Southern Village HOA

SVHOA has its own logo. Additionally you will start to see it whenever SVHOA is sponsoring a major community event.

On Saturday, April 28, there will be a special Music From the Neighborhood Concert on the Southern Village Green, from 5-9 pm. No admission charge and open to the public. Performers, all from Southern Village, are CityFolk, Danny Gotham, Sheila Fleming and The Lids. Enjoy the neighborhood talent, from folk to bluegrass to rock. No rain location.

As you have probably noticed by now, some needed attention is being given to the street trees of Southern Village. Eco Logic, under contract with the Southern Village Homeowners Association, is implementing a multidimensional improvement plan that will address many maintenance issues. The approximately 1100 trees have been divided into three groups prioritized according to need, and will be attended to over the course of the next three years.

One facet of the treatment is pruning. Clearance for pedestrians and vehicles is a priority, as well as the structural health and safety of the trees. Co-dominant leaders, crossing or rubbing branches, and broken, dead, or diseased branches are all addressed. Limbs in conflict with streetlights or homes are also removed or redirected. Pruning of the trees in the first group is complete, and group two pruning will begin in January 2008.

The second phase of treatment is currently underway and takes place on the ground. The root flare of a tree is the visible buttressing of the trunk at the natural soil level that indicates the distinction between above-ground and below-ground tissue. Often, due to deep planting or incorrect mulching, the root flare becomes buried. This condition can lead to many problems including girdling roots, rots and cankers. The stress of such a situation can also leave the tree more susceptible to insect pests and diseases. Correction involves mechanically removing the material to expose the entire root flare. As the soil or mulch is removed, girdling roots, which constrict the trunk, can be identified and remedied. This is a very important step in ensuring the long-term health of landscape trees.

As an added component of the ground-level improvements, the mulch bed of each tree will be expanded and correctly mulched. The beds will be made rectangular to allow for easier maintenance and to cover many of the exposed roots that are frequently injured by equipment. An example has been provided in front of 102 Parkside. Not only will this style of mulch bed provide a much healthier space for the tree, it will also create a more uniform and attractive streetscape. Finally, a process called vertical mulching will be used to improve the soil structure and fertility around each tree. A small auger bit is used to drill holes scattered throughout the root zone. Then a soil amendment and fertilizer mixture is added to each hole. This will provide essential nutrients while aerating the soil for healthier roots.

The trees of Southern Village are integral to the atmosphere and sense of place enjoyed by the residents. They provide a wealth of benefits seen and unseen, and this type of care should help them remain safe, healthy, and beautiful for years to come.

If you have questions or comments about our tree care program please email trees@southernvillage.org.

Several residents of Southern Village have been victims of crimes and vandalism recently. Several garages have been broken into recently and had items such as golf clubs, wine, beer, etc stolen. There have been other incidents where several cars have had all or several car windows smashed. A group of concerned Southern Village residents are organizing so that Southern Village can become a Community Watch Neighborhood.

• The general purpose of the program is based on the concept of people looking out for one another. At the same time it lets potential criminals know that someone is watching out for them.
• This is the foundation for crime prevention. The opportunity, desire and ability to commit particular crimes are reduced at a specific location and time. This creates an atmosphere that is conducive to deterring overall crime.
• This program takes teamwork and effort on everyone’s part, including law enforcement.

We need participation from everyone in order to make this program most effective. We can all participate by reporting any crimes or suspicious behavior that we see. The way you do that is by calling 911. Many locations use 911 for extreme emergencies only but Chapel Hill uses 911 for reporting all activity or events that should be investigated by the police department. So if you see activity that you believe is suspicious you should call 911 and let the police determine what the situation is. Be prepared to give them as much information (descriptions, license tag #s, etc) as possible.

In order to be a Community Watch Neighborhood we need street captains throughout the neighborhood. When the police are aware of a situation where they feel the neighborhood should be aware, they email to an individual in Southern Village (Erin Furr) who will be responsible for emailing to the street captains and they in turn will forward the email to the families on their email list. This will allow us to be aware of activities (fact vs. rumors) and better protect our families and property. We are looking for volunteers for street captains. If you are interested in volunteering for this position, please email Erin at ehfurr@bellsouth.net. Let her know your name, address, phone number, email address and which street you would like to sign up for.

Another good way to keep current on what is going on in the neighborhood is to go to www.southernvillage.org and register for email alerts.

a new Townhome FAQ has been added to the website.