb. Alternatively, a screw-in photosensor adapter can be used with any bulb.

 If the photosensor has failed OFF, so that the light is always off, the photosensor will need to be replaced. New photosensors can be purchased for less than $10 online or at local retailers; one suitable product is the Precision Lumatrol A-105W – Button Type Photo Control. When replacing, check that the weather sealing of the wall plate is intact to maximize the life of the new part. It’s not difficult, and can be quickly installed by a homeowner comfortable working with AC wiring, but if unsure, please use a professional.

 Thank you for maintaining the safety and appearance of our community!

Annual Tree Trimming

Annual tree trimming is scheduled to start on Monday, February 26.

Our focus is on keeping tree branches away from the houses. Several "problem" trees will also be removed. Mature trees add to Mendocino's charm and character but, unfortunately, some are inappropriate for their spots due to their extensive roots. In each such instance the board carefully weighs the aesthetic considerations vs. potential property damage before authorizing removal.

Please be prepared to move your car as requested by the vendor to avoid potential vehicle damage and allow the vendor access to the trees.

Dog Poo Alert

Please clean up after your pet!

It is not pleasant to find dog poo on the front grass.

Landscape Project Timeline

1) After removing the marked turf, SML will amend the soil and install new sod next week.
2) In the meantime, SML will be removing the marked shrubs throughout Mendocino.

This will take approximately a week starting today (weather permitting).

Once the shrubs are removed, we will re-assess the situation:

a) let the remaining shrubs grow into the newly opened spaces for a less crowded more natural look
b) remove additional shrubs as needed
c) decide on the replacement to transition to a more natural "soft" look.

Turf and Shrub Removal

As part of Phase 1 of our Landscape Program, SML will be removing the most damaged turf and shrubs throughout Mendocino starting on Thursday, February 15, followed by new turf and shrub installation. Please be patient while the work is in progress.

Rat Poisons

Fellow homeowners:

There are a lot of concerns regarding rats and how to eradicate them. The poisons put out to kill rats can harm wildlife, pets and also children. Yes, children could potentially get poisoned too.There are owls in our community that would take care of the rat problem naturally and we don't have to use rat poisons. They are natural rat killers. Maybe our community should consider building an owl house to attract owls. There are other means to kill rats without poisons. https://www.hungryowl.org/ could give you some ideas. If you have to use poisons, please pick up and dispose of the dead rats immediately so they don't harm other wildlife, pets and children.

I have more materials if you are interested. Please email me at: dragongirl1698@gmail.com or check out NextDoor threads on owls, rats and poisons.

Kay Yim,
homeowner

HOA Fee Delinquencies

As an HOA, we rely in our fellow homeowners to pay their share of the HOA dues to maintain a community that we are all proud of and that others desire to be a part of.  Unfortunately, we have had several homeowners that are delinquent in their payments.  We take this behavior seriously as it is grossly unfair to the paying homeowners and erodes our ability to maintain the community to the standard you all expect. 

As of January 8, seven homeowners owed a total of $3,642.99 in HOA fees that were delinquent by over 60 days.  Of this amount, three homeowners owed a total of $3,183.00 in HOA fees that were delinquent by well over 90 days! 

We sent out pre-lien letters via certified mail late last year to the seven homeowners who at the time were behind in their payments by greater than 60 days, and we have recently filed liens on the properties of the three homeowners who are delinquent greater than 90 days.  These three homeowners owe us between $1,000 and $2,000 each in HOA fees!  If the entire amount that is due is not paid, our next step will be to bring the homeowners who owe the most to small claims court or start foreclosure proceedings. 

Please pay your dues on time.  It is very unpleasant to have to file liens or take our neighbors to small claims court or begin foreclosure proceedings on their property!

Landscape Maintenance - Phase 1

Over the next month we will be:

1) replacing the worst patches of grass;

2) removing dead/dying/scraggly shrubs in front of the houses and overgrown shrubs on the side of the houses that block access to the fuse/meter boxes.

We will then decide on the appropriate replacement to transition to the new look.

Please be patient while the work is in progress. We will do our best to post work schedule updates here.