1. Greening Your Community Francis J. Reilly, Jr.

2. P A G E 2 3 Questions affect our ultimate actions in common grounds 1.How does it affect people? particularly regarding safety 2.How does it affect the environment? 3.How does it affect the bottom line? Remember Risk can be cheap to ignore but expensive in the long run!

3. P A G E 3 Agenda Common grounds maintenance Storm water facility maintenance Clubhouse Operations Considerations for any new construction Education of owners/residents

4. P A G E 4 Common grounds maintenance Lawn care Plant problems Landscaping Right plant, right place Water usage

5. P A G E 5 Lawn care Use Best Practices Proper fertilization Mowing Core Aeration

6. P A G E 6 Proper Fertilization is Key Get a soil test Do it at the right time –Cool-season Fall –Warm-Season Summer Use the right amount (~1 Lb. of Nitrogen per 1000 ft 2) Put it out the right way –Calibrate the spreader –Skip the sidewalks and driveways Contact Cooperative Extension www.PWCGOV.orgwww.PWCGOV.org – search for Best lawns

7. P A G E 7 Mowing is important Sharp Blades Reduce disease Better look Mow at the right height no more than 1/3 at a time – no scalping Proper height

8. P A G E 8 Core Aeration Reduces compaction Good time to overseed and fertilize

9. P A G E 9 Pest Control Shouldn’t need it Consider a task order contract You do not need preventative – even crabgrass if the rest of the work is OK.

10. P A G E 10 Lawn care Check the contracts Buy what you need not what they are selling limit contracts to: –needed tasks –right times –using correct amounts of nutrients

11. P A G E 11 Landscaping - Right plant, right place How Big will it get? Is it a safe plant? Fire and design?

12. P A G E 12 Landscaping - Water usage Irrigation do you need it? Water long and deep Water in AM Avoid windy days Use a rain gage Group the plants

13. P A G E 13 Systems Approach http://www.co.pierce.wa.us/xml/services/home/environ/water/ wq/maintman/MaintManFinal2-22-05.pdf

14. P A G E 14 Plant problems resources to help you correctly identify problem sources and appropriate, least toxic corrective measures Certified Arborists –http://www.isa-arbor.com/findArborist/findarborist.aspxhttp://www.isa-arbor.com/findArborist/findarborist.aspx Virginia Cooperative Extension –http://ext.vt.edu/ or (703) 792-6289http://ext.vt.edu/

15. P A G E 15 Clubhouse - Operations Repair to buildings and grounds Snow removal Recycling – composting – community gardening Energy reduction

16. P A G E 16 Repair to buildings and grounds Look at repairs as opportunities to upgrade to Green Keep up with repairs often saves costlier repairs and waste –Dressing on blacktop –Missing shingles –Doors and windows that don’t close correctly

17. P A G E 17 Snow Removal Fertilizer isn’t “Green” Think about where you pile the snow –Don’t clog storm sewers –Don’t pile it “uphill”

18. P A G E 18 Recycling – Composting – Community Gardening Recycling center at the clubhouse –Have rules –Good signs –Arrange a pick-up –They don’t pay for themselves Recycling days at the clubhouse –PWC Solid Waste www.pwcgov.org recycling or 703-792-4670www.pwcgov.org

19. P A G E 19 Recycling – Composting – Community Gardening Composting doesn’t smell Yard waste can make up to 40% of landfill volume Someone has to commit to doing it

20. P A G E 20 Recycling – Composting – Community Gardening Community Gardens build community Think about the need Be organized You need sun They are not pretty for all 12 months

21. P A G E 21 Energy reduction Energy star appliances Lighting for adequate safety –Aesthetics vs energy and COST –SSL – is the coming thing! Programmable Setback thermometers

22. P A G E 22 Storm water facility maintenance HOA responsibilities Check with PWC (703)792-7070 Major maintenance, inspection, and repair probably PWC Trash, floatables, algae odors etc. are the HOA responsibility

23. P A G E 23 Storm water facility maintenance Maintenance practices Services $100-$8K /month –Aerator maintenance –Weed removal –Treatments –Overflow valve cleaner Dredging ROM $55K –~20 year cycle –You should do everything you can to lengthen that

24. P A G E 24 Storm water facility maintenance No dumping leaves and clippings No dumping in storm sewers Keep trash out Algae & Weed Control Rodent holes beaver dams Clean forebay

25. P A G E 25 Considerations for any new construction Low Impact Development (LID) Rain Gardens

26. P A G E 26 Considerations for any new construction Disconnect from Stormwater

27. P A G E 27 Considerations for any new construction

28. P A G E 28 Considerations for any new construction LEED Retrofit can be expensive Upgrade during repair can be cost effective Use it as a tool Checklists http://www.usgbc.org/

29. P A G E 29 Education of owners What they should do and where they can find help/information www.ext.vt.eduwww.ext.vt.edu - (703) 792-6289 Impact on storm water facility – run off volume, sediment, nutrients, pesticides… Practices to minimize impact Lawns and landscapes Drainage Litter and debris Vehicle fluids –Household Hazardous Waste Collection (703)792-5750

30. P A G E 30 Know about RPAs Chesapeake Bay Improvement Act 100 Foot Buffer Call Public Works (703)792-7070

31. P A G E 31 Comparison of Conventional and LID Site Conditions

32. P A G E 32 Can Be Aesthetically done – even in suburban NOVA Tree conservation Rain gardens Narrower streets Open drainage On-lot detention storage and infiltration

33. Discussion – Questions? Francis J. Reilly, Jr. www.AdvancedMasterGardener.org