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Table of Contents

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
PROPERTY MANAGER'S CORNER
LANDSCAPE COMMITTEE
GROUNDS COMMITTEE
PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE
PLAYGROUND UPDATE
ACCESS CONTROL AND SAFETY COMMITTEE
ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW
DEERWOOD GARDEN CIRCLE
SAVE THE DATES
FLAG DAY
GARAGE SALE ITEMS
BABYSITTERS
PAVE THE WAY: PROJECT PLAYGROUND

KEEP OFF THE GRASS
(Golf Course grass, that is)

Whether we are members of the Deerwood Country Club or not, all Deerwood owners and residents will reap major benefits from the massive club renovations now taking shape. Our community will be able to retain its position in the future as one of the best and most desirable places to live in North Florida; our property values should continue to be enhanced as the opening days get closer. Accordingly, it is in ALL of our interests to do everything possible to help move the course development and construction forward. 

We understand that by the time you receive this newsletter, most of the heavy course construction work will have been completed - all sod around greens, bunkers and lakes will be in place and all greens, tees and fairways sprigged with the best grasses available. The next four months are critical times for the growth of the new, delicate seedlings. The DIA is working closely with the club to restrict unauthorized access to all of the golf course property and we have added (at the club's expense) additional security personnel to patrol the course after hours to prevent trespassing. You can help by staying off the course - same for your children and pets - and by calling the regular guardhouse phone when you see anyone on the course that isn't obviously maintenance personnel. 

We also understand that the club plans to conduct organized tours of the new course starting sometime after the middle of June - probably at first for club members and then for non-member, interested residents. That will be the time to see all of the changes that have been made. 

Access Control. Our new Access Control and Safety provider, First Coast Security, has been on the scene for about two months and we are very pleased with their work. They have a list of plans to assist the Deerwood community, but the firsts priority has been to get authorized guests and service personnel through the gates as quickly as possible. In addition, they are charged with keeping individuals and companies without authorization out of our community. That is a difficult and sometimes thankless job, when residents do not comply with the authorization policy. 

They have found that it takes about 40 seconds to pass a pre-authorized guest or service person through the gates but over four minutes on the average to pass someone who is not on a resident's approved list and must be called - often via several tries. In the latter case, the back up of vehicles entering both gates may extend dangerously outside the gates to the Baymeadows Road and Southside. 

Please help keep the back up as low as possible by always registering your expected guest through E-Z Gate via your PC or by calling the gate in advance. Of course all family members, close friends and regular service companies should be on your permanent guest lists. Call the gate if you need any help in making this happen. 

First Coast goals also include slowing down automobiles - especially in the school crossing zones and in the entrance and exit lanes of the two gates. JSO helps via their regular patrols and have given a number of citations for speeds in excess of 45 mph in a lighted school crossing area and as much as 60 mph on other Deerwood streets. These violators are you, our residents, speeding in the neighborhood you want all of us to keep safe. 

Incidentally, Deerwood is a test community in communicating with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. Our Access Control and Safety personnel have the only community direct radio communication with the JSO - not having to go through a relay network to be in touch. We expect that critical response time will be much improved from the past. 

Playground. Most know that our community playground is getting old and needs attention. Our playground committee is designing a new, modern playground facility that will be a place for our children to play, as well as a gathering spot for resident families and guests. I encourage ALL residents to help - find out how you can help in this effort. In addition, please make sure to purchase you permanent commemorative brick, to help raise funds for this important project.

Finally, I appreciate the opportunity to serve our community as president of your association for the year ending next April. As a Board member for the past two years, I have observed the extreme commitment and conscientious service of the past two presidents, Marty Eltrich and Lee Evans. It is sometimes difficult and occasionally trying to lead a volunteer community organization with such a large and diverse population with so many different proprieties, needs, and concern for their community. I thank all of you for your future support and hopefully for your willingness to objectively participate and address the needs of Deerwood where you have resources and time available. 

Sincerely,

Tom McConnell
President

Property Manager's Corner
Carla Bowers, Licensed Community Association Manager

With all of the wonderful changes to the golf course and the club, it is more important now, than ever to keep all of the community looking good. Landscaping and signage are two key areas that can make your property look even better. 

