As you may (or may not) know, the State of California is experience once of the worst droughts on record, . We posted an article regarding this several weeks ago giving the details and what our watering plan would be to avoid significant water district penalties.
While we have been successful staving off the stiff financial penalties, our turf is not doing so well. Continue reading
Homeowners and residents are to be reminded that we are in a condominium association, not a planned unit development, and that your building structure, patios, and all areas outside your unit are considered common area, and are under the control of the Association, per our governing documents.
This means that neither residents may not plant plants, flowers or trees in the common area, and this includes areas directly in front of and on the side of your unit. Moreover, residents may not cut or trim any plant or tree in the common area. Continue reading
We have had a very successful median installation, and wish to offer great thanks to the those who participated in design (RGA Landscape Architects), installation (PinnAcle Gardening, Horizon Lighting, Cathedral Canyon Golf Club) and financing (Association 1 Reserves, Cathedral Canyon Golf Club & Welk Resort Group, Association 2, Association 3, Association 14, and Association 18).
The new median projects satisfy many different issues. Continue reading
From the plans drawn up by RGA Landscape Architects over a year ago to today……….what a journey! The Median Rejuvenation Project is almost done. There are a few things to tidy up, plus some signage to be designed and installed, but the bulk of the work is done.
The plants and trees are young, but still they are nicely lush. RGA designed the project so that there would be room for everything to grow. So we should see more color as the smaller plants grow and bloom. And a gradual filling in over the next 2-3 years. It should be fabulous. Continue reading
No doubt you’ve noticed some patches of brown in the lawns, with some areas almost completely devoid of grass. There’s a significant reason.
Earlier this year Governor Brown mandated a water saving directive for the entire state of California. His mandate left it up to each water agency as to how best to reduce water usage by the mandated amount (34%). Coachella Valley Water added a tiered pricing structure to encourage users to comply with the state standards without having specific rules in place. Once a user passes the 66% allotted amount penalty rates kick in….and those penalties are substantial (in the hundreds and thousands of dollars each month). Continue reading
The new locking mailboxes are just about here! This Tuesday (10/13) our contractor will start to remove the old boxes and install the new ones. All installs should be done by 10/14 end of day.
For security purposes, mailboxes keys cannot be mailed to homeowners. You will need to pick them up in person. We have arranged for a board member to be at the CCGC Clubhouse this Thursday and Saturday (see the times listed in the article to the right) to distribute keys to homeowners; you must be the actual registered owner of the unit and present your photo ID in order to get the keys. No exceptions. If you are a renter or caretaker, you will need to contact your homeowners to make sure they have sent Desert Management a signed authorization form authorizing you to accept the new keys. Continue reading
Now that the boulders and big rocks are in, our landscapers are bringing in some 
absolutely beautiful trees. Again, you’ll be seeing three varieties planted: fan palms, yellow oleander multitrunks, and willow acacias. This is what will provide the visual lushness to the median at eye level when driving.
Once the trees are in, we will begin to install lighting to highlight them. followed by the beautiful array of succulents and colorful desert flora.
We are excited that our new locking mailboxes will be installed in mid-October. We are making final arrangements with the installer for delivery and installation. It will be necessary for each owner (or their designated proxy) to pick up the keys to their box. We will have a day when you can sign for and pick up your keys onsite in our complex, and if not able to make that, at the Desert Management office. Keys cannot be mailed to off-site owners; the Post Office disallows this.
Details on distribution will be mailed to each owner within the next couple of weeks.
This morning, a crane lumbered down Paseo Real stopping every few feet to deposit beautiful boulders, with colors of beige, grey, rust and more. These boulders will be partially submerged into the dirt and the DG rock material that will cover the median at project end. They provide a rustic desert look that balances with the beautiful colors of the plants, succulents and trees to be planted.
More were delivered in the afternoon. About 30 large boulders were in place by the end of the day. An additional 60 large boulders (1 ton each) and big rocks (small boulders) will be delivered early next week at the next crane availability.
Trees will be next. 
A beautiful array of trees have been personally selected by our contractor. We should start seeing the planting of these toward the back half of next week. Mediterranean fan palms, yellow multi-trunk oleander trees, and willow acacias will be the varieties providing us with a lush balance and contrast to the hundreds of palms and other trees already in the near and distant views.
Oh the joys of major construction projects! We were informed Monday that the crane we scheduled for 9/22/15, after being unavailable for a week (yet another thing to push us off schedule), is having mechanical problems and has to be repaired. This repair will push back boulder placement for two days, and will push tree placement and planting to next week.
The silver lining in all of this is because of the delays related to contract, permits, product availability, crew availability, architectural review, and repairs, plus super heat, the trees, plants and flowers will have a much more ideal planting time now that it is early Autumn.
