Category: Common Areas

Pick up after your dogs

Posted on by Don Ryan

Directly behind the shop on the East side is a large common area between East MC Drive and East Townhouse Lane. In that same area is a Pet Sanitation Station with poop bags. However, residents unknown are allowing their dogs to defecate within 4-5 feet from this pet station, with bags available, and just walk away and leave it.  These are rather large dogs, too.

I have no idea why someone would think this was acceptable.  Picking up after your dogs on common property is not only responsible and reasonable, but is required by HOA rules and City Ordinances. We are fining dog owners who do not pick up after their dogs as a violation of Health and Safety, as well as getting GP Animal Services involved. These fines will escalate as long as the violation continues.

Entirely too many dog owners are fouling our common areas, and enough is enough.

 

 

Common Areas, Pet Waste

Dog Feces on Common Property

Posted on by Don Ryan

I was taught to have respect and consideration for other people, including picking up after my dogs.  I have noticed many people walking their dogs on common property and walking away after the dog leaves a present in the grass.

It has gotten totally out of hand and there is a LOT of dog poop on property now.  Kids are out playing and step in it, our guys are mowing and repairs and step in it and unless something happens soon to alleviate this issue, there is a possibility that the Board may limit the areas of common property where dogs are allowed.

There is a property on the West side, facing Belt Line, where you cannot step on the grass without stepping in dog poop. GP Animal Services have been notified.  As a reminder to all:

Common Area Damage, Common Areas, Pet Waste

Update on West Townhouse Lane

Posted on by Don Ryan

Sometime over the weekend, the City returned and packed in more dirt into the street and removed the barricades. The street is fully passable now  The Director of Public Works emailed me and said that they will be back out in the next few weeks to do a permanent repair of the street.

Here is what it looks like now:

Common Areas, Information

Several Things

Posted on by Don Ryan

We are posting this because previous individual posts regarding these items have gone unseen or are being disregarded.

  1. People throwing trash all over common property. In some cases, these are school kids returning home from the school buses letting them out, and in many other cases, adults driving through property or emptying out the car into the visitor lots.  We find all manner of food wrappers and foam products all over as well as beer bottles and cans.  We spend hours picking up trash around the property several days a week and still people trash the place out with complete impunity.
  2. Large numbers of dog owners are not picking up after their dogs when walking them on common property, some are very large dogs. No one likes stepping in dog poop, and we do not like driving around the property in the Gators and having it get caught in the tires. We have kids playing here and the place is loaded with “lawn mines”. Please pick up after your dogs! It is easier to do that than to risk a fine from the HOA and/or the City.
  3. I called PD today because I saw two guys loitering around on the East side and hiding their faces when I drove past them. That is usually a sign they are up to no good.  We have had recent problems with home break-ins and package thefts, among other things. Please notify the Police if you see suspicious folks wandering around our property.  We have to remain vigilant and keep an eye on our surroundings.
  4. Fire Lanes – we still have many residents and their visitors who park vehicles in the fire lane. That is always illegal and will get you either fined or towed. Although our governing documents mention that service and delivery vehicles can park in the street during regular business hours, all of our streets are clearly marked Fire Lanes. Fire Code is very specific about what vehicles are allowed to be in the Fire Lane. Those vehicles are Police, Fire or Ambulances on official business.  So, any other vehicle parked in the Fire Lanes that is not Police, Fire or Ambulance on official business is at risk of fines, towing and/or impounding.  Police can write citations for parking in the fire lane, as well.
  5. We have also had recent incidents of people dumping stuff on HOA property, such as old furniture and dumping an old refrigerator in the front flower bed of their townhouse.  Dumping is illegal, to say the least, and we do get the City involved in most instances.  If you have a large item you need to dispose of, call the Office and we will make arrangements to get it properly picked up. We do not, however, deal with large home appliances such as refrigerators/ freezers.

Common Areas, Criminal Activity, GP Police, Illegal Dumping, Information

Dogs on Common Property

Posted on by Don Ryan - 2 Comments

For the past 4 or 5 years, we have been sending out Informational Notices to every townhome at least twice a year in which we remind owners and renters alike that all dogs, no matter their size,  must be on a leash when on common property, and pet owners must pick up after their pets.

Sadly, some pay no attention to these rules and leave dog feces all over the property. In some places, it is really bad and poses a health hazard to everyone. Not only is it inconsiderate, it is a violation of City ordinances and can get you fined. The HOA also has the ability to fine for Health and Safety violations, and we do exactly that.

