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The Neighborhood Committees will not be meeting until further notice while we are under and emergency order.
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Have a Happy and Safe Holiday Season! Please click here for some seasonal pictures of our community!
We have many community events occurring during the year. Check here for information about events.
We have many committees that assist the Board with upkeep and maintenance decisions about our community.
The Board of Directors and RealManage are monitoring the weather forecast, and we are following procedures in an effort to prevent as much freeze damage as possible.
Below are tips for you as homeowners to do the same for your own personal property.
- Guard Your Water Pipes - Disconnect and store any garden hoses as the weather begins to turn cold. Then, shut off the water to your outdoor faucets, drain the lines, and insulate the hose bibs.
- Seals Holes and Cracks - Even small holes where cable wires or phone lines enter your home can be an entry point for freezing air—or places where precious indoor heat can escape. A quick remedy is to purchase a can of foam insulation spray foam, and close them up. Then, use weather stripping, spray foam insulation, or caulking to remedy any cracks around your doors and windows.
- Keep Water Flowing - If any of your indoor faucets are located on exterior walls that aren't adequately insulated, set your faucets to a slow drip whenever temperatures dip well below freezing. Faucets and pipes located along exterior walls are especially susceptible to freezing. For maximum effectiveness, make sure both the hot and cold lines are opened slightly since both are vulnerable. Also, consider leaving cabinet doors open so your pipes will be warmed from the room air.
- Keep the Water Shutoff Accessible (& Locate Your Water Meter) - Should a water line ever freeze and burst, you will need to shut off the home's water supply immediately. Ensure easy access to your main water shut valve off, and make sure the shut-off valve is in good working order. Turning the valve handle all the way clockwise should shut off all water to the house. If the valve is rusted open or only closes partially, replace the main shut-off valve immediately—this is usually a job for a professional plumber.
- Keep Garage Doors Closed - Minimize the time your garage door is open. This will help to keep cold air out of your house and protect plumbing fixtures in your garage and pipes in the shared walls between the house and garage.
- Maintain Your Thermostat - Make sure you'll be able to keep your thermostat running continuously by keeping spare batteries on hand. Sometimes it's the small details that save the day.
As always, please feel free to contact RealManage and/or the Board of Directors for any community assistance that you may need.
Community Projects Update
Fall has arrived! We hope you’ve been enjoying the cooler weather. There’s a lot happening within our neighborhood, so we wanted to provide you with a quick
update on some of the community’s projects:
Tennis Courts – Repair has begun on all three tennis courts in Sugar Mill.
- 7th Street: Repairs to the surface of the court, addition of windscreens on some sides of the court, light replacement as needed.
- Jess Pirtle: Repairs to the surface of the court, addition of windscreens on some sides of the court, light replacement as needed.
- Lake Courts: Complete resurfacing, addition of windscreen on one side, light replacement.
7th Street Community Area Drainage
Solution – For many years there has been the issue of significant accumulation of water in the area of the 7th Street Park and pool during severe storms. We have contracted with a company to install underground drainage that will be connected to city owned drainpipe beneath HOA property. We anticipate the work will conclude by the end of November.
7th Street Pool Re-surfacing – The Sugar Mill Board of Directors has signed an agreement to have the 7th Street pool resurfaced. We anticipate the work will conclude by the end of 2020.
Re-Landscaping of Sugar Mill Entry Ways – The HOA Board applied for grant money to help offset the cost of this project however we were notified the city has suspended the grant program for an undetermined time. We anticipate completing this project in January of 2021.
PLEASE WATCH YOUR STEP, with major fence construction progressing in the neighborhood. Here’s a reminder to be VERY CAREFUL and AWARE of the following hazards: torn down old fence materials along sidewalks and walkways, open holes being prepared for post placement, other types of construction materials, trimmed tree limbs and debris. Step carefully on your outings!
Fence Construction Notices
A) Notice to all affected homeowners that will need fence repair /painting
B) Next Door Construction Details for all affected residents
C)Residents on Lake Estates and Lake Trail affected by the Church fence Construction
D Stage 2 and 3 Rebuild and Repaint resident addresses
Sugar Mill Lake Fountain 060220 Update
Sugar Mill recently had a new fountain placed in our lake, just east of the lake center pool. Many of our neighbors have responded positively about the installation. Some of our neighbors have asked about the benefits. We went to our lake management specialists to tap their knowledge, and here it is. There are many benefits to aerating fountains, probably the least import of those benefits is the aesthetic aspect. Aeration and circulation are the major benefits that these fountains provide. A lake naturally wants to become stratified. That means cooler, more dense water settles to the bottom and warmer waters stay near the surface. The problem with this is that oxygen can’t penetrate down into the deep water. Oxygen is not only important for the fish and other wildlife that inhabit the lake, it also fuels the growth of beneficial aerobic bacteria. These bacteria aid in the decomposition of any organic material that enters the lake, preventing excessive nutrient loads that can lead to stagnation or harmful algae blooms. Otterbine fountains in particular are tweaked and tested to optimize circulation and OTR or Oxygen Transfer Rates. The combination of circulation and Oxygen transfer are major factors to maintaining a healthy lake with good water quality. Taking that into consideration, and after more discussion, the Sugar Mill HOA board has chosen to keep the fountain at its current location. Thanks for taking the time to read about this.
