LAUREATE PARK MASTER ASSOCIATION

Dear Laureate Park Residents,

It’s the rainy season and everything is growing. It’s wet and hot and a great environment for everything to grow, including undesirable weeds and mildew. This article is about taking care of your landscape in Lake Nona. 

SOIL CONDITIONS
In Florida, there are different types of soils from sandy to clay.  Here in Lake Nona, we have a unique soil that has high organic matter, so it is slower to percolate (drain). Because of this, there are a few things that you can do to keep your landscape happy.
If some of your landscape seems to be unhealthy, this could be due to mulch buildup around the crown (base) of your plants. Be sure to pull back the mulch from around the crown of the plants, especially trees.  The moisture being trapped around the base causes the plants to rot.  Make sure to elevate plants an inch or two when planting new materials and add some bedding soil. If you are planting a tree, elevate it 4 to 6 inches above grade or curb height. 

IRRIGATION
Another important factor is irrigation control.  Applying too much water can be just as harmful to your landscape as not watering enough. Also, keep in mind, the seepage of water onto driveways and sidewalks causes algae that stains and creates a slippery surface on concrete. If your irrigation system is Wi-Fi capable, linking your system to a weather station will enable it to be completely automatic and working off ET (evapotranspiration). This means, water in the soil evaporates and plants transpire, or use water, daily.  This is the amount, or depth, of water that needs to be replaced by your irrigation system.  You can find out more by googling "irrigation scheduling using ET to save water". 
If your system is not Wi-Fi capable, make sure your system is set up to only run two days a week during daylight savings time (March 3 – November 10, 2019) and one day a week (November 11 – March 8, 2020) per City of Orlando ordinance. At Laureate Park we recommend using what is called “cycle – soak’”, this means instead of running 20 minutes a station (runoff starts after about 5 to 7 minutes) we run 5 minutes a station with 4 start times.  Example: First start time is 4:00 a.m., station 1 – 5 minutes, station 2 – 5 minutes, station 3 – 5 minutes and station 4 – 5 minutes.  Second start time 4:25 a.m. repeat stations 1-4 at 5 minutes each.  Third start time at 4:50 a.m. repeat stations 1 – 4 at 5 minutes each and final starting at 5:15 a.m. repeat stations 1 – 4 at 5 minutes each.  This is the same ‘typical’ 20-minute run time per station with little to no runoff.
Lastly, make sure that your rain sensor is active and properly working.  This not only saves water but reduces the amount of runoff of reclaimed water that goes down our storm drains. For more on City watering restrictions, you can go to https://www.ouc.com/environment-community/high-quality-water-ouc/watering-restrictions

TURF (LAWN) CARE
On another note, you do not need to fertilize your turf during the summer months (from June – September) because lightning releases nitrogen into the air which is readily available to the plants.  Note that your other plants may have additional nutritional requirements so keep monitoring them.
If you have Saint Augustine grass, now is the time to treat for chinch bugs.  Chinch bug damage may not show up for weeks or months.  The reason is that when chinch bugs feed, they eject an enzyme into the plant to breakdown the plant tissues for them to extract the juices.  It is this enzyme that kills the Saint Augustine grass.

STREET TREES
If the street tree in front of your home is not as full as you’d like or has dead branches near the top, it is likely that there is too much mulch or soil at its base.  During our inspections we have found instances of a two-foot mound of dirt/mulch at the base of the trees.  Too much mulch traps moisture and causes rotting at the crown (base) of the tree, which then starts the decline of the tree, which usually starts at the top of the tree. Here are some tips of what to do with your street tree:

1. Conduct a #2 pruning of the tree. This includes removal of dead wood, any cross branching, and removal of basal shoot a.k.a. tree suckers.
2. Trim the tree to a clearance of 7 ft over sidewalks and 14 ft over the street, if it is encroaching.
3. Remove mulch and dirt to expose the root flare (base) and top layer of the roots.
4. Cap or turn off any tree bubblers or sprays (irrigation), unless the tree was newly planted.
5. Re-mulch, with hardwood mulch, one inch thick over the roots and staying 6 inches away from the root flare (base).

Tavistock Development Company’s Horticulture Specialist will be driving and inspecting all street trees within Laureate Park. Any homes that have street trees that need significant attention will receive a follow up notice within 15 days of this newsletter.

We hope this information is useful to you all and please know that there will be more to come. If you have any horticultural related questions, comments, or future horticultural article topics please email LPlandscapetips@gmail.com.

If you are not signed up to the weekly Lake Nona newsletters and would like to receive the Laureate Park monthly newsletter, please send in your request to be on the email list to Bryan Merced at bryan.merced@tavistock.com.

​Thank you all!

Spring Break is this week, which is the unofficial start of the busy season at the Aquatic Center. We thought this would be a great time to remind everyone of the Aquatic Center rules. Below is a list of rules, but the main rule is to please be a considerate neighbor when you are there.