Address signs need to be replaced or even installed on many resident properties. Guests and emergency vehicles have a hard time finding their way around Deerwood due to the lack of addresses posted. Please, for your convenience and safety, call Broadus advertising at 396-6950 to order your sign that is of a preapproved design. 

Dollar weed is a major problem throughout Deerwood. Once it takes hold, it is difficult to get under control. Dollar weed is an aquatic plant and prefers to grow in sites that are excessively wet. Check with your nearest plant nursery for chemicals that can be used on St. Augustine grass. Most chemicals for dollar weed need to be applied before hot weather. Some products are for use for pre-emergence and early post-emergence broadleaf control. To help with some of your these landscaping challenges, below is an edited version of "WaterSmart", brought to you by JEA 

Show Your Lawn Tough Love!!! 
If you use more than 22,000 gallons (40 ccf) of water per month and want to learn more about keeping your lawn green without all that extra water - and cost - JEA's lawn watering experts will come to your home and help you learn how to use just the right amount of water to have a green, beautiful lawn. Call the LawnSmart experts toll free at 1-866- 664-8644 to schedule an appointment 

Designing a WaterSmart Landscape! 
In Florida, about half of all drinkable water used is for the irrigation of lawns and gardens. And not surprising, lush yards are actually very frail and need lots of water to survive. Florida's annual rainfall is not enough to sustain big yards with many flowers and shrubs. Drought-tolerant plants are great for Florida landscaping. There are many species of trees, shrubs and flowers that provide year-round beauty, without the need for excess water, saving not only this valuable resource, but also money. 

The basic water-saving landscape principles are: 
Cut back on lawn grass areas. Grass is the yard's largest user of irrigation water, so using lawn grass only where it is functional, such as child play and other high-use areas can save you a lot of money. Alternatives to grass are low-maintenance ground covers and rock gardens. 

Help improve your soil. Four to six weeks before planting, add organic material to the soil to aid plant growth and increase the water holding capacity of the soil. Examples of organic matter are dry manure, peat, composted leaves, and grass clippings. 

Decide if you need mulch. Mulches help retain water in the soil, and reduce irrigation needs and soil erosion. Mulch, usually wood chips, pine straw or leaves, can be spread about three inches deep around shrubs, trees, and flower beds. It's important that mulches be about three inches away from the bases of plants, to prevent their stems from rotting. Don't use plastic sheeting beneath the mulch; it blocks water and nutrients from entering the soil. 

Determine when to irrigate. Irrigate plants by visual inspection and need, instead of by an irrigation schedule. Watering your lawn only when it fails to return upright when walked upon or when blades have begun to droop, turn dull in color or fold in half will cut drastically the amount of water you use. With normal rainfall, that would entail watering every 5-7 days in spring and summer or every 10-14 days in fall and winter. Lengthy, infrequent soaking is better than frequent light watering because light watering discourages deep root growth and is unhealthy for lawn grass. The best time to irrigate is early in the morning or in the evening so that the water does not evaporate as quickly. Bubblers that flood a small area arethe best to use for tree watering. 

Use shade trees. Shade trees can make a big difference, so keeping as many existing shade trees as possible is a money-saving move. If you are adding shade trees, knowing where to put them can help a lot. The best places are in front of windows on west and near-west sides, so that tree shadows fall on them in the late afternoons. Shrubs placed near-west walls absorb and reflect the sun's energy, keeping the walls and slab edge cooler. Trellised vines located against walls will also reduce the amount of heat entering the home. Trellised vines in the form of arbors above windows and patios, as well as on the sides of windows and patios give predictable shade all day long and will usually produce energy savings long before young trees reach sufficient height to be helpful. 

For more information visit JEA's website at jea.com

LANDSCAPE COMMITTEE
Chris Cavell, Chairperson

Deerwood's Landscape Committee is working on some very interesting projects this year! 

Our first endeavor of the year was to work on a plan to update the entrance areas of the Estates. Our efforts will be focused on the first island of James Island Trail. We will be replacing old shrubs, planting specimen trees in the center island and side areas, and relocating a Sago Palm or two. Signs will also be updated and repainted at the James Island and Acorn Ridge entranceways to match the colors of the sign at the Southside Boulevard entrance. The tree canopy will be lifted and trees will be trimmed, creating a healthier environment for our beloved Deerwood trees! The majority of this work will be done over the summer. Our next project will be to work on a beautification/landscaping plan for the Jacksonville Country Day School drop-off zone. You may have noticed the tree trunks and dirt. Your Board has asked us to design a park setting near the drop off zone --- to create a "signature" area including park benches and flowering trees. 

