Landscape Committee

By Mary Sapp, Chair 

Projects Planned and In Progress  

• Lakeport’s Fall cleanup, part of “I Love Lakeport Day” and now named “Beautify Lakeport Event,” will take place Saturday, September 27. We will meet at 9:00 a.m. in Triangle Park. If you can join your neighbors to improve the appearance of your community, please email msapp@miami.edu.
• We are in the process of identifying ways to prevent future storm water damage similar to that experienced at 1950 Lakeport Way as a result of the 4.5”-5” storm on July 12. Owner Joe Walter and Landscape Committee member John Janowski did a lot of work moving rocks (temporarily) and removing silt that had accumulated in the rock swale behind 1946 - 1950 Lakeport Way since it was built 20 years ago. Nearby owners Nick Ipiotis and Marilyn Bursch researched the history of the swale, and Joe verified that water from his downspout and catch basin flowed through one of the two pipes that are supposed to be under the swale. Joe videoed water flow in the July 12 deluge, and Mary Sapp videoed water flow in two other rainstorms and analyzed those videos plus myriad documents and photos relating to the history of problems with storm water in that area. Several neighbors attended the August Board meeting to share their input. The contractor who installed the rain garden and coir logs plus a soil scientist from the County made a site visit and submitted recommendations, and a meeting with another expert from the county has been requested. Arrangements have been made for new plants and grass seed to retain soil. Work continues. A series of recommended actions is being evaluated, and a committee is being formed to obtain proposals from contractors to rebuild the swale and to redirect water on the hill between11110 and 11112 Lakespray. 
• New plants will be installed at the south end of Lakespray Way to replace plants that have died there (after amending the soil so this doesn’t happen again). 
• Two Eastern redbuds will be planted on the outside of the fence to the left of the entrance to Lakeport in the spring (a better time to plant redbuds) as replacements for two white pines removed from the other side of that fence. 

Projects Completed 

• 
  Lakeport’s Spring Workday was very productive. Twenty residents showed up to cut down dead trees and branches, weed by the RA path going to the pool and in the rain garden, cut back bushes behind homes on the north side of Lakeport Way, remove invasive vines growing over azaleas, and trim dead branches from small shrubs around Lakeport. See photos below and the list of those who participated in the “Thanks to Volunteers” article.
• Additional plants were added to Triangle Park, including some warrantied shrubs replaced by Meadows Farms.

Please remember that owners and residents are not allowed to remove, add, or prune plants in common areas without the permission of Lakeport’s Landscape Committee, and we ask that you consult with us before paying to have branches overhanging your property trimmed/removed.