Last year’s drought killed the grass in many yards. This was followed by much needed rain this winter. The combination has resulted in an explosion of weeds as the grass tries to re establish itself.
The same thing has happened on the former golf course property as well and the Harris County Flood Control lots. We wanted to take this time to remind you of the current arrangements regarding the mowing of both properties.
Former golf course property – The City of Houston provides no funds or services related to the maintenance of the golf course property. When the city purchased the property in 2011, they made it clear that they had no funds to maintain either the property or the former clubhouse. The Near Northwest Management District stepped in and agreed to manage/ maintain the property and former clubhouse. They signed a 5 year lease agreement with the city in late 2011. Their lease agreement only requires them to mow the 227 acres of property nine times a year. The management district has made the commitment to mow the property twelve times a year. The property was mowed in February and will be mowed in March.
The fairways will be cut as well as the areas up to the white out of bound markers. The easements will not be cut. If your lot is on the former golf course property, you are responsible for mowing the easements, just like you are responsible for mowing the easement in front of your house between the curb and the sidewalk.
Eventually, detention will be put in on a large part of the former golf course property. Preliminary estimates are that large tracts of land will be used for wet bottom detention which will reduce the amount of property that will need to be mowed.
Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) Lots - HCFCD mows these lots once a month from April through November. The company they contract with tries to mow on a schedule, but their contract does not require them to mow on a schedule. When the mowing program first started, IF lots were usually mowed around the first week of each month. A couple of years ago, IF lots were being mowed around the third week of each month. We do not know what the 2012 schedule will be. We will have to wait to see when the lots are mowed in April to get an idea of what this year’s schedule will be.
To date, the Association has mowed the HCFCD lots twice in 2012 due to their condition. This is more than we have had to do in prior years. Please feel free to contact the board if you have any questions