Laurel Main Street Festival 2014

Laurel held its annual Main Street Festival on May 10th with the parade starting at 9 AM.

Greenfest: Deterring Deer

One of the most useful events at Howard County Greenfest 2013 was the presentation by the University of Maryland's Master Gardener Kent Phillips, "Deterring Deer and Other Critters."

That's a guilty look if I ever saw one

About 80 people attended an hour-long presentation packed with information about how gardeners and homeowners can prevent their plants from being eaten by wild animals.

Some highlights:

• Deer will eat anything if the population is high and they're hungry enough. Deer will walk through and sample everything, staying away from resistant plants until there's nothing else to eat. 
• Howard County has lots of woods incorporated into the Columbia-proper area. Deer sleep in the woods, then come out and eat everything.
• Sustainable deer population is 15-20 per square mile. Howard County has 10,000 deer or 40/square mile, double the sustainable population. An aerial infrared study in 2009 found 90 deer in a 0.2 square mile area (450/square mile) in one location in Elkridge.

Emerson Master HOA Notes 1/27/14 (and 2014 Calendar)

(Updated Calendar Dates on 6/15/14)

From the Emerson Board Meeting on 1/27/14:

• Removal of walking paths near schools
• Financial issues - HOA debt restructured, reduced
• Significant costs at community events (RSVP no-shows, lack of volunteers)
• Security cameras
• Clubhouse renovation survey results
• Miscellaneous Items
• 2014 Emerson HOA Event Calendar

Details:

Pulling Up (Tree) Stakes

Damon has already taken care of most of them, but if the trees near your home have been in place for a year, you can pull out the 5-foot wooden stakes installed to keep them from leaning over during their initial transplant period. You should be able to work the stakes back and forth to loosen them and then pull them out.

If each of you can do this for the trees on or near your property, it will both enhance the appearance of the community and allow the trees to continue growing.

Disposing of the Stakes
The stakes should be taken to the Alpha Ridge Howard County Landfill on Marriottsville Road.

Emerson Master HOA Notes 7/22/13

Highlights of the Emerson Master HOA meeting held in the Clubhouse on 7/22/13:

• School redistricting in October
• Wincopia Farms
• Sidewalks
• Activities
• Architectural reviews
• Emerson map

Details:

1. New plantings installed at Palace Hall to beautify the entrance.

Proxies: Autumn Walk Elections on 6/3/13

Please remember to turn in your proxies for the HOA Meeting on Monday, June 3rd!

We have a very high quorum level in this community and we need at least 12 households represented in order for the Elections to proceed.

Also, because no candidates were received nominations will be taken from the floor. We have at least one position to fill.

We also plan to discuss why you pay two HOA fees and the services you receive from Emerson and Autumn Walk HOAs, respectively.

Thanks, and we hope to see you at the Clubhouse @ 7 pm on 6/3/13!

Grub Control - Watering Your Lawn

We expect Brickman to apply the second of your two grub-control treatments on Tuesday, May 28th.

The following note explains that if we don't get any rain, homeowners will need to water their lawns. Thanks!

IMPORTANT:  We will be out on Tuesday May 28^th. To do our grub control.   The product needs to be watered into the turf to be effective.  Therefore, should we not get any rain within 72 hours on the application, the homeowner will need to water the lawn area to receive the control for the grubs that are currently there.  There is rain in the forecast for the middle of next week, hopefully we will get this rain to activate the product.  

Related:

• The Case of the Mysterious Night Visitor (12/18/12)

Trash Day Slides During Holiday Weeks

Due to the Memorial Day Holiday, the Howard County Trash Schedule will slide down one day next week:

• Trash: Moved to Thursday, May 30
• Recycling: Moved to Saturday, June 1

The next scheduled slide week is for Independence Day. 

Since July 4th falls on a Thursday, Trash Pickup will be Wednesday (July 3) as usual, but Recycling will shift to the Saturday of that week (July 6).

Architectural Review and Landscaping Changes

We've received quite a few architectural inquiries from Autumn Walk residents in the past few weeks.

• Landscaping Changes (private yards)
• Covenant Enforcement
• Common Area Changes

In summary, Emerson Master HOA is responsible for reviewing architectural changes and enforcing covenants.

Our Common Area, however, falls under the purview of the Autumn Walk Board.

Landscaping Changes

For changes to the landscaping in private yards (for example, the area in front of your home), we are deferring to Emerson Master HOA since as the bylaws are written, they are enforced by Emerson.

If you have a project that affects the exterior of your home, please review the bylaws to determine what is covered and the restrictions that are in place.