• Be mindful of your children when visiting the Aquatic Center. Also remember that children under the age of 16 are not permitted in the Center without a parent/guardian. 
• Keep disruptive activities (like loud music, yelling, excessive splashing) to a minimum at the ‘Tranquil Pool.’ This side of the pool was designed to be a relaxing place. Children are allowed in the ‘Tranquil Pool’, but they do need to comply with the rules.
• Keep the lap lanes open (please do not hang onto the lane floats).
• Do not bring extra-large pool floats into the Aquatic Center. Small floats, noodles or arm floats are fine.  But giant rafts can occupy much of the pool, and can also be a safety hazard, as a child could become caught beneath it.
• Please be courteous when bringing music players into the Aquatic Center.  We sometimes have reports of loud music with offensive lyrics being played. Please remember there are children present.
• Please be courteous with use of the cabanas. Please limit use to half the day, so other residents can enjoy.
• Never bring glass containers or bottles into the Aquatic Center.
• Pets are not allowed in the Aquatic Center

SPRING BREAK STAFFING.  A pool attendant is onsite daily during Spring Break. Please feel free to alert the attendant of any issues you are encountering, and we will work to resolve.
 
If you encounter an issue when an attendant is not present, please call the Lake Nona Information Center at 407-888-6500. 
 
RULES REMINDERS
 
GUEST POLICY AT THE AQUATIC CENTER.  As a Member of the Laureate Park Aquatic Center (as part of your Laureate Park HOA fees), you are allowed to have two guests per person accompany you into the facility. 
 
This means that a two-person household would be allowed a maximum of four total guests to the Aquatic Center at any given time. Please be aware that a failure to adhere to the guest limits will lead to the loss of Aquatic Center access for the entire household.  

Children under 16 are not allowed at the Aquatic Center unaccompanied by a parent or guardian.  We have heard reports of children under 16 letting in non-resident groups of teenagers into the Aquatic Center. Please advise your children that if they let non-residents into the Aquatic Center, your pool access can be revoked. Also, if your children (over the age of 16) are unsupervised and behaving in a disruptive manner, your Aquatic Center access can be revoked.
 
If you own a home at Laureate Park that is being rented, please take note that you are responsible for your renters’ actions at the Aquatic Center. If the renter of your home does not abide by the rules and guest limits, your access to the Aquatic Center can be lost.  
 
Please be considerate with bringing guests to the Aquatic Center. The Center was designed first and foremost for the enjoyment of our residents. Bringing guests with you every visit to the facility is not the intent of the guest usage rules of the Aquatic Center. The only exception for the guest limit would be for a pre-approved event (an example would include a child’s birthday party). The pre-approved event schedule is managed by the Lake Nona Information Center (407-888-6500), so if you are planning to hold a birthday party event you will need to call ahead. Events will be limited to a maximum of two per year per household, subject to availability. There is also a maximum attendee count of 20. The number of parties is limited to two per day at the Center. We are not currently charging a fee for party usage, however, this is subject to change. Parties bring additional cleaning and management needs to the Aquatic Center, so a fee is may become necessary.
 
Also note that the aquatic center is monitored through multiple video cameras and also through a database of FOB entry access records. So, potential guest limit violations will be monitored through those records and by Aquatic Center staff. The Aquatic Center is also regularly patrolled by Lake Nona Security staff in the evening.
 
UMBRELLAS AND CABANAS.  Please remember to close any umbrellas you have used before you leave the Aquatic Center. As we enter the season of afternoon thunderstorms and wind, it is important that umbrellas are not potentially damaged during a storm. If you have used a cabana and zipped up one of the sides, please unzip the side panel and tie it before leaving.  
 
SWIM DIAPERS. Swim diapers are required for children that have not been toilet trained. There have already been many incidents at the Aquatic Center that have required the pool to be closed for a chlorine shock. Note that this rule applies for any area where a child is in contact with the water – including the deck jets by the dumping bucket.  
 
If you have questions regarding the Aquatic Center, please contact the Lake Nona Information Center at (407) 888-6500.  
 
ADDITIONAL RULES AND REGULATIONS

• Barbecues and grills are not permitted within the Aquatic Center
• Glass containers or objects of any kind are not permitted
• Smoking is not permitted in the Aquatic Center
• Please be respectful of the 'Tranquil Pool' area and refrain from disruptive behavior
• Please keep the lap lanes clear in the 'Tranquil Pool' as sitting on lap lane floaters disrupts members swimming laps

The annual Laureate Park budget meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 13 at 5:30 PM inside Lakehouse in Laureate Park. Click here for directions to Lakehouse >

Please note that Jr. Davis Construction is scheduled to begin importing at Laureate Park Phase 10 on January 21, 2019.

They will be using the new haul road exiting out Lake Nona Gateway, to Lake Nona Blvd, to Nemours Parkway.

Hauling will be done 5 days a week and the project will take 4 to 5 months to complete.