People figured out a long time ago that feces need to be properly contained and treated as a matter of sanitation; the same is true of dog poop. The HOA has provided pet sanitation stations around the property, please use them. Pick up after your dog. Doing so is cheaper than a fine.

All dogs must be on a leash and under your control whenever they are on common property. There are no exceptions to this. Regardless of how well trained you think they are, they are still dogs and will chase things that run and/or fight other dogs.

 

Common Areas, Pet Waste

Recent Rainfall and Common Areas

Posted on by Don Ryan - 2 Comments

As of today, the local area has received almost 5 inches of rainfall in 2018. That is a record, to say the least, and the reason flood warnings were issued. Plus, it is going to rain more tomorrow, but the forecast says we are partly sunny for the next week.

All of our common areas are totally saturated, and as some might have noticed that even though it has not rained for a few days, we still have streams of water running down some of our streets. The ground can only hold so much water and then runoff occurs.  Several residents have called the office about water standing in the some places of our common areas. The ground is as wet as it can possibly get and just cannot hold any more water. Until the grounds dry up more, we cannot mow or paint the fronts of houses on the 2018 paint schedule because the ground is too wet for our ladders. We are painting the backs of houses on the paint schedule and doing what landscaping we can with string trimmers and hedge trimmers so our crew can accomplish something. Once we get a bit more dried out, mowing will begin in earnest.

We had a pre-emergent treatment from TruGreen scheduled but the grounds were to wet for it, so it was postponed.

Common Areas

Why putting your trash out properly is important!

Posted on by Don Ryan - 2 Comments

Lately,we have been sending out a lot of Warnings to properties that place their trash bags out the night before trash pickup days. To some, this seems rather innocuous. But in the grand scheme of things, it merely invites critters to tear open these trash bags and scatter thrash everywhere. This is why we do not want trash sitting out over night. This is also a rule of the HOA.

The forms we send out also tell residents that they can put trash out the night before ONLY if it is in a tightly lidded non-metallic trash can. This does not mean you can put one or two bags in the trash can and then surround it with 10 more plastic trash bags. All bags must be inside the trash can, or you can set these bags out in the morning.

It is a big deal when we have to stop and gather up the scattered trash when people do not follow the rules. It is also a health and safety hazard, something for which we can issue fines without notice.

Below is what the City of Grand Prairie has posted on the Nextdoor website: (emphasis added by me)

 

Keep Wildlife in the Wild

It’s almost spring, which means wildlife might start appearing near your home.  Many types of wildlife are attracted to our yards because food is plentiful and easy to obtain. Being aware of your potential contribution to this environment helps reduce nuisance animal incidents in your area.

•  Avoid feeding wild animals, including birds. Birdseed attracts rats and other rodents, a known food source for predators like coyotes.
•  Keep your pets inside and under your control at all times. An animal allowed to roam off-leash, even in your front yard, presents an easy meal for a predator.
•  Secure your trash and trash cans. Don’t place trash outside overnight or the day before pickup. Keep your garbage in your garage or in a secure trash can (not plastic bags) until the morning of pickup.
•  Clean your property to remove overgrowth and underbrush. This helps eliminate nesting or denning sites for wildlife.
•  Pick up any fruits or vegetables at ground level; various wild animals enjoy these types of food.

You can find more useful tips and procedures on the Animal Services website: http://bit.ly/GP_Wildlife

Common Areas, Information, Trash Pickup

Dogs on Common Property

Posted on by Don Ryan

We have been notifying residents for the past 4 years that they cannot let their dogs wander loose on our common property. All dogs must be on a leash and under your control whenever they are on common property.

We also have many dog owners who let their dogs defecate on common property and do not pick it up. I know other residents see this happen and we need you to take a stand and report these inconsiderate people to GP Animal Services. We have affidavits in the office that you can fill out and take to Animal Services.

If HOA personnel observe someone not picking up after their dog, we can fine you under Property Code 209.006 as a Health and Safety violation. We have spent a lot of money putting Pet Sanitation stations around the property; use them or be fined.

Common Areas, Pet Waste

Satellite Dishes and Common Areas

Posted on by Don Ryan

We do not allow Satellite dishes installed on HOA common property.  Since I have been on the Board, I have only seen this maybe one other time, where a dish was mounted in common property, and when asked why they did it, I was asked “where else should we put it?”  Well, definitely not on HOA property, for sure.

The dish below is sitting on a mounting plate which is resting on the ground and held in place with 4 concrete blocks.

I followed the cable to see where it went, and that homeowner will be getting a letter. Why anyone, including a satellite installer, would believe this is acceptable is beyond me. The Declaration (CC&R) definitely prohibits this.

 

Cable and Satelite Installations, Common Areas