Garage Doors, BBQ Grills, and Emergency Numbers

Emerson's Safety Committee has passed along some guidance:

• Make sure your garage doors are closed at night. Howard County Police advise that open garage doors attract opportunistic crime. Talk to your neighbors about closing each other's doors if you see them open late at night.
• Some playgrounds have been vandalized in the Laurel area. Please keep a watch out.
• As the summer grilling season heats up, please read the safety tips below. 
• Please only call 911 if you have an emergency that requires the immediate dispatch of public safety personnel (Police, Sheriff's Deputies, Fire/EMS/Ambulance). 
• For Non-Emergency situations please call 410-313-2200 (for example, for loud music, public disturbances, property damage, recent property theft, vandalism when the suspect is gone, vehicle blocking a driveway or street).
• Both numbers go to the same call center (the Howard County Public Safety Communications 911 Center). But please don't block 911 with non-essential calls -- someone may need to get through with a life-threatening situation.

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Fire Safety Tips for Barbecue Grills

Emerson: Pool Party and HOA Meeting

Two Emerson events are coming up in the next few weeks:

• Tuesday, May 28th @ 7 pm: Emerson HOA Meeting in the Clubhouse
• Saturday, June 8th @ 1 pm - 4 pm: Emerson Pool Party and Picnic (RSVP by June 3rd)

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Emerson Pool Party/Picnic

Saturday, June 8, 2013

1:00pm-4:00pm

Emerson Clubhouse/Pool

A fun filled summer Community Event for the whole family which will be catered by Puttin’ on the Ritz. There will be a D.J., moon bounces, clowns and the Jazz Band from Murray Middle School will perform. Come and join in. This is a great time to meet neighbors, possibly win prizes, see familiar faces and let someone else do the cooking!!

You DO NOT need a pool membership to participate. This event is for Emerson residents ONLY – no guests permitted.

You must RSVP to Emerson no later than June 3rd. Be sure to include your name, property address, total number of adults, and total number of children along with their ages. 

The food is ordered for the number of people that RSVP, you must display a wrist band in order to get food, and you will receive the wristband at check-in ONLY if you RSVP.

Due to safety concerns, there is no parking at the Clubhouse while the event is taking place.  Please adhere to the No Parking Signs.

The Flamingo Has Landed!

The Flamingo Has Landed...and you know what that means: Friday Night (May 10th) from 7 pm to 9 pm!

For details, read the Flamingo Fridays! post.

You may have noticed, though, that the Flamingo is also wet:

Hopefully the forecast is correct and Friday will be warm and sunny!

Street Art

New asphalt is almost like a blackboard...

Street Art on Facebook (autumnwalkemerson)

Autumn Walk HOA Annual Meeting & Elections

Update 5/27/13: Please turn in your proxies!

We need to have at least 12 households represented at this meeting or else the elections cannot proceed. We also do not have any submitted candidates at this time so nominations will be taken from the floor.

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The 2013 Autumn Walk Annual Meeting & Elections will be held on Monday, June 3, 2013 @ 7 pm in the Clubhouse. Please watch your mail for the official notice and nomination forms for candidates.

• We will vote first on a proposal to expand the Board from 3 officers to 5. If approved, the Board will consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Member-At-Large.
• After the expansion vote, either one or three vacant positions will be elected to 2-year terms.
• A quorum of 25% (12 owners) is required, so please attend or submit your proxies.

The quality of our community is very much dependent on volunteers! And this contributes directly toward maintaining your property values.

Though CAS does a great job as our community manager, we cannot afford full-time management so the Board must play an independent role in creating and monitoring the budget, overseeing the maintenance of the property, and taking a leading role in communications and social activities.

Thank you all for making this a great place to live, and we hope to see you at the Elections!

Flamingo Fridays!

(Updated 7/25/14 with the Optional Auxiliary Flamingo)

Daphna & Sam are hosting the first "Flamingo Friday" on May 10th at 7 pm (weather permitting).

Keep an eye peeled for the first appearance of The Pink Plastic Flamingo (aka PPF)!

Each week, if you see a Pink Plastic Flamingo perched in a yard in Autumn Walk, wander over to that neighbor’s house on Friday night between 7 pm and 9 pm for a couple of hours of casual socializing! You can bring the kids too.

If You Want to Host A Flamingo Friday:

• Simply contact the Flamingo Keepers (Daphna or Allie) to borrow the bird. (See the newsletter, coming soon, for contact information.)
• Plant it in your front yard by Tuesday of that week 
• Note that you can now also get a second bird, the Optional Auxiliary Flamingo, to place closer to the entrance of the community to ensure that everyone knows to look for the Primary Flamingo in front of your house
• The host provides soda, ice, glasses, silverware, napkins 
• Return the bird within a few days of your Flamingo Friday event

Things to Keep in Mind If You’re A Guest:

• Bring an appetizer if you can, but don’t worry if you can’t 
• Bring your own beer & wine, the host will only provide soda 
• The evening will be canceled if it’s raining from 6:30 pm on 
• Circle the block at least once during the week to see if the PPF is out. 
• If it is, be sure to tell your neighbors so they know there will be a Flamingo Friday in Autumn Walk!

Help establish a new community tradition by attending or hosting a Flamingo Friday...and most importantly, by having fun!