We encourage you to look around at your common areas, we would love to hear your suggestions and comments. If you have an interest in working on either of these projects, consider joining our Committee! We meet the second Tuesday of each month at the Club from 5 to 6 p.m.

GROUNDS COMMITTEE
Les Bealing, Chairperson

All storm water drainage in Deerwood, with minor exception, drains into Gum Swamp located to the Northeast of Little Fox Lane. The vast majority of storm water run off reaches Gum Swamp through a system of approximately 34,000 feet of pipe, 47 lakes and several channels. When all are open and working properly our homes are protected from flooding even if a major downpour of 12.5 inches of rain would occur in a 24-hour period, a theoretical 100-year storm. 

Presently the drainage system is functioning effectively. However, due to aging and the type of pipe used, 30 of them or 3,000 feet are in jeopardy of failure and will need to be replaced. Thanks to the effort of Richard Schrader and Tom McConnell we have approved a budget and started a program to replace all of the pipes in danger over the next three years on a priority basis from greatest to least precarious. 

Likewise, our lakes are showing their age. They were once a habitat for several species of fish and a food source for eagle, osprey, heron, stork, anhinga and cormorant. Over the years there has been a build up of sediment from erosion and yard waste reducing their depth. Chemical and fertilizer run off has had a detrimental effect on the quality of the water. The combination of high levels of nutrients from fertilizer, lake shallowness and stagnant water creates an environment advantageous for overgrowth of algae creating unsightly and malodorous ponds attractive to only ducks and turtles. 

Despite the difficult conditions of low rainfall and warm temperatures, the firm hired to control the algae in our lakes is doing a commendable job. Once the lake is analyzed algae control is accomplished using various chemicals and /or bacteria depending on the conditions in the lake being treated. Realizing these treatments need to be repeated several times during the warmer months we are researching possible remedies that will permanently revitalize our lakes to the level where they will be attractive to us and to the type of wildlife that contributes to making living in Deerwood special.

PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE
Katie Kight, Chairperson

The public relations committee is pleased to report another fantastic community yard sale. In addition to everyone getting together and having a great time, we raised over $400 for the Playground. The committee continues to support the playground effort wherever possible, as well as in planning our two major community events annually, the Fall Festival and Community Yard Sale 

These are wonderful events, but we will not be able to continue to produce these activities without your support. We desperately need a few more willing bodies to serve on this committee. We only meet when necessary, so this is not a huge time commitment. If you only have a limited amount of time to chair a sub-committee, help out with flyers, or update the website, we really need your talents. Please consider helping us in our effort to bring great community events to our neighborhood, and keep our residents informed of DIA activities. To get involved, please contact Katie Kight at 591-8460 or kkight@comcast.net. 

In looking ahead to Fall Festival 2004. If you have left over goodies from your child's birthday party, or you know someone in the food and beverage business willing to donate supplies to the event, please contact Michelle Belloit at mbelloit@bellsouth.net.

PLAYGROUND UPDATE
Rick Root, Chairperson

Project Playground is underway. It began on April 18th with the help of the design ideas of some young engineers from our community. Their design ideas were used by a playground designer from Leathers & Associates to create a new custom designed playground that all our kids will love. The new playground will feature separate play areas for kids of all ages. You can also expect to find some of the same play features that our kids enjoy in our existing playground. As our detailed drawings are being prepared by our design team at Leathers & Associates we as a community have the enormous task of putting together the various committees of volunteers that will make our kids' dream playground a reality. In 1985 this Deerwood Community pulled together to build our existing playground, 19 years later, we've asked Leathers & Associates to come back and help us do it again. Ask any one of our residents who was here the first time, this is an experience you and your kids will not forget. Put it on your calendar ---- construction dates October 13, 2004 through October 17, 2004. Interested in helping plan and organized, please contact Rick Root @ 642-0682 or Cathy Driscoll @ 642-4467.

ACCESS CONTROL AND SAFETY COMMITTEE
Glynn Thomas, Chairperson

SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY ! Please slow down!