60120-Fence Project
This past weekend your Sugar Mill HOA and lots of neighborhood volunteers were out distributing a document detailing our plans for the upcoming Sugar Mill fence projects. We wanted to make sure you saw what we had planned. Please look for a yellow one sheet document with our fence project details. If you didn't get one of our flyers, let us know and we will make sure you get one. That document can be found by clicking here. Many thanks to our volunteers who braved the wet weather to get the word out.
Sugar Mill Road/Drainage Update
As you might have noticed, the construction crews are working hard to bring the upgrades to our community. Here is the latest news. From the City of Sugar Land – Timeline Update of the construction schedule for 7th Street: Phase I – Drainage Improvements at the City-owned park and 7th Street reconstruction (from the Park to West Green Belt) – Completed 7th Street segment (in front of the Middle School) - Completed on August 14, 2019 Park drainage, sidewalks and parking lot – Completed on October 2, 2019 Phase IIA – Drainage Improvements and 7th Street Reconstruction (West bound from West Green Belt to Woodlake Circle) October 2019 to January 2020 Phase II B – 7th Street Reconstruction (East bound from Woodlake Circle to West Green Belt) January 2020 to May 2020 Phase III A – Drainage Improvements and Muirwood Lane Reconstruction (North bound from 7th Street to cul-de-sac) November 2019 to February 2020. Phase III B – Muirwood Lane Reconstruction (South bound from 7th street to cul-de-sac) March 2020 – May 2020 One lane of 7th street will be always open to traffic during the duration of the project, but traffic will be only eastbound. When working on the eastbound lane (adjacent to the home driveways), the contractor will install temporary access to driveways, and no more than 5 driveways will be restricted from access at the same time, not exceeding 1 week. The affected residents will be able to park their cars in the segment of the road closed to traffic not far from their homes. Simultaneously with the work on 7th Street, the contractor will be completing the water line replacement from Wood St. to the Park and from West Green Circle to Eldridge Rd. (The segment in front of the Middle School was already replaced during Phase I of the project).
Fall Road Construction in Sugar Mill
Thanks to Martha Adkison for passing this information along. Our contact with the city, Jorge Alba has been doing a great job of answering our questions and keeping us up to date with the road construction in Sugar Mill. So now we are experiencing the construction phase on the westbound lane of 7th Street. We are going to be living with some disruption, dust, dirt and mud for the next several weeks, with the anticipation of better drainage and a nice new street. One thing I would like to ask of all drivers. Please obey the signs that indicate the road westbound is closed, with a do not enter sign and an arrow telling you to turn right at the road closure. And some good advice for those who might ignore it, you just might find a friendly police officer at the other end of the road closure waiting for your arrival. Seriously, those one way signs are put up for our safety. With that said, here is an update on the road construction. Phase I – Drainage Improvements at the City-owned park and 7th Street reconstruction (from the Park to West Green Belt) – Completed 7th Street segment (in front of the Middle School) - Completed on August 14, 2019 Park drainage, sidewalks and parking lot – Completed on October 2, 2019 Phase IIA – Drainage Improvements and 7th Street Reconstruction (West bound from West Green Belt to Woodlake Circle) October 2019 to January 2020 Phase II B – 7th Street Reconstruction (East bund from Woodlake Circle to Wes Green Belt) January 2020 to May 2020 Phase III A – Drainage Improvements and Muirwood Lane Reconstruction (North bound from 7th Street to cul-de-sac) November 2019 to February 2020. Phase III B – Muirwood Lane Reconstruction (South bound from 7th street to cul-de-sac) March 2020 – May 2020 One lane of 7th street will be always open to traffic during the duration of the project, but traffic will be only eastbound. When working on the eastbound lane (adjacent to the home driveways), the contractor will install temporary access to driveways, and no more than 5 driveways will be restricted from access at the same time, not exceeding 1 week. The affected residents will be able to park their cars in the segment of the road closed to traffic not far from their homes. Simultaneously with the work on 7th Street, the contractor will be completing the water line replacement from Wood St. to the Park and from West Green Circle to Eldridge Rd. (The segment in front of the Middle School was already replaced during Phase I of the project).
