Palomar Hill’s Center Islands to Be Renovated Beginning in February
The PHCA Board has approved a contract to renovate the landscaped center islands on Palomar Blvd. and at the Man O War entrance to Lyon drive. Weather permitting, the project will begin the week of February 13 and will be completed by the end of March. This project has been over a year in planning and is much needed to improve the aesthetics of our neighborhood. Many neighbors have shared their opinion to address the aged islands landscaping.
The FAQ’s
Palomar’s major connector roads have sixteen (16) center islands designed to enhance the beauty and aesthetics of the neighborhood. Seven (7) of the islands have existing trees that were planted in 1986. These trees, now 36-years old, have begun to deteriorate and are in need of replacement. In addition, one (1) island has younger trees that have been devastated by disease.
As a part of our due-diligence, the PHCA board requested advice from Tim Queary, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government’s Urban Forester. In August 2022, Mr. Queary spent the morning with our PHCA Landscape Committee members and assessed our island tree status. Queary identified that seven (7) islands have the original Pear trees that were planted when the neighborhood was built. Queary confirmed that the trees in those islands (34 total trees) were diseased and at the end of their expected life. He also mentioned that Pear trees are no longer recommended for street tree applications. Queary also determined that one (1) island had younger trees that were disease ridden and recommended replacement of those trees. Queary found the street trees in the other eight (8) islands (65 total trees) to be in good condition and planted with tree species that are LFUCG approved.
The PHCA is engaging in a project to remove and replace diseased and dying trees in islands. We will also conduct tree maintenance and pruning of the other healthy trees as needed.
During the inspection it was also determined that all the islands suffered from a significant build up of bark mulch that is adversely affecting growing conditions in the islands. The renovation plan includes removing built up mulch, root mass removal and soil reconditioning. Once completed, all of the islands will be sodded with fescue grass. The entrance islands at Harrodsburg Road & Man O War will be enhanced with shrubs and plants.
Schedule & Traffic Impact
Again, the project is scheduled for a mid-February start. This is obviously weather permitting. The contractor is planning to avoid rush hour traffic disruptions and will be positioning equipment in locations to minimize lane closures. We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we execute this renovation. We will use PHCA social media channels to communicate information as the project progresses.
Funding For This Project
This project is being funded by carry-over dollars from the FY2022 landscape budget, capital project funding from the FY2023 budget and matching grant funding from the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government.
We appreciate your cooperation and patience as we execute this long overdue landscaping enhancement to our neighborhood. Please contact Melanie Allen via email at admin@palomarhills.com for more information or if you have any questions.
