Westlake Forest September 2017

now have the longer, secure deadbolts which can only be opened
with a key on all exterior home doors. These fit more deeply into
the door casing to make it difficult to kick the door open. But,
the first line of defense is your gate… have a padlock and keep it
locked at all times.
DOGS RUNNING LOOSE BECOME PROBLEMS
IN DENSE POPULATION AREAS
As our email subscribers and next-door members know, we are
sending out pictures of missing dogs or found dogs at least once a
week. Some stories have happy endings, some have tragic endings.
There is a leash law in Texas. This means that YOU must be in control
of your dog at all times. The law interprets control as having the
dog confined or restrained. There is no margin for question on this
one. Under control and restraint or confinement means just that.
Some cultures have no problems with dogs running loose, eating
what they can beg or steal, getting water where they can find it.
In the rural areas of Texas, people pretty much take care of their
dogs. They understand livestock and animals in general. They feed,
vaccinate, water and bathe their animals. In the densely populated
areas of Texas, such as Houston and its suburban areas, dogs must
be restrained, licensed, vaccinated, fed, watered and sheltered. Anything
less is cruelty or neglect that results in yet another violation of
Texas law. If you have animals (cats and dogs) please follow the law,
spay and neuter, vaccinate and provide proper shelter at all times.
BACK TO SCHOOL TIME:
WATCH OUT FOR CHILDREN
The children are back in school and each school bus carries a precious
cargo. Be aware of children running to or from the bus. Also,
be aware of children who are walking to or from a drop-off point.
Please slow down and watch for children. The actions of children
cannot be anticipated; frequently a child will dart into the street
for no apparent reason. Please be ready for the unexpected when
children are present in the neighborhood.
State law requires that all traffic on both sides of the street stop for
a school bus that is loading or discharging children. If you do not
stop, the driver will take your license plate number and action will
be taken against you. Please be careful when children are present.
We urge you to drive responsibly and to talk with your teenage children
who are driving about the responsibility of driving carefully
in the neighborhood.
AUTUMN IS GREAT TIME TO REFRESH EXTERIOR,
LAWNS AND GARDENS
The fall of the year brings many opportunities for us to work in our
yards. As the weather cools down, the jobs of weeding and mulching
gardens, planting fall flowers, mowing and putting on fertilizer
become a lot easier. This is an ideal time to refresh your floral
plantings and take care of lawn problems. Trees can be pruned
later in the year when the weather is cooler. This is generally best
done in January.
We encourage our residents to take an objective look at the exterior
of their home and take appropriate measure to rid the lawn and
trees of various pests. This is also a good time to do exterior repairs
before the holidays slip up on us. If you plan a major change in
your paint color or plan to put in siding or do other improvements
which radically change the look of your home, please complete an
architectural control form and submit it for Board approval. The
process is quick and painless and can eliminate problems with
changes that may be in violation of our deed restrictions.
We thank all the homeowners in Westlake and Westlake Forest
who continue to make improvements in both their homes and their
landscaping. Our neighborhood has become quite attractive with
the large trees, lush lawns and beautiful gardens. The improvements
made on homes add to the personality of our subdivision
in a very positive way.
NUISANCE ABATEMENT PROGRAM, LEGAL PARKING
& CLEAR STREETS IMPROVES NEIGHBORHOOD
APPEARANCE & SAFETY
As most of you know, the application of the Texas law against
Nuisances both in the form of vehicles and health safety items has
been an ongoing activity in Westlake and Westlake Forest. What
does this mean? The vehicles in driveways which are not current
on registration and inspection, are covered in some fashion, are
on jacks or blocks or are inoperable are in violation of state law.
The penalties for violating this law can be pretty stiff. If you have
a vehicle in your driveway that falls into any of these categories,
you will want to remove it. Park the vehicle in your garage or take
it out of the neighborhood and place it in a rental facility. This will
save you much frustration and money.
The Health and Safety Code is very specific about tall grass, rats,
snakes, chemicals, paints, furniture, junk, building materials, etc.,
which are left outside for a period of time. Further, stagnant water
is a major violation as it increases the risk of mosquitoes and
the spread of the diseases they carry such as West Nile and Zika
virus. Please keep your front and back yards clear of debris. Keep
them mowed. Leave no standing water in your yard. If you have a
swimming pool or pond in your yard, do not let water stagnate.
Use appropriate chemicals and check the ph and chemical level on
pools and ponds to make sure you are not fostering the creation of
a health disaster. Penalties for some of these violations are swift
and severe.
Finally, do not leave refrigerators, chemicals, paint, old wood, etc.,
in your front or back yard. This, too, is a violation of the health
and safety code. You will be cited by the proper authorities for the
violation if you do not abate the nuisance.
While some of our residents are used to conditions in other non-restricted
areas such as the country or neighborhoods in far-eastern
or southeast Houston, a subdivision is a high density population
area. These nuisances negatively impact the neighborhood and the
quality of life. That is the reason the Texas legislature has passed
laws that exclusively address the unincorporated areas of Texas
counties. Please obey the Texas law and be part of the solution,
not part of the problem.
PARKING LAWS CONTRIBUTE
TO NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY
The ongoing effort by the Sheriff’s Department to enforce all parking
laws within the confines of our neighborhood has begun to show
some dramatic results. The streets are less cluttered, fire hydrants
are not blocked, dangerous vehicles are gone, intersections are easily
navigated and the children of our neighborhood are much safer.
Please consider your neighbors when parking on the street. Not
only are you risking your vehicle, but you could potentially be risking
the lives of innocent children. If you must park on the street, be
considerate of the neighbor across the street who must back from a
driveway in order to enter the street. Do not park so that it is almost
impossible to exit a driveway. Whenever possible, do not park on
the street in order to further insure the safety of our children.
By cleaning up the streets, we are finding that the children are more
easily spotted as they dart out to chase a ball or swerve while riding
4 Westlake | September 2017