Sugar Mill Road Construction Update
Some folks might be wondering when road construction will resume in Sugar Mill. The city has provided us with this update. I am including contact names just in case you have any questions or comments. Drive safely, and obey the road signs as we look forward to the road and drainage upgrades in Sugar Mill. Dear Sugar Mill Residents Sugar Land, Texas Re: CIP No. DR-1801 Covington Woods Drainage Improvements at Sugar Mill Relief Line & Seven Street Reconstruction Dear Resident: WadeCon LLC continues working on the drainage improvements, street reconstruction and water line rehabilitation along 7th Street between the City-owned Park and Bournewood Drive. Phase I of the project (in front of the Sugar Land Middle School has been completed) and WadeCon LLC. is ready to initiate Phase II of the project from West Green Belt Dr. to Bournewood Dr. on September 30, 2019. To complete the work at the intersection of 7th Street and West Green Belt Dr., it will be necessary to close this intersection from Monday September 30 to Friday October 18, 2019. During this period, all traffic along Green Belt Dr., Sugar Plum Circle, Palm Grove Circle and Wood Bridge Circle needs to enter and leave the neighborhood via Bournewood Drive. Please call with any questions or concerns. Jorge L. Alba Project Manager (281) 275-2275 jalba@sugarlandtx.gov Geoff Cummings Construction Inspector (281) 615-1811 gcummings@sugarlandtx.gov Thank you for your patience and cooperation. We look forward for the successful completion of this important neighborhood drainage improvements project.
Message from Environmental & Neighborhood Services
The City of Sugar Land Environmental & Neighborhood Services was provided information through our local Agrilife Extension office. Water quality maintenance practices at the dog park follow Agrilife recommendations for maintaining conditions that are not conducive to blue-green algae. Additionally, Parks staff has confirmed there is no visual evidence of the algae in the dog park pond.
More Information:
Blue-green algae is naturally occurring and exists in waterbodies around the world. There are hundreds of species, and some produce toxins when hot and dry weather conditions create stagnant waterbodies. When this occurs, blue-green algae can begin to duplicate and exhaust the available nutrient supply. The release of toxins in certain species is a way of eliminating competition for nutrients. Testing is limited and can only determine if toxins are present at a specific point in time. Test results are not indicative of previous water conditions or future changes in conditions.
We can help limit algae blooms by reducing the amount of nutrients within stormwater runoff. Contributing factors include fertilizers, yard and pet waste and many soaps. Be sure not to over apply fertilizers, and never apply right before a rainstorm. Collect yard and pet waste to prevent it from entering the storm drain and when possible, use a commercial carwash to keep your vehicle clean.
Pet Owners should be aware of this toxin and know how to identify bodies of water that are unsafe. Blue-green algae is known to cause poisoning in dogs, cats, livestock and wildlife. The swimming pond at the Sugar Land Pawm Springs Dog Park is replenished weekly with clean water and algal treatments in order to maintain water quality. Pet owners should stay informed and report any concerns to 311.
Things to Look For:
Most likely to occur in bodies of fresh water when the weather is warm (over 75 degrees) and sunny
Bluish-green scum (may also resemble pea-green paint or slime on the surface)
Small, irregular, round or egg-shaped clumps of dark green or dark blueish green algae floating at the surface
Dead minnows, fish or other wildlife near or in the water
For images of blue-green algae and more information on identification please visit https://aquaplant.tamu.edu/plant-identification/category-algae/.
We Need To Talk--
Code Inspector Gilbert Cipriano from the City of Sugar Land called regarding rodents ( rats, possums, mice etc) in our neighborhood ,according to a few of our neighbors. He wanted to share this information with the community so that the rodent issue can possibly be taken care of or limited . According to Mr. Cipriano, animals will come to a property for one of three reasons: food, water or shelter. The residents needs to eliminate these from their yard. For example – trimming tree branches 12 feet from the roof line, picking up all fallen fruit if there are fruit trees, not feeding pets outside and leaving food in bowls, not allowing outside shelters with gaps under decks, sheds, appliances, junk piles, old fences and walls. Keeping the property, including alleys and yards, clean and trash-free. He stated that there is a product called Natures Defense Organic Animal Repellent. You may have to order it online. It is a granule that is put down and then needs to be re-applied after it rains or 2 weeks after it is first applied. Sometimes it may take more than one application around the perimeter of the yard. Again, just a heads up. Sugar Mill HOA.