A Dwyer
No convener presently.
Make decisions about how common areas should be landscaped, suitably to the usage and goals chosen by the community.
Coordinate the work. The committee is not required to do the work itself, although in practice it often does.
Serve community members as a resource for information and education in gardening.
Self selection. Persons displaying an interest or having needed skills may be solicited to join.
Sine qua non: An interest in or liking for the outdoors and plants and a willingness to work and learn in the subject area.
Desirable: Familiarity with plants and their cultivation, including knowledge of irrigation methods and their maintenance. Knowledge of climate-appropriate landscaping, such as hardiness, drought tolerance, and urban heat mitigation. Willingness to share knowledge and patience with those having less knowledge, both inside and outside the committee.
Valuable: Willingness and ability to do manual labor.
Most of the committee’s work is between April and November, inclusive. Planning may be done during late fall and winter.
The deadline for irrigation work (installation, scheduling, repair) is before the plants suffer too much damage. Irrigation is typically turned on for the season in approximately April and shut off in approximately November. This is subject to weather; for instance, prolonged dry periods in the winter or rainy spells in summer.
Water for irrigation.
Storage for tools.
Work parties.
An annual budget for maintenance such as soil amendments, irrigation repairs, lawn aeration, tree trimming, equipment purchase, repair, or replacement, etc.
A budget for landscaping of unfinished or unsatisfactory areas, including soil amendments, irrigation installation, equipment rental, and plants.
Amendments or refinements to the “master plan” for the community grounds. Progress in achieving the master plan. Maintenance issues.
Maintenance of existing landscaping or changes in landscaping which don’t negatively impact usage or goals expressed by the community. This includes necessary expenditures within the committee’s budget.
When necessity or desirability of changes in usage or goals is perceived.
When desired usage and goals are incompatible with financial and labor budgets (e.g., hand-pulling weeds may be environmentally sound, but we don’t have the labor).
When de facto usage by community member(s) is incompatible with desired goals (e.g., dog poop in a food garden is unsanitary).
When refinements in usage and goals are required to proceed (e.g., define “wild area” – unmanaged? native only? woodland landscaping? supplemental watering? children’s play area or low-impact/low-traffic area?)
Parents, regarding play areas. Maintenance, where duties potentially overlap, such as hardscape. Safety & Security, re blocking light on paths, hazard trees, fire hazards.
During committee reports. Communicate with committee members either individually or in committee meetings. Request ACM time to discuss grounds usage and goals, and whether committee actions appear to support them.
page update 7/7/2018
formatting 5/29/2019