August 2012

Zionsville Town Council President Tim Haak has signed an Emergency Executive Order on Water Conservation Declaration. The order will take effect at 9:00 a.m. Friday, July 20.

Major Provision of the order are:

1. During the pendency of this water conservation order, it shall be unlawful for a water user, defined as any customer or other individual, firm, corporation, government, agency, or other entity using water within the Town of Zionsville from the Citizens Water system, to cause, permit, allow, do, or engage in any of the following actions:
1. Sprinkling, watering, or irrigating of grass;
2. Washing cars, trucks, trailers, mobile homes, railroad cars or any other type of mobile equipment, except as required by applicable local, state, or federal law for health or safety reasons;
3. Using water to clean sidewalks, driveways, paved areas, structures, buildings, or other outdoor surfaces;
4. Filling empty swimming pools;
5. Installing new landscaping or new lawn by using sod until a return to normal conditions is declared by a subsequent Executive Order;
6. Using hydrants except for fire suppression or as otherwise directed by Citizens Energy Group; and
7. Operating water fountains that are non-recycling.
2. The following water users and uses are hereby exempted from these mandatory conservation measures during the pendency of this water conservation order:
1. Nurseries;
2. Automatic commercial car washes;
3. Manual commercial car washes;
4. Golf courses;
5. Any watering of property owned or controlled by the Zionsville Department of Parks and Recreation as determined by my designee, the Department Superintendent; and
6. Users with their own wells.
7. Watering vegetable gardens and flowers by container or hand-held hose equipped with a shutoff nozzle and watering trees less than five (5) years old are exceptions to these mandatory conservation measures during the pendency of this water conservation order.
3. Personnel of the Town of Zionsville designated by me and/or the Town Manager are hereby directed to use vigilance in enforcing the provisions of this Executive Order until such time as it is rescinded upon termination of this water conservation order.
4. Any violators of this Executive Order for water conservation will be penalized as follows:
1. First violation: Warning
2. Second violation within a year of first violation: $250
3. Third violation within a year of the second violation: $500
4. Fourth violation (and subsequent violations), within a year of the third violation: up to $2,500.

Frustrated by the wilting, browning, dying plants on which you have lavished tender loving care over the years? Wait! It may get worse. Our summers are predicted to be just like this from now on. I’m hoping that’s not true. But just in case, I’m also perusing my High Country Gardens catalog, which is full of plants for xeriscaping, meaning, plants with low water needs. Characteristics of drought-tolerant plants: aromatic foliage like thyme, oregano, lavender and sage; waxy stems and leaves like sedums; very small or finely-cut leaves like dianthus, baby’s breath, artemesia and potentilla; silver-grey foliage like salvia, artemesia and lavandula. It’s the white hairs on the leaf surface that reduce water loss by reflecting the sun’s rays and holding moisture. Hairy foliage, like lamb’s ears. Perennials that have large, fleshy fibrous roots or deep tap roots are able to reach down into the soil to collect water and store moisture for future needs, like daylilies, red hot pokers, dahlias, guara and liriope. Here are a few more drought tolerant perennials: thyme, creeping chamomile, feverfew, threadleaf coreopsis. Water-hog plants? Kentucky blue grass and all annuals.

Here’s a few water-wise tips, time consuming yet important:

As we have begun to make plans for the fall, we have started to get things ramped up for all of the fun fall events in the Village. With the crazy heat and drought we have had, I am sure you are all just ready for a cool evening on the Bricks for the big Annual VRA Picnic in September with all our great neighbors.

As of right now the VRA’s Annual Old Fashioned Block Party Pitch-In Picnic is scheduled for the evening of September 22nd. Remember that we have some of the best cooks in the whole state right here in the Village, so this is a party you won’t want to miss! We will have fun for the kids and great conversation for adults, and maybe even some great music! Bring a dish to share, and the VRA will have Burgers, Dogs and Drinks for everyone!

With much sadness, our trusty editor of the Village Voice, Caron Peper, has submitted her resignation to the VRA- as now that she has a full time job and her daughter is really busy with all of those events, she needs to step away. Luckily, I have misplaced her paperwork and she will HAVE to keep doing this for a few more months as we get some new volunteers in place. We have already had a few great new people interested in helping out with the Village Voice but if you are in any way interested, we would love to have another set of hands to help with this very fun and informative online publication. If you would like to help us put the whole thing together, that would be great, and we are always looking for any sort of story or commentary contribution. Whether you are interested in food recipes, village homes history, events photography, or even just have some thoughts on how things ought to be here in Zionsville, we want to hear about it and share it with our other Village neighbors!

Speaking of Village Volunteers… We need homes for the progressive dinner! Our Christmas Party Co-Chairs, Jill Ridge Marianne Doyle, are looking hard for 3 homes for this fantastic Village Evening! I’ll offer up our dilapidated old shack if no one else steps up, but everyone has already seen it! You know you want to show off your home too—and everyone is excited to see it. Email rsvp@zvra.com to get the ball rolling.

Have a great August!

Chris Bucher