During the week of April 26th, we almost had a little 12-year-old girl get hit by a car (resident) while speeding through Deerwood. This is one reason that you see speed bumps at the Baymeadows gate. Unfortunately, residents and guests continue to exceed the Deerwood speed limit. 

Also, the DIA board and First Coast Security are reminding you to lock your doors when you leave your house or you retire for the night. Unfortunately, we still have some problems with small burglaries throughout the community. First Coast Security has done some great detective work and has caught some of these offenders. 

We are also asking everyone to not walk or drive on the golf course. First Coast Security caught a young man driving his truck around on the 13th green. These situations will be handled by club management and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. If you see anything suspicious, please call the Deerwood Main gate at 642-1633 and report it. 

Once again, please slow down while driving through the streets of Deerwood. We need your help and cooperation to make this a safe and secure community.

ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW
Lee Evans, Chairperson

In 2003, the committee reviewed approximately 200 applications from residents which included total teardowns and rebuilds, additions, fences, tree removal, exterior color changes, major landscaping modifications, and yes, even playsets and playhouses. This year appears to be similar to last in both quantity and type of requests. 

Although Deerwood has 21 units covered by different sets of Covenants, there is about a 90% commonality among the requirements. One area of difference that occasionally causes confusion to some residents is the fence height requirement. It varies by unit from five to six feet. Please check the specific standard for the unit you live in before beginning a fencing project. Also, the unique character of the Courtyards, Countryside, and the Estates resulted in their specific Covenants to include provisions different from the other units. 

All of the Covenants, however, do contain the specific requirement that planned exterior changes to a residence must be approved in advance by the Association. This committee meets twice each month to review applications. Of the 250 applications submitted in the past 15 months, all but 8 were approved. Some took several meetings to get the proposed project in a form that could be approved. The more details the plans contain, the quicker the approval process moves. Tobé Budner of MAY Management is the committee coordination. She can be reached by email at tbudner@mayresorts.com. 

Playsets and playhouses have created a challenge for the community. We need to balance a property owner's desire to provide recreational opportunity for their children, and the neighbors' desire to maintain the aesthetics standards of Deerwood. Last summer the committee began to identify playsets that were visible from the streets and golf course; that number stands at about 60. A good number of these were in place prior to September 1, 1999, when the community was transferred to us from the developer, and we have deemed those approved by the prior developer; although, the committee may require initial or additional screening of the structure if it is overly visible. Any future changes to that structure would require approval. 

Those playsets that have been erected after September 1, 1999 do need to be approved by the Architectural Review Committee. We are scheduling about two each meeting with the hope this can be wrapped up before the end of the year. For the new playsets we are requiring natural or dark wood, with dark brown or dark green plastic and canvas components. The structure needs to be placed on the property to minimize visibility from the public and neighbors, which in most instances will require fencing or shrubs/trees to provide adequate screening. We are pleased that most the residents contacted to date have been responsive and are making appropriate changes. 

Large playhouses are another issue we encounter from time to time. Generally, the covenants prohibit detached out buildings on a residential lot if the structure exceeds the fence height. We will continue to attempt to find a solution that accommodates the Covenants, the property owner, and the neighbors.

DEERWOOD GARDEN CIRCLE

The Deerwood Garden Circle is pleased to donate $1500 to the DIA for improvements to the playground and recreation area. Monies raised were from our two major \projects this year; a live holiday greenery sale in the fall and a community plant and garden fair in April. 

The Deerwood Garden Circle is made up of 90 Deerwood residents who meet on the third Tuesday of the month from September through May. Anyone interested in joining can call Punkie Bethea, 642-5570. 

Sincerely, 
Martha Smith

LAST CHANCE - Pave The Way: Project Playground

No, you don’t have to lay the bricks, just help pave the way by buying one or more! Every brick you purchase will help with the refurbishment of our recreation area, including our all new playground. This project will help build a wonderful community treasure for our families today and for generations to come. 

Bricks purchased for this important effort will be placed at the outline of the new water playground area.

Bricks cost $75 each, or two for $125.

Click Here for Flyer(.pdf)

For more information, please contact the Project: Playground Committee:
Fran Hickinbotham – 928-9115
Jackie O’Hare – 645-5618
Jan Olson – 646-1812

Please look for more information & a flyer in the mail soon!