Sunflower Landscaping has started Spring clean-up in the community areas. They will be spraying pre-emergent to all the bed areas in the next couple of weeks, as well as starting to turn the irrigation back on.

Spring is an excellent season for spending more time outdoors. And if your home has a sizable outdoor space, that’s even better. 
​A patio or yard presents so much opportunity: You can play with your kids or pets, invite the neighbors over for a cookout, or simply relax and enjoy the weather as it warms.
Before you do all of that, though, you should think about updating your outdoor space. Need help getting ready for spring? Here are some ideas:

• Install string lights. Give your deck or patio some ambience while also adding functionality. You can hang out and chat with neighbors long after the sun goes down, and string lights look great during the daytime, too.
• Refinish your deck. If you’ve had your wooden deck for a while, it may look pretty worn down, especially if you live somewhere with harsh weather. Refinishing it and adding a new coat of stain is a good way to give it a facelift.
• Add elements of an outdoor kitchen. Full-on outdoor kitchens are trendy, but they can be expensive to install. For a more affordable option, consider adding a few small elements, like a high-end grill or a small pizza oven. These are great to have if you like to entertain.
• Invest in some yard games. Having a bocce or ladder ball set can keep kids and adults busy in the yard. You could also build a small horseshoe throwing pit or a mini putting green for more fun options.
• Upgrade your seating. Outdoor furniture that’s been in the elements for a while is likely in rough shape. You could get new furniture — maybe a multifunctional sectional or an outdoor dining set.

Colorado Springs provides a great way to keep track of what’s happening on the roads that you travel on the most. Visit the Cone Zone map at coloradosprings.gov/public-works/page/cone-zones-map

Wildlife can be found in and around the urban areas of Colorado’s fast-growing Front Range. As Colorado Springs and its neighboring communities continue to grow and expand, subdivision development impacts wildlife habitat and wild animals are often displaced. Some species continue to live in open space areas, parks, undeveloped parcels of land, river bottoms, and on or near bodies of water. Others have adapted well to urban living; skunks and raccoons, in particular, appear to thrive around urban environments. In most circumstances, people and wildlife can coexist but the key is to remember that wildlife are not pets; they are wild animals. Most dangerous and potentially harmful encounters with wildlife occur because people fail to leave the animals alone.

Preventing wildlife encounters
-Do not feed wildlife.
-Keep pet food inside.
-Cover window wells with grates, wire, or plastic covers.
-Fill gaps or holes around the foundation of your residence to eliminate a place for animals to live.
-Seal all cracks and holes larger than ¼ inch in diameter to keep rats, mice, bats, and snakes out of a structure.
-Screen fireplace chimneys, and furnace, attic and dryer vents, and keep dampers closed to prevent wildlife entry.
-Bury wire mesh one to two feet deep to prevent animals from burrowing in unwanted areas.
-Store garbage in metal or plastic containers with tight-fitting lids, inside a garage or shed.
-Mark windows with strips of white tape or with raptor silhouettes to help prevent birds from flying into windows.
-Fence gardens and pick fruit from trees before it ripens and clean up fallen fruit.
-Keep bird feeders out of reach.
-Burn food off grills and clean after each use.
-Keep windows and doors closed and locked, including residence, garage, and vehicle doors.
-Do not leave food, trash, coolers, air fresheners, or anything that smells in your vehicle.

Resources
Learn more at coloradosprings.gov/office-emergency-management/page/living-wildlife
More information at Colorado Parks and Wildlife page cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/LivingwithWildlife.aspx
Learn about individual animal species https://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/SpeciesProfiles.aspx
Colorado Parks & Wildlife website https://cpw.state.co.us/ 
Nuisance Wildlife Laws in Colorado        https://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/WildlifeSpecies/LivingWithWildlife/NuisanceWildlife.pdf

​What is the area between the sidewalk and the curb and who owns it?  There are various names for this area of property.  Within Pine Creek this area is referred to in your Guidelines as the Parkway – The area between the street curb and sidewalk.  This area is the responsibility of the homeowner and is to be maintained by the homeowner.