ARC Approves First Creekside Solar Installation on Earth Day

I just talked to Burt and he said: "I attended the meeting tonight (4/22) of the Creekside Architectural Review Committee and am happy to report that my 2.5 kW photovoltaic solar energy project was approved.  I will provide updates as the project progresses. I hope this news will prompt others in Creekside who are interested in pursuing solar energy projects to do so, and will be happy to be of assistance." I wonder if the ARC realize they made this decision on earth day?

HOAs Pose Obstacles to Reducing Impact on Environment

Today the Statesman Journal ran a follow up article to their coverage on April 12 of our fight for solar rights. They were responding to Creekside resident Barbara Husseini's questions, "do homeowner associations pose significant obstacles to resident trying to reduce their impact on the environment?" After Statesman Journal reporter, Beth Casper researched the issue she found that:

1. HOAs do not need to register with any government agency.
2. HOAs don't have consistent enforcement policies.
3. No one even knows how many HOAs there are in Salem.

Read the whole article here.

First Creekside Solar Installation Gets Media Coverage

On Monday April 12 the Statesman Journal ran a front page article, by Beth Casper, on our efforts to provide a process in Creekside for the approval of solar installations. The article was syndicated to the Associated Press and picked up by many AP affiliates. The subject seems to be extremely popular since as of this writing the article is either on or referenced by 1,310 web sites world wide. Despite the positive media coverage of the new Creekside installation guidelines and Burt's upcoming solar installation the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) has run over their allotted 30 days for review. Burt is ready to start his solar installation but there's approval yet from the ARC.

Eat Grubs; Don't Poison Them

Well, not you.....let beneficial parasites eat the grubs. Each summer we see those giant "mosquitoes" flying around our yards. These are crane flies. They don't bite--but are an annoyance--and the grubs they hatch from can cause lawn damage. Crane flies lay eggs in your lawn that eventually become grubs. These grubs, which come to the surface in the spring, munch on lawn roots before turning into crane flies and starting the process all over again. Here is a good calendar of the crane fly life-cycle in your lawn. If your yard becomes overly infested with crane fly grubs, you might note brown patches in your lawn. But be aware that many other pests and lawn diseases can cause the same conditions. Don't overreact.