District Landscaping
General Information for Owners & Residents
There have been some questions as to whose responsibility it is to maintain certain areas of residential properties, and specifically who is responsible to replace trees that have died in the easement area between the sidewalk and the road. The answers to these questions, plus many more details, are in the Covenants, Conditions, & Restrictions (CCR) documents administered by the Management Contractor for the Harmony Residential Owners Association (HROA).
For your convenience, two section excerpts from these documents are included below as they relate specifically to owner maintenance responsibilities. To access a complete set of HROA documents, see the Harmony Associations section of the Related Links webpage.
HROA Covenants – CCR Section 5.1
This section says, in essence, that each property owner is responsible for all maintenance obligations on his or her Unit, including mowing, irrigation, replacing sod, and pruning all landscaping within the right-of-way adjacent to public streets and alleys, as well as on the owner’s property between the house and any rights-of-way or easements. This includes, but is not limited to, the strip lying between the sidewalk & paved roadway (the “verge”), unless this responsibility is assigned to or assumed by the Harmony CDD (HCDD) or the HROA. Such maintenance is to be in a manner consistent with the Community-Wide Standard set forth in the Covenants & Deed Restrictions [codified in Harmony Association documents].
HROA Covenants – CCR Section 5.4
This section goes on to say that “Maintenance” includes repair and replacement as needed, as well as other activities, not the least of which is irrigation as expressly mentioned in the documents, to achieve this Community-Wide Standard. “Repair & Replacement” includes sod, shrubs, and any other plant material that is in need of replacement. The trees, turf, plant material, and irrigation along the main boulevards (Five Oaks Drive, Cat Brier Trail, and Schoolhouse Road) within the landscape utility tract (verge) are maintained by the District, as required by an inter-local agreement with Osceola County. This area between the curb and sidewalk adjacent to homes located on streets not listed above remain the responsibility of the individual home owner, including trimming shoots off the trees.
If a tree has died in the street verge of a residential lot, it is the responsibility of the District to replace, regardless of what street. Please notify the District Office if you are concerned about a dead or dying tree between the sidewalk and curb of your property. For answers to questions about the maintenance of community sidewalks, please read the information provided under the Sidewalks & Alleyways paragraph on the About Harmony webpage.
Click here to view the Neighborhood Landscape Maintenance Map.
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