Argyle Area Civic Council

Argyle Sign & Planter to be maintained by DanScapes 7-1-2001

ARGYLE IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE LETS KEEP IT THAT WAY

By now everyone is wondering, who is taking care of the entrance sign and island at Argyle Forest and Blanding intersection? Well let me inform you!

Background on Me:
My name is Dan Hoard, I live at 8349 Hamden Rd W in the Chimney Lakes Association.I am currently Chairman of the Board/Owner of DanScapes. DanScapes is a Landscaping and Lawn Maintenance Firm here in Jacksonville, FL.

After contacting several different organizations and doing much research on the Island at the intersection of Argyle Forest and Blanding, I came to the conclusion that no company, nor association, nor the Publix shopping center would maintain this island. The main reason seemed to be Liability issues. I found that the island was constructed by the builder of Argyle subdivisions sections 1, 2, and 3. It was left to what used to be The Argyle association, which included all of the subdivisions located between Blanding and Rampart Rd. This Association has since been disbanded and allowed to fall apart. So for the
last 4 to 5 years the island has been a "eye sore". No one was maintaining it nor caring for the sign which is falling apart. All of the original Landscaping has died or been ran down by on coming traffic. The City considered this property abandoned, and this is where I stepped in. After doing much research I came upon an idea "Argyle is a beautiful Place" why shouldn't the front entrance sign reflect this. After all isn't the first impression the most lasting one!!! So because of this I have teamed up with Many city officials including our City Council Women Alberta Hipps, together we are working on getting our "Landmark" back up to speed.

Since July 1st, 2001 I have committed my company to the preservation and restoration of our "landmark" the Argyle entrance way Sign. I have taken upon myself and company to Donate ( yes I said Donate ) our services to Maintain this island and improve the overall looks of Argyle this includes ( mow, edge, trim, and Blow off the paved surfaces ) I have agreed to do this for a period of Five (5) years......... Why so long? I want to show the Argyle residents that we are Committed to Serving the needs of the Greater Argyle Area. We intend to help Cleanup the Argyle areas from Blanding Blvd to the new Brannon Connection.

In the next few months DanScapes will be mowing the Island on a weekly basis. We intend to get the island back in shape to prepare for the future plans we have set forth for the island. I have been attending meetings and such in order to do what we have planned. So keep watching our progress we will be getting it done.

On a lighter note I will be personally visiting most of the homes in the entire Argyle area with a short survey and a help list. We are asking the Argyle residents to take a stand and help out with the entire roadways and islands. We have made some calls and the city agreed to mow the road ways more frequently during the growing season like at least once a month, that's a start. We are looking for help with the future plantings and cleanup of all these areas in question. Please if feel free to Give me a call on any questions or suggestions that you may have.

MEETING NOTES From the JULY 25, 2001 at CITY HALL

By DAN HOARD of DanScapes
This email is being sent out to everyone explaining what transpired at today's (July 25, 2001) meeting with our Company DanScapes and The City Council Women Alberta Hipps, Streets and Drainage, and Board of Zoning.

The issues DanScapes brought to the plate were:

1. We are the company doing the Maintenance on the Island at the entrance way at Blanding Blvd. and Argyle Forest Blvd.

2. DanScapes has agreed to maintain the island as a commitment to the Argyle residents for a period of five (5) years from July 1st, 2001. In exchange for erecting a sign on the Island stating that we were Donating the Maintenance on the Island.

3. DanScapes has asked for sole authority of basically everything that goes on, on the island.

4. DanScapes has been contacting residents (approx. 400 to date) about what they would like to see done on the island. These are the following 5 main issues:
1. Maintenance Concerns
2. Relight the Argyle Sign Letters
3. Irrigation up and working
4. Trees and Stumps removed
5. Landscaping would be nice.

