Perky Perkins is doing the September 2015 update of the Community Roster. Please check your information on the current Roster (the latest was March 2015).
If you wish to update any information (email address, phone number, etc) please email Muktida@aol.com or leave a phone message at 650-493-4415. Deadline to receive changes is September 14.
All of the major upgrades to the pool, spa and deck areas of the clubhouse have been completed. We have some remodeling of the restrooms and kitchen areas in the planning stage.
In the meantime, we would like to remind residents of some very basic rules for the safety and enjoyment of everyone using the pool and spa areas:
State Law REQUIRES that all children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult resident over the age of 18 years.
Residents are limited to six (6) guests at any one time. Parties are NOT permitted in the pool/spa area. Owners and residents are responsible for their guests at all times.
Glassware and breakable containers are PROHIBITED in the pool/spa area. Please consume food or drink away from the pool edge.
Pets are PROHIBITED in the pool and spa areas.
A copy of the Association rules for use of the Pool and Spa/Sauna are available.
The new Palo Alto Food Scraps Composting program has begun. New green Yard Waste carts have been delivered to the common areas in Buildings 3,8,10 and 12.
In other buildings where there is no shared trash area, we suggest that neighbors whose trash cabinets adjoin each other consider sharing a combination of 2 black bins (garbage), 1 blue bin (recycle) and 1 green bin (compost). The recommended green bin size would be 64 gal which is the same size as most people’s blue recycle bin. You will need to contact Green Waste Customer Service at (650) 493-4894 to arrange for a bin swap.
Pickup Schedule
Now that there will additional bins being processed, we urge everyone to place the bins at the curb as late as possible on Tuesday afternoon and return them to the storage areas as soon as possible after collection on Wednesday. To ensure pickup of your compostables, the green cart must be put out at the curb by 6 AM Wednesday morning.
Lots of Stuff Can Now Go Into Your Green Cart
Much of what we once threw in the garbage can now go in your green cart. In addition to yard trimmings, you can add these compostable items:
fruits and vegetables (including pits)
nuts (including their shells)
coffee grounds, filters, and tea bags
meat and bones
dairy and eggs
soiled paper (paper plates & cups, used tissues, paper towels, paper napkins)
waxy paper containers (milk and ice cream cartons – even ones with a some plastic pieces are ok)
Chinese and other paper takeout boxes
pizza boxes
compostable plastics (compostable bags, compostable to-go containers, compostable cutlery) – they must be labeled ‘Compostable’
We ask that you put your food scraps in “compostable” bags to help eliminate odors and reduce the attraction of animals (raccoon, skunks) and rodents. These bags are available in several sizes, including a 3 gal size which fits the small pail, in local stores or online at minimal cost. If there is sufficient interest, we may set up a bulk order for our residents. IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO USE THE COMPOST PAIL YOU RECEIVED, please do not discard it. Contact our Zero Waste Block Coordinator, Vickie Martin, at 424-9872 or leave it at her residence (4168, Bldg. 4) and she will return it to Green Waste.
Don’t Forget Our MEET AND LEARN Session
On Monday, July 20th, 7 PM to 8:30 PM Barron Square HOA and Barron Park Association are sponsoring a Meet and Learn session with representatives of Zero Waste in the Barron Square Community Center. Come and learn about the Zero Waste program and get answers to your questions about composting. If you are planning to attend please RSVP here or call/email our Zero Waste Coordinator, Vickie Martin at (650) 424-9872 (vickiem@barronsquare.org) as soon as possible.
For additional information on the composting program, visit the Zero Waste website
As part of the Zero Waste program in Palo Alto the city is initiating a program for composting of residential food scraps. While this new program is NOT MANDATORY, we ask you to consider participation to reduce the amount of landfill waste in Palo Alto.
With this new program, many of the items you now dispose of as ‘garbage’ (landfill waste) will move to the compostable category. This includes not only food scraps, but also food soiled paper products and containers.
