By PAT REILLY

My name is Pat Reilly and my family and I moved into the Meadows last April.   My wife Caradee and I are busy raising our two young children, Kellen (20 months) and Maryn (2 weeks!).

I attended one of the Town Hall meetings back in January  that was put on by the Foundation just to see what was happening.  It was resoundingly clear from the people in attendance that median beautification was an important initiative.   And while it didn’t make or break our decision to purchase a home out here, I had certainly noticed that the medians were in need of some attention.  Therefore, with a background in the landscape industry, I volunteered to lead this Median Beautification project for the Foundation and I believe we can elevate the sense of arrival and exit from Meadows in the process.

On March 6th, I gave a presentation to the Board of Directors for the Foundation that covered my vision for the medians, specifically the two large ones on Mountain Meadow Rd. that lead to the 4-way stop. The design that I have in mind utilizes San Diego thriving grasses, succulents, and perennial shrubs that would be planted in “bands” or “waves”, with elements of symmetry.  The plant pallet would be chosen for their low maintenance and water wise characteristics while also focusing on varying colors, textures, sizes, and bloom cycles.  It’s very similar to the look of the medians in the newly constructed roads of the 4S and Santaluz areas.

As we look to the future, it will be important to use smaller plant material (which will also come with a reduced expense) that will eventually grow into a mature landscape over the next 5 – 15 years.  I’ve put together a preliminary budget for the project that gives us a realistic opportunity to achieve a finished product with long-term quality and sustainability.

You have received a letter in the mail for the Annual Fundraising Drive for the Community Foundation.  This will give you, the residents, the opportunity to earmark funds, which will be added directly to the budget. In addition to funds, it will be important that I call on residents for help – in whatever form that help may look like.  Perhaps there are landscape contractors in the community that would be willing to lend us a hand or residents who have connections at local nurseries or materials vendors (such as rock, DG, mulch, etc.) that could assist in reducing the cost.

We have another Town Hall Meeting scheduled for April 8th at 10 AM where I will give a brief Power Point presentation on the project. This will be the perfect opportunity to get input from the residents regarding what you envision in the medians.  Please join us….  See you on the 8th……