Autumn's Coming to Bay Hill Village

Members of the Bay Hill Conservancy and Bay Hill Village overall have enjoyed a lovely summer of vacations and staycations, and many are looking forward to the autumnal bliss filled with color and that special "fall light."

Carroll and Debi are planning a Very Special Program for October - date TBA. Watch your e-mails and this blog for details. In the meantime, enjoy excerpts from an article Debi found in the August-September 2006 issue of Cabin Life Magazine.

Loving Your Lake

10 Tips for keeping your water clean and healthy - forever

By Steve McComas

"How can you ensure that the lake you love remains beautiful and healthy for generations to come? You can show your love for your lake by incorporating these 10 tips into your lake life.

1. Buff up the buffer: A lakeside buffer is a growth of unmowed native vegetation from the shoreline extending to upland areas. Grass mowed down to the edge of the water is not a true buffer. Although it provides groundcover, it is not effective for filtering pollutants in runoff water, and it's poor wildlife habitat.

2. Let a fallen tree lie: Shallow water near the shores of lakes are vital nurseries for all fish species as well as a variety of birds and animals. Practically all fish species rely on nearshore habitat at some point in their life cycle. Deadfall - such as a fallen tree in the water - provides great habitat

3. Control exotics: If exotic species are present in your lake, they will be nearly impossible to eradicate. Is there a prevention program in your lake? Does your lake association mail out information on spotting and controlling exotics plants such as Eurasian watermilfoil?

4. Minimize mowed lawns: Rainwater and snowmelt runoff can deliver clean and pure water to a lake - and that's a good thing - or it can deliver fertilizer components and sediments - and those are bad things. Mimic Mother Nature's work if you can.

5. Avoid fertilizing: A native groundcover should thrive without fertilizer. However, if you do use fertilizer consider using phosphorus-free varieties.

6. Balance plants and algae: A battle is always raging in lakes between plants and algae. When plants win, the result is usually clear lake water. You can help the plants win.

7. Maintain that septic system: A malfunctioning septic tank system can contaminate nearby drinking water wells and deliver unwanted materials to the lake.

8. Catch and release: Why is fishing fun? One of the reasons is fish taste good. Releasing most large fish back to the lake helps maintain balance through the fish community.

9. Keep things in check: Sometimes just a simple visual checkup can help point you in the right direction. Example - check the runoff patterns on your lot (is it eroding, is there sheet flow, any problems?), check water running off roofs and gutters, check detergents and use non-phosphorous detergents if possible; properly store hazardous chemicals.

10. Monitor the lake health: Several benchmark tests can be used to gauge lake status and some things can be monitored just for fun. Daily journals of wildlife observations and lake phenomena can be handy references.

So keep a journal, let your shoreline grow au natural, release the lunkers and fertilize your garden with leftover bait minnows. All these activities can make your lake a little bit better. And if you and our neighbors all take care of your lake, it can be enjoyed by many, many generations to come."

To read the complete article click on this link: "Loving Your Lake"

December Planning Session Success

The newly-formed and growing Bay Hill Conservancy met Sunday, December 2, 2pm at Rivers Edge Condominium's meeting room.

This very blogspot was discussed and new links will be added. Please send Debi links to your own web page, websites of interest, etc. if you would like them added here. Our blogspot is a growing, living thing to reflect our support of the community of Bay Hill Village. Bay Hill Village includes River Breeze Condominums, Bay Pointe Condominium, Rivers Edge Condominium, the Villas, all the waterfront homes and Bay Hill Marina. Let's not forget our live-aboards, too. Am I forgetting anyone?

Carroll Adams penned a letter and talked on the phone with Bill Lattimer, our County Commissioner, regarding trash pickup. Bottom line - the county does not offer a yard trash pick up service. He recommended we look into contracting with a particular tree service. Member discussions also involved working with local yard maintenance folks with which several members contract individually. Another option is the BFI transfer station, where they charge $7 per load. Larry & Carroll took a truckload - 10 trash bags filled with leaves - and it cost $7, to clarify. However, they do have the occasional FREE dump day. Also discussed was holding a Spring and Fall "Bay Hill Clean Up Day" - perhaps with a more creative title - and contracting for someone to haul off the entire neighborhood's yard trash. Lots of good, creative sharing occurred in this conversation.

Marilyn Bachelor updated us all on the new entrance sign project. Marilyn, Rachel Foster and Dennis Holliman have met with the contractor and Dennis has graciously "volunteered" to oversee the work and keep it on target. Also discussed was a future project - new road signs. Hey we can dream, can't we? Marilyn Bachelor ROCKS as sign committee chairman and she got High Fives all round!

We all had lots to say regarding environmental concerns. 1) Hazardous waste and what the heck to do with it, and 2) the pile of asphalt and old railroad ties north of Phase 3. We learned that piling up OLD asphalt is okay, but piling up NEW asphalt is a no-no. Also railroad ties are considered hazardous. The burning of TREATED lumber is also hazardous as chemicals within the wood causes noxious fumes all manner of bad stuff released into the air. (stop me if I get too technical...) Debi (that would be me) offered to research this issue and report back.

Then we switched to the fun stuff! The Audubon Annual Backyard Bird Count, whose link has been added to the site, is just a fun way to learn about birds in our area. Counting them is the beginning of appreciation! Carroll passed around the Audubon Endangered Bird List, upon which are listed MANY of our Bay Hill feathered friends like the red headed woodpecker.

Carroll briefly outlined the list of "Concerns" from the first session and asked for any additional concerns for the list. Remaining at Number 1 is the White Fence, but nipping its heels is the high grass and nasty looking houses in the main entrance way. Betty Harrison offered to tackle that issue.

Carroll and Debi brought up pruning the crepe myrtles along Rivers Edge Way to show our thanks and appreciation to the Board for the use of a meeting room for free. However, we must first tackle the issue of how to haul the limbs away.

Betty Harrison and Jan Perkins will co-chair the next planner, which will be a New Year Mixer sort of party thing at a place to be determined. Suggested was Bay Pointe Condominiums or the Marina as we want to share the love and meet all over Bay Hill Village - All For One and One For all - that kind of thing.

Tentative date is SATURDAY, JANUARY 5 - 10:00 AM.

The Bay Hill Conservancy members offer our THANKS to the Board and Members of Rivers Edge Condominium HOA for the use of their meeting room.