Whispering Hills Property Owner's Association
P.O. Box 1521
Gainesville, TX 76241


Fire Resistent Landscaping
The typical arrangement of plant material near a home is often small plants in front and shrubs and small trees to "frame" the structure. In areas where wildfires are likely, however, this design strategy is a recipe for a disaster.

Instead, adopt fire-resistant landscaping. Low-growing succulents like ice plant provide colorful choices for a fire-resistant landscape.

You know the principles of building fires at a campsite or in a fireplace--the more fuel, the hotter the fire; the more "tinder," the quicker it burns; fire burns upward and outward. Don't create the makings of a big one around your home.

Help our MLSB volunteer firefighters defend your home in case of wildfire by creating a defensible space around your home. A defensible space is usually considered to be about 30 feet in all directions, unless the home is on a slope. The steeper the slope, the larger the defensible space needs to be--100 feet or more--especially below the home.

Fire Prevention Tips:

  • Remove all dead and decaying wood and brush from around your home. Clean out debris from roof and gutters.
  • Prune away limbs that overhang the house or any flammable structure.
  • Remove all flammable shrubs, trees, ornamental grasses and other plants within the defensible area and replace with low-growing, fire-resistant plants. Succulents like aloe, agave and ice plant are ideal.
  • Replace pines and other conifers with deciduous trees.
  • Remove "ladder" vegetation--shrubs or small trees beneath or near larger trees, perennials beneath or near shrubs.
  • Allow plenty of space between plants that are near your home. Avoid planting in large, tight masses. Instead, create irregular, sparsely planted, small islands at least 10 to 15 feet apart.
  • Keep grass mowed. If you need to ration water during a drought, water only those plants nearest your house.
  • Let non-flammable hardscaping--things like flagstone walks, brick patios, stone retaining walls, pea gravel mulch--provide the beauty and curb appeal of much of the defensible area.
  • Mulch but avoid using pine needles or pine bark.
  • Install a spark arrester on the chimney.
  • Prune trees so limbs are at least 20 feet away.

This information taken from HGTV web site.

Welcome New Members
New members to the community include:
Larry and Arvella Stephenson (bought Rick Hatridge's land and building a new home);
Rick and Stacey Stephenson (bought Lewerenz home); John Lindsley and Susan Nostrand (bought the Richey home); Michael and Stacy Hutchins (bought the Vidal home); C.J. and Cathy Saia (bought the Doss home); Larry and Nancy Brammer (purchased the Heberle home); Kathy Albright (purchased lake lots from the Grays).

WHPOA Directory
The 2007 WHPOA Member's Directory are available. Please pay your dues promptly so we can mail your directory and this year's car decals. Contact Frank Mahnich with any updated directory information.

Dues are PAST Due!
The dues for 2007 are $200 and will be due on March 31, 2007. Please send your payment (check or money order made out to WHPOA) to:

WHPOA
Post Office Box 1521
Gainesville, TX 76241

Please send this form in when mailing your check. It helps us keep our database accurate. (click this DUES FORM link)

Please be Considerate ...
Please do not park extra vehicles, boat trailers, jet skiis on the side of roads for an extended period of time it can create a traffic hazard. There are several storage facilities nearby that can be rented to accommodate your vehicle needs if you don't have a place on your own property for parking.

 

Large Boulders Add Rustic Quality

Large boulders were scattered in the tree planting area near the entrance to Whispering Hills, this area is more commonly known as the "T".

Hopefully, this will prevent any mischievous vandals from driving over the new trees, please contact one of your Board members if you see anyone destroying this or any other area.

ALSO, thanks to the members who are helping keep this area mowed and trimmed.

If you have some spare time, please pitch in to help.

Help out our EMS
Imagine one night you need emergency service. You call 911 to have an EMS vehicle dispatched to your lake house. Can someone who has never been to your house find it? Many places in Whispering Hills are hard to find during the day, much less at night under emergency circumstances. Please take an objective look at your street house number, make sure it's visible from the street or driveway and reflective or lighted. WHPOA will also work towards replacing all street signs with larger and reflective signage. If you would like to donate extra money for this project, your money will go directly for new signs. Please contact one of your board members for more information.