Stephens City HOA gains from contracting a quality landscape, lawncare and snow removal service provider

Good Home Owner Association (HOA) property maintenance practices can keep a community looking vibrant and livable. Autumn Glen is a 52-acre community in Stephens City, composed of mostly senior citizens who prefer to have a lawncare contractor manage their lawn and snow removal requirements. The homeowners have also tasked President Joan Callahan and the HOA Board of Directors to maintain their reputation as the best-looking community in Stephens City.

Frequently cut lawns along Sadi Court consistently add to Autumn Glen’s curb appeal. Courtesy A Cut Above.

“The goal of every HOA is to protect property values, and one way of doing so is to invest in quality landscaping and lawncare,” said Callahan. Attractive design and lush greenery can have an enormous influence on the overall appeal of a neighborhood. And with increased appeal comes enhanced property values. “Our HOA Beautification Committees work with the lawncare service provider to protect the property value and create enjoyable living spaces for Autumn Glen homeowners,” she said. A greener community provides a higher overall level of positivity and vibrancy.

A Cut Above Landscaping and Lawncare located in Winchester has been maintaining the common grounds, clubhouse and 169 residences at Autumn Glen HOA for 5 years now. “The contract operates year-round to provide a vast array of services, including: lawncare, landscape, and snow removal services,” said A Cut Above Vice President Travis Streit.

A split-drive walk behind aerator helps reduce time, by allowing driver to steer the machine without lifting the tines out of the soil. Courtesy A Cut Above.

As spring quickly approaches, lush with hints of natural greens, A Cut Above works diligently to prepare HOA properties for the growing season to begin by removing sticks/debris and any residual leaves that fell from the trees since their previous fall clean-up. They continue the lawn maintenance throughout Spring, Summer, and Fall on a weekly basis so the property always remains pristine. According to Turf Manager Brian Tavenner, qualified spray technicians work consistently to fertilize lawns to promote healthy root development throughout the growing season. “An application of balanced granular fertilizer with pre-emergent crabgrass control is applied before ground temperatures reach 55 degrees. The next round is liquid broadleaf weed control with pre-emergence, to help mitigate any uninviting weeds during the Spring and Summer months. A grub and tick suppression is applied in conjunction with fertilizer, to combat the influx of evasive pests like Japanese Beetles in early to mid-July,” Tavenner said.

During the Summer months, spray technicians apply another round of balanced granular fertilizer to promote better overall health of the turf. “We adjust our services, (dependent on the weather) to prevent any damage to the turf or landscape. When conditions are relatively dry, we tend to raise our cutting height and reduce cutting frequency to allow the turf plenty of time to recuperate in between cuts. If we’ve had a significant amount of precipitation than we always proceed with caution or wait for the property to dry out,” Lawn Division Manager/Safety Coordinator Frankie Dunlap said. Dunlap’s safety coordinator duties include providing proper Personal Protective Equipment (chainsaw chaps, safety glasses, closed toed shoes, etc. worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause workplace injuries), documenting incident reports, and monthly safety meetings.

During October, core aeration eliminates soil compaction which allows air, water, and fertilizer to better reach the root zone. Overseeding the freshly cored soil, allows for seed to drop into the holes and help thicken the stand of turf. Thickening the existing stand of turf will naturally defend against weeds being able to survive, as it creates a naturally shaded soil bed where the seed gets choked out before it ever has the chance to survive.

Case International 235 tractor w/ a weighted pull behind aerator works the back of Spanish Oak Road. Aeration/over seeding is a critical step in producing a good stand of grass as it helps by reducing soil compaction and allows improved air exchange between the soil and atmosphere. Courtesy Mark Gunderman.

An additional round of Winterizer fertilizer is applied in late fall, to promote root development. This nitrogen-based application permits the roots to absorb and store nutrients during the dormant months of winter; in turn, the turf will be noticeably more vibrant in color as spring approaches. A granular liming application is applied during winter, (when weather permits) to help repair soil levels back to a neutral PH balance or slightly acidic. Autumn Glen’s Tall Fescue lawns prefer this soil PH to thrive.

Brian Tavenner knows the importance of employing experienced spray technicians. Every A Cut Above employee who applies lawn fertilizers and pesticides must obtain a Registered Spray Technician license which includes documenting 20 hours of training from the Applying Pesticides Correctly Core Manual, and 20 hours of field training on the safe and proper application of pesticides under direct on-site supervision of a Certified Commercial Applicator. The license is required because technicians must adjust the ratios of commercial mix so an ecological approach based on the life cycle and habitat of the pest is provided. “Spray Technicians are required to attend an approved category specific recertification course every 2 years,” Tavenner said.

Z spray spreader-sprayer accurately distributes seed on the freshly cored soil and allows for enhanced seed to soil contact throughout the lawn. Courtesy A Cut Above.

Autumn is such a beautiful time of year, bringing another patchwork of color. However, as the leaves begin to fall, it can create an unpleasant sight for most homeowners. A Cut Above bulk leaf collection system consists of removing all leaves from landscape beds, turf, and any hard surfaces. Using backpack blowers, rakes, and tarps, just about virtually every leaf is collected into an area where they are either sucked up using a bagging system on the rear of a commercial sized zero-turn vehicle, or by using a leaf vacuum along the street curb to sweep up and shred those unwanted leaves. Autumn Glen homeowners say leaf removal is one of the most popular services offered. All common ground and front yard perennials are cut back, and final landscape edging is completed; this allows for the community to maintain a neat and pristine look throughout the dormant season.

Snow removal is a major concern in the winter months for seniors. The goal during any snowstorm is to keep home walkways, driveways, and parking lots as clear and safe as possible. Autumn Glen regulations requires three inches of snow to accumulate before requesting A Cut Above services. Since the streets in Autumn Glen are the property of VDOT, the Autumn Glen Board of Directors wait for VDOT to clear the streets before contacting A Cut Above to plow driveways and the clubhouse parking lot. Once VDOT has finished their first sweep, A Cut Above has multiple crews engaged working in unison to remove snow and allow for safe ingress/egress for homeowners throughout the snowy event.

The JCB 270T track loader prepares a lawn for efficiently laying the yard for sod. Courtesy A Cut Above.

Snow removal staff shovel the snow 10-15 feet away from the homeowner garage doors to allow equipment to pull in the driveway and back drag snow out into the street. Staff operate trucks, tractors, skid steers etc. to push snow to specified areas. Using ATVs, A Cut Above clear home sidewalks and driveways throughout the community quickly and efficiently. “There is nothing better than waking up after a snowstorm, opening your garage door and seeing a freshly plowed driveway,” said Architectural Review and Covenants Committee Chair, Mary Sturm.

The Autumn Glen HOA Board has the responsibility of developing and managing activities and performance related to the service providers they employ. The main objective is to build a strong relationship that motivates service providers to deliver excellent maintenance throughout the contract period. The HOA Board worked closely with A Cut Above on the property management and snow removal services proposal to identify clear and concise provisions regarding the timeline for the work, the scope of the work, and how the work should be performed. This enabled both Autumn Glen and A Cut Above to be aware of their respective obligations toward each other. “The job is made a lot easier when you have good collaboration between HOA and service provider,” said Callahan. Likewise, the A Cut Above Vice President believes the feeling is mutual. “It is imperative that the management staff of A Cut Above work in unison with the landscape committee from Autumn Glen to ensure we are all on the same page with realistic expectations and accountability from both parties,” Streit said.