The Gull's Call - Oct/Nov/Dec 2023

ArchitectualNews

Pride of Ownership by Allan Brochier, Bay Isle Pointe T HE PHRASE “PRIDE IN OWNERSHIP” HAS BEEN around for years, but perhaps not understood by some homeowners, or just forgotten. While growing up in our San Leandro home we were ingrained with this idea as kids, the importance of maintaining one’s property as a responsibility to your neighbors and community. This was our first house with a large yard, purchased in 1957 when I was just 10 years old. I remember how trashed the front yard looked with a dead lawn, weeds everywhere, overgrown shrubs, etc. My dad said not to worry about the lawn, it just needs water and it will come back. He was right and that was the beginning of years of cutting and trimming the lawn,

Forecasters are predicting a strong “El Niño” weather pattern this winter, and expect heavier than normal rains for California. Last year’s heavy rains caused minor flooding and damage to some houses. Others had standing water within 1” of a door threshold, or had to drain their side yard with hoses running under gates and out to the sidewalk. So, it’s a good time to clean those gutters and check area drains. You can do this by running water down each downspout and area drain, and check if the water exits at the street curb drain pipe. Remember, if your usable yard abuts your neighbor’s wall, e.g., a zero-lot-line (ZLL) wall condition, you ARE responsible for maintaining the yard drainage, and to ensure that water does not collect against the ZLL wall, and that dirt and bark heights are below the bottom of the siding. If you own the house with the ZLL wall, talk to your neighbor and inspect the condition of your wall

sweeping the sidewalk, weeding, and pruning the shrubs. Our front yard always looked good and we were proud of it. As I walk my dog around

including dirt/bark clearances, shrubs touching the wall, and the neighbor’s drainage provisions affecting your house. For the lastest information on the drought and watering restrictions, please visit EBMUD's webiste at www.ebmud.com/ water/drought.

the Community, I am disheartened to see a number of dead lawns and unkempt front yards. The drought is over so owners need to decide whether to keep and water their lawns, or to submit an

application to replace the lawn with drought tolerant shrubs and a drip irrigation system like others have done. So, pride in ownership is caring about

Architectural applications are required for all items on the exterior of the home, as well as front and rear landscaping. Submit your application online at harborbay.org/archapp or stop by the Community Office to pick up a hard copy. Visit the Architectural Services page at harborbay.org for useful information such as Architectural Rules and Landscape Guidelines, Paint Palettes, Community Vendor List, and more! Now is a great time to get your application in so you have approval to start your 2024 projects when the weather warms up. Most applications are good for one year, so plan ahead! Questions? Email architecture@harborbay.org

how your property looks, maintaining your house and yards, and the small things like placing trash bins out of sight, and picking up free newspapers and spilled trash from streets and gutters. It means having enough respect for your neighbors and community to keep your property in good condition. We have lived in Bay Isle Pointe for nearly 36 years, and our neighborhoods still look great. That’s due to the hard work of our Community staff, Board of Directors, and volunteer committees, and because the majority of homeowners care about their properties. Perhaps some homeowners have fallen short in maintaining their front yards because of the drought, but now have an opportunity to either water or replace those old lawns and update their landscaping.

16 October | November | December 2023

The Gull’s Call