That being said, as a multi-family common interest development, we have special considerations in order to implement this program properly. More than half of our units SHARE common areas for the garbage, recycle, and yard waste bins, and with that, must SHARE the task of moving the bins to and from the curb on collection day. Even though every unit is entitled to their own black, blue and green bins, there simply isn’t enough space available to accommodate them. Here at Barron Square, we have identified a multi-tiered approach:
The GREEN Yard Waste bins are available in several sizes: 32 gal, 64 gal and 96 gal. (The jumbo 128 gal bin will not fit through the door of the shared trash area.) All of these will be supplied free of charge by Green Waste.
New 96 gal GREEN bins will be located in the SHARED trash areas for use by the units listed:
Building 3 – Units 4142 – 4152
Building 8 – Units 522 – 528
Building 9A – Units 502 – 508
Building 9B – Units 510 – 516
Building 10 – Units 531 – 541
Building 12 – Units 4131 – 4141
In other buildings where there is no shared trash area, we suggest that neighbors whose trash cabinets adjoin each other consider sharing a combination of 2 black bins (garbage), 1 blue bin (recycle) and 1 green bin (compost). The recommended green bin size would be 64 gal which is the same size as most people’s blue recycle bin. You will need to contact Green Waste Customer Service at (650) 493-4894 to arrange for a bin swap.
In the future as we determine our actual volumes of compostables, the bins can be exchanged for the appropriate sizes.
Now that there will additional bins being processed, we urge everyone to place the bins at the curb as late as possible on Tuesday afternoon and return them to the storage areas as soon as possible after collection on Wednesday.
RECYCLE YOUR OLD GARBAGE CANS
As you may be aware refuse rates in Palo Alto will be increasing, in part to cover the cost of the new program. But there is still an opportunity for you to save money. Most ‘old fashioned’ garbage cans are 32 gal capacity. We suggest that you recycle your old plastic and rubber cans and replace them with a 20 gal black garbage cart which is available FREE from Green Waste. This will reduce your refuse fee by about $20 per month. The 20 gal carts are easy to roll to the curb so you can also save the $3 per month ‘side yard’ collection charge.
PLEASE DO NOT DUMP RAW FOOD SCRAPS INTO THE GREEN BIN.
Green Waste has distributed 3 gal ‘pails’ to each residence for collection of food scraps. These scraps, along with other compostable materials, are to be put into the GREEN yard waste bins. We ask that you put your food scraps in “compostable” bags to help eliminate odors and reduce the attraction of animals (raccoon, skunks) and rodents. These bags are available in several sizes, including a 3 gal size which fits the small pail, in local stores or online at minimal cost. If there is sufficient interest, we may set up a bulk order for our residents. IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO USE THE COMPOST PAIL YOU RECEIVED, please do not discard it. Contact our Zero Waste Block Coordinator, Vickie Martin, at 424-9872 or leave it at her residence (4168, Bldg. 4) and she will return it to Green Waste.
WHAT ITEMS DO I PUT IN THE GREEN BINS?
Food Scraps (in a compostable bag) including meat, bones, vegetables, dairy products, coffee grounds and filters, and tea bags
Compostable plastics (made from corn, potato or other starch)
Yard trimmings
MEET AND LEARN SESSION
On Monday, July 20th, 7 PM to 8:30 PM there will be a Meet and Learn session with representatives of Zero Waste in the Barron Square Community Center. Come and learn about the Zero Waste program and get answers to your questions about composting. If you are planning to attend please RSVP to our Zero Waste Coordinator, Vickie Martin at (650) 424-9872 or email her at vickiem@barronsquare.org as soon as possible. For additional information on the composting program, visit the Zero Waste website
The City of Palo Alto has provided a colored brochure and a detailed list itemizing what goes where. For a quick overview watch the video below.
The improvements in our pool are progressing on schedule. Today Gonzalez Masonry poured the concrete for the new pool deck. On Monday May 18th Corby-Gould will begin the fiberglass resurfacing of the pool itself.
The last one to take a dip in the old pool before it was completely drained was a visiting duck.