If an individual arrives at your door unannounced and tries to sell you something or requests access to your home, you determine what happens.

• Never open your door to a stranger.
• Make sure you know who is on the other side before opening.
• Contact law enforcement if in doubt of who is at your door.

Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD)

• To report a life-threatening emergency please Dial 911.
• To report all other crimes or if you have questions, please call the non-emergency number, 719-444-7000. This number is staffed 24 hours a day, every day.

If you feel it is a legitimate visit (perhaps arriving at your request), ask for identification. Businesses that provide home service have their employees carry photo identification with an I.D. number. You can call the business and confirm their identity.

Do not provide your credit or debit card number or any other personal information to any caller or visitor without knowing their true identity.

Colorado Springs Solicitation Ordinance allows for residents to protect themselves from unwanted solicitation on private or residential property.
9.2.111: SOLICITATION PROHIBITED: Paragraph C. 2.
C.   Soliciting Prohibited:    It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in soliciting on any private or residential property after having been asked to leave, or after having been asked to refrain from soliciting, by the owner or other person lawfully in possession of the property. Displaying a "No Soliciting" sign constitutes a request to refrain from soliciting.   https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/coloradospringsco/latest/coloradosprings_co/0-0-0-16194
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Learn more about personal safety and crime prevention at https://coloradosprings.gov/office-emergency-management/page/personal-safety-and-awareness

If you are planning to reduce your landscape watering needs​, please understand the difference between "Xeriscape" and "Zeroscape".  PCVA encourages xeriscaping, not barren rock yards. The Community Guidelines include an approved plant palette and even a dedicated Xeriscape Planting section with recommended low-water trees, shrubs, and perennials.  See the Community Guidelines at https://www.pcva.org/uploads/7/8/8/7/78875826/pcva_guidelines_with_addendums_-_december_2023.pdf

Xeriscape is a landscaping method that reduces water use while still using living plants. The name comes from the Greek word xeros, meaning "dry."

Typical features include:

• Native or drought-tolerant plants
• Ornamental grasses
• Flowering perennials
• Shrubs and trees
• Mulch to retain moisture
• Decorative boulders
• Efficient drip irrigation
• Limited areas of turf grass

A good xeriscape is usually lush, colorful, and attractive—just with plants that thrive on less water.

Zeroscape isn't an official landscaping term. People generally use it to describe a yard that consists of:

• Mostly gravel or rock
• Few or no plants
• Little or no irrigation

While this may require less watering initially, it has several drawbacks:

• Rocks absorb and radiate heat, making the yard much hotter.
• It provides little habitat for birds and pollinators.
• Weeds still grow unless maintained.
• It can actually increase water needs for the few remaining plants because of reflected heat.

In practice, the Modifications Committee generally looks for landscapes that:

• Include a variety of approved living plants.
• Balance rock or mulch with vegetation.
• Provide visual interest and neighborhood compatibility.
• Conserve water without creating an expanse of decorative rock only

          **  THE MODIFICATIONS COMMITTEE WILL NOT APPROVE ZEROSCAPE REQUESTS **

Examples in pictures:
                                                  Zeroscape                                                                                                                Xeriscape

​Got a package you didn’t order? Keep the merchandise and report fake reviews and scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.  Learn more at https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2025/01/got-package-you-didnt-order-its-probably-scam

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