We would like to welcome everyone to the neighborhood! We want to work together to preserve the neighborhood feel by keeping it neat and clean.
Thank you for paying your HOA dues in a timely manner. We are fortunate to have the City of Newcastle responsible for maintaining the play ground and adjoining trees, the cul-de-sac green area, and the walking trail and area between 115th & 72nd. We are working with them to ensure that these areas are maintained properly.
The HOA is responsible for maintaining the entrance monument and surrounding vegetation, the open space behind the homes on the West side of 115th and the street lights in the neighborhood. We also maintain all the planter strips in the neighborhood.
DUES
Dues are payable once per year. Presently, the annual amount due is $456 per year. These are usually due in January, we usually try to get the billing out in December. Please pay your dues promptly. Please be aware that dues payments are mandatory and required. This requirement is recorded on the deed to your property, and you should have been informed of it when you purchased your house.
Delinquent dues are not tolerated in any way. Dues that are delinquent will be assessed a mandatory penalty. If dues are still not paid, a legal lien will be filed with King County against your property. This would block you from selling your home before you paid your dues. In very late and extreme cases, the HOA can legally foreclose on your property for unpaid dues, much the same way a bank can foreclose on your property if you don't pay your mortgage.
Mailboxes
Did you know that mail delivery in our neighborhood can come during the afternoon or evening, or even as late as 7:00pm? There has been a problem with parking in front of the mail boxes, which prevents mail delivery. Signs have been added to warn people not to park in front of the boxes. The mailperson will not deliver if cars are parked in a way that prevents direct access from the mail car.
Street safety
The speed limit in our neighborhood is 25 mph. Please be aware there are a number of young children in the neighborhood, so drive safely past parked cars and observe the speed limit, especially when children are at play. The HOA recommends driving no more than 15 MPH in our neighborhood.
Staining fences
For those that have fences, it is great to stain the wood to prevent aging prematurely and discoloring. Please know that the only stains allowed are either a clear cedar stain or Parker Paint RPS 3455 Aspen Tan, semi transparent woodlite, tinting base 3002.
Garbage cans
It is stated in the CC&R's that garbage cans are to be stored out of sight from the street – either in the garage or behind your fence - except on pick up day.
Unapproved structures
Please remember to submit plans for added structures or fences to the Architecural Control Committee for approval prior to any construction.
Boats, Rvs & extended parking
As part of the CC&R's, please remember that boats, trailers, campers, commercial vehicles and mobile homes or any other structures are prohibited within the neighborhood. The City of Newcastle does not allow street parking for longer than 24 continuous hours.
Wasps
Last year, there were numerous wasps in the neighborhood. Please check under the eaves regularly to see if any nests are forming, and remove before they become a hazard.
As part of the CC&R's for the neighborhood, please maintain a neat & clean yard. Things to do routinely:
Pull weeds when they are young – if you wait too long, the weeds will seed as you pull them, creating a weed epidemic!
Keep plants pruned - trim flowers when they wilt to establish healthy plants.
Water weekly in the summer– our new yards need extra watering to establish good roots!
Don’t forget the planter strips – they need to be watered and weeded too.
Exterior maintenance – keep gutters clean, paint touched up and litter removed.
The following is information gathered from the Seattle Public Utilities and City of Bellevue to aid in maintaining neat and healthy yards:
LAWN CARE Improve poor lawns with aeration and overseeding. Aerate compacted soil in spring or fall to improve root development. Overseed with a perennial rye/fine fescue grass seed mix designed for Pacific Northwest conditions. (**Note - the original seed used for Madison Lane lawns is JB Sun & Shade.) A light application of "starter" fertilizer can help the seeds grow quickly and crowd out weeds.
Water only as much as your lawn can absorb (about one inch of water, including rainfall.) Improper watering causes disease and insect problems. The best time to water is in the morning.
Fertilize with a "natural organic" or "slow release" fertilizer. These fertilizers release over time, encouraging deep roots and a healthy lawn. (Chemical fertilizers give your lawn a quick boost, but encourage shallow roots.) A good time to fertilize is after aerating.
Fertilize in September and May - With slow-release or organic fertilizers, you can fertilize just twice a year, in mid to late May and again in early September. If you choose to fertilize only once, the fall application is most important because it helps the grass grow new roots and store nutrients for next year’s growth.
How much to apply - Washington State University (WSU) recommends that home lawns receive 3 to 4 pounds of nitrogen (in a balanced fertilizer) per 1000 square feet of lawn each year. Avoid fertilizing in the early spring because it makes lawns grow too fast (unless your lawn needs help recovering from disease or insect damage.) Wait until May.
Test for calcium deficiency - Soils west of the Cascades are often low in calcium. Apply lime in the spring or fall if a soil test shows a calcium deficiency or acid soil conditions (pH less than 5). Call WSU Cooperative Extension (206) 296-3900 for information on soil testing and their Home Lawns bulletin.
Dethatching - a 1/2 inch thatch layer can be beneficial, but much more than that can keep water, air and fertilizer from reaching the roots. Dethatch, then overseed to thicken the lawn and crowd out weeds. Prevent future thatch buildup by avoiding over-watering and over-fertilizing.
WATERING
Moisten the root zone - Grasses do better when the whole root zone is wetted and then partially dries out between waterings. Avoid frequent shallow watering that causes shallow rooting. Over-watering can promote lawn disease, leach nutrients from the soil, and wastes water.
Water about 1 inch per week during July and August. Use less in late spring or early fall – let the weather be your guide. Water slowly, or start and stop, so the water penetrates rather than puddling or running off. Water early or late, not in the heat of the day when it will just evaporate.
Watering new plantings - newly planted lawns need daily watering (**Note- for the first year of ownership, our yards need extra watering to establish good roots for the new plants!)
