The Summer Lakes Volunteer Landscaping Committee is moving forward with plans to beautify the back entrance to Summer Lakes in much the same way the enhanced landscaping was achieved at the front entrance last fall.
As you may have noticed that survey markers have been in place for several weeks. That was done to scope out the area of the project for Landscape Designer Jane Waldrop. She is the expert who designed the front entrance. The committee plans to utilize the same vendors this time around.
Committee member Roger Pizio reports what’s ahead…1.) Atlantic Coast is getting in touch with Aiken Electric to see what we can actually do on the east side of the entrance. Aiken Electric has a dead end pole with several guy wires to anchor the pole. Also on the pole is as fuse to protect the underground system in the development. Any plants placed there shouldn’t interfere with access to the pole.
2.) Unlike the front entrance, we have a county drainage ditch to deal with. This drainage ditch was in place when Atlantic Coast developed Summer Lakes and was modified to county standards by ACP. The problem now is this ditch is washed out in places and the 18” pipe is totally clogged. Atlantic Coast will meet with the county, but any ditch improvements will likely be the responsibility of ACP adding to the cost of the project.
3.) Jane Waldrop recommended that the ditch be reshaped and sod be placed from the proposed plant beds, into the ditch and then to the roads edge. Existing rocks already in place would be used as a dam to slow down the flow of water during any rain. We have recommended to ACP the extension of the existing 18” pipe by several sections allowing us to fill-in the ditch in the area of our project and allow for a flat surface leading to roads edge.
4.) Other items that need to be considered but should be easer then the ditch problem are:
Get water meter installed for irrigation system
Get electric meter installed for any landscaping lighting
Both the electric and the water will have to be put under the road so both sides can be serviced. ACP is considering using the current drainage system to solve this problem
We were hoping for a spring planting depending on speed of the prep work the actual planting may not take place until summer or the fall.
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