You may have noticed that the Landscaping Services Department has been cutting the turf at a taller height recently. This is intentional and a direct response to the drought as well as water saving measures adopted by the mutual boards. Both United and Third boards have adopted resolutions to reduce irrigation water use by 15% in response to Governor Newsom’s and EL Toro Water District’s requests for voluntary reduction of water use by the same percentage in response to the ongoing drought. The Landscaping Services Department is accomplishing this by reducing turf watering frequency from three to two times per week.

Longer grass helps reduce irrigation requirements and it shades the soil, reducing moisture evaporation while simultaneously cooling the crowns of the grass, which is vital during sunshine-intensive summer months. This added shade helps preserve moisture, preventing the soil from drying out quickly and the root system from overheating. Soil that retains moisture more effectively also encourages deeper root systems to develop. Without heat stress or an extreme water shortage, roots can thrive and grow much deeper than they otherwise would. Root growth is more important than top growth—grass with deep roots is normally much healthier and stronger.

Deep roots help produce a more-attractive lawn in drought conditions and ensure turf is far more drought resistant. This is because deep roots can access moisture that shallower roots wouldn’t reach.

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Suppose you’re away on vacation and water leaks into your manor, necessitating quick access to mitigate property damages. Or imagine misplacing your keys or experiencing an emergency requiring assistance. The key file and keyless entry assistance programs can help in such emergencies, when urgent access to your manor is vital and provides security measures to keep your keys secure.

California law requires fumigation companies to have access to the interior of all structures to do a final inspection before fumigation. If you do not have keys or keyless codes on file with Resident Services or did not provide them to the fumigator, you may have to remain at your home until the fumigation crew arrives. If the crew cannot gain entry, you may be charged for locksmith services and costs associated with fumigation delays.

Resident Services maintains keys to manors within the community for the convenience of Laguna Woods Village residents. The key file program is completely voluntary; however, members are encouraged to file manor keys or keyless manor entry codes with Resident Services to ensure the following:

• In the event of an emergency, authorized personnel may gain access to a manor to perform necessary maintenance repairs.
• A residing member can obtain their manor keys or keyless manor entry codes to gain manor access if/when the need arises.

The code for keyless entry assistance is kept in the drawer with the other keys. For security, the code is never written or entered into the system. In the event a resident needs assistance gaining entry to their manor, Security would check out the key hook containing the code, aid the resident in gaining access and return the code to Resident Services where it is returned to the locked drawer file/key hook assigned to that manor.

To submit keys or keyless manor entry codes to the key file program, please visit Resident Services at the Laguna Woods Village Community Center, 24351 El Toro Road.

For more information, call Resident Services at 949-597-4600 or email residentservices@vmsinc.org.

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Since January, the face of trash and recycling in the Village has changed a great deal due to the City of Laguna Woods’ change of waste carrier and California Senate Bill 1383, which requires our state to reduce organic waste disposal by 75% by 2025. 

SB 1383 also requires municipalities to monitor and measure organic recycling activity to keep designated containers free of prohibited items. 

State law requires the city and CR&R to conduct biannual waste evaluations, during which samples are taken from containers of the same type and separated at a facility into permitted and prohibited waste. A route is considered noncompliant when the sampled weight of prohibited waste exceeds 25% of the total sample. 

The city recently provided Laguna Woods Village with CR&R’s first evaluation results, and residents rose to the challenge—four of the five Village waste routes were in compliance. One waste route was noncompliant because it contained 28% organic waste, exceeding the 25% limit by 3%. Because 7% of the 28% organic waste contained yard clippings, the city recommends Village residents take advantage of the Friday yard clippings pickup program, coordinated by Resident Services and carried out by Landscaping Services staff. Call Resident Services at 949-597-4600 any time before noon on Thursday, provide your address, and your garden waste will be picked up on Friday morning. Place clippings or garden waste close to the curb, but not until Thursday evening. This allows for more space for you and your neighbor’s other green waste in the organic recycling bins. 

Another refuse route contained a high level (31%) of prohibited waste due to improper disposal of regular recyclables. This does not constitute noncompliance with SB 1383, but it highlights a great opportunity for education. Click here to view the city’s flyer that highlights what recyclables (regular and organic) go into which bins.  

While many communities have yet to implement an organics recycling program, Laguna Woods Village residents have embraced the city’s program and are contributing to its early success. We thank you for your cooperation and diligence as we work together to meet the requirements of SB 1383 and boost recycling efforts. 

If you have trash, recycling and organics recycling questions, concerns or requests, please email CR&R at LagunaWoods-Recycles@CRRmail.com or call 949-625-6735. 

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Based on further comprehensive evaluation of the proposal to transfer bus ownership and operation from Laguna Woods Village to Age Well, the GRF Board of Directors has decided not to move forward with Age Well’s proposal as submitted, and has asked VMS staff to continue to explore other possible future opportunities that are mutually beneficial to both parties.

GRF and VMS wish to thank everyone who attended the transportation informational meetings to share feedback regarding this important decision.

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To better accommodate and balance their routes and driver scheduling, CR&R has requested and received approval from the City of Laguna Woods to change the organic waste collection day from Fridays to Wednesdays, starting Wednesday, August 17. 

Organics Recycling Best Practices

• Please do not move organic waste recycling carts from their intended locations. Carts will not be serviced in areas where they are not assigned. If you find a cart that has been moved, please email LagunaWoods-Recycles@CRRMail.com. 
• Please do not place plastic bags in organics recycling carts. Compostable bags, paper bags and newspaper are acceptable—compostable bags are preferable. Find a variety of compostable bags at Amazon.com, HomeDepot.com, Walmart.com and more. Compostable bags degrade to humus (the organic component of soil, formed by the decomposition of leaves and other plant material by soil microorganisms), CO₂ and water within 180 days when placed in a standard compost pile. 
• Please close the lid to the organics carts completely after use to prevent rodent access.
• Consider storing your organics in the freezer and disposing on Tuesday, right before the Wednesday pickup, to minimize odors.
• Please do not place garden/lawn prunings in organics recycling carts to ensure everyone can participate in the program and use the carts for accepted waste. Instead, please call Resident Services at 949-597-4600 to schedule a Friday clippings pickup.
• For assistance locating your nearest organics cart, please view an interactive map or a printable map. 

Please email CR&R at LagunaWoods-Recycles@CRRmail.com or call 949-625-6735 with trash, recycling and organics recycling questions, concerns or requests.

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“Meet the Candidates” is special Village Television programming that gives residents an opportunity to learn about those who are running for open board positions. Candidates running for a position on the United Mutual board will be broadcast live by Village Television (TV6) on Friday, August 19, 2022, at 12:30 p.m. and replayed on Tuesday, August 30, at 9:30 a.m. Candidate statements will air every Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. from August 24 through September 21. 

Each candidate will be allowed to present an opening statement. The order by which the opening statements are presented by the candidates will be determined by a drawing. A question-and-answer segment begins after each candidate presents their opening statement. Each candidate will then present a closing statement. 

The moderator for this event is resident Maxine McIntosh.

For more information about the United election, including a list of candidates running to fill three seats, click here. 

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