DanScapes understands these concerns and I, Dan Hoard, would like to address each one. I have thought about these issues and asked the residents that I have spoken with so far and they agreed that these items would be nice to see getting done. But DanScapes cannot donate all of these items, therefore I have been in close contact with our City Council Women
Alberta Hipps for the help. Today was the first meeting with the city officials that are in charge of these areas and the meeting seemed to go over very nice.

First Issue was the Sign we wanted to construct. The sign was a very tasteful, within all association color scheme 3 foot by 3 foot sign. But we were shot down by Zoning because mainly City Property and the zoning codes forbid any signs other than job site signs for a small period of time. So from time to time when you see us out there working we will be placing a sign while were are in the process of any project on the island in accordance with the signing laws of the City of Jacksonville.

Issue # 1. Maintenance Concerns

These issues have been solved because My company DanScapes has agreed to remove all trash and Maintain the property for a period of five (5) years. DanScapes has also agreed to do all the plantings involved on the island.

Issue # 2. DanScapes is working with the City of Jacksonville on this issue. In our meeting today the City agreed to verify that the Island still had electric and that the wiring was all in good working order. If so they have agreed to get power to the
Pole serving the island but not turn it on. An issue about turning on the power will be part of what I Dan Hoard will be surveying residents about.

Issue # 3. DanScapes is working with the City to get the old existing Irrigation system up and running again, but we may run into a delay because when the new turn lane was added DanScapes noticed that they tore up most of the side irrigation and this may have also hindered the service of water to the island. An issue about turning on the water for Irrigating the island will be addressed during the survey I will be giving out.

Issue # 4. DanScapes along with Mrs. Hipps has gotten the City to agree to trim up and bring up the canopy of all of the trees on the Island along with some of the trees on the side of the road where the old landscaping was on the southern most side. We also have gotten them to agree to take out the stumps that have been such an yester for so long. This Work is said to be completed before Aug. 17th, 2001.

Issue # 5. DanScapes has been working closely with several companies about possibly donating plants and materials for the Island, and Mrs. Hipps has been more than helpful on this issue. So hopefully we will be Relandscaping the entire Island soon. No date yet on this project completion. An issue about this will be on the survey I will be taking around.

The next issue was about the Youngerman Cir. Median/Island. Although DanScapes Nor I Dan Hoard have any dealings
with this island I may in the future. Realizing that both Islands play a key role in the looks of the Entire Community, I will be working with Mrs. Hipps closely on this issue also. Currently the plans do not hold for any Landscaping at this Time but Mrs. Hipps Stuck to her Guns and Told the officials she wanted a landscaping plan for this site along with the Argyle
sign and she wanted it soon. City engineers agreed to have this in the works soon...

I will be updating you as I find more information and as the survey progresses. I hopefully will find my way to you soon. Any suggestions, Questions, or comments are extremely welcome. A voice of one may be heard but the voice of many will be answered. Lets team up together and keep our neighbourhood the best that Jax has to offer. Support the Greater Argyle Civic Council/Association. Thanks to all that have helped me so far without people working together, you are lost.

DanScapes
Landscaping
Lawn Maintenance
PO Box 440335
Jacksonville, FL 32222-0004
© 1997-2001

Pho: (904) 908-4666
Fax: (904) 779-9212
DanScapes@yahoo.com
Dan Hoard, Owner
8349 Hamden Rd W
Jacksonville, FL 32244
Commercial & Residential

TU - Argyle ( Dan Hoard ) man cleans up some of ragged landscape

Wednesday, February 20, 2002
Last modified at 3:38 p.m. on Tuesday, February 19, 2002

Argyle man cleans up some of ragged landscape

By Sandy Strickland
Staff writer

Dan Hoard was proud of his brick home nestled among crape myrtles and dogwoods in the scenic Cross Timbers subdivision. But he wasn't proud of the entryway to his sprawling Argyle community, with its thousands of homes.

Every day he drove by it. Every day he was affronted by what he saw.

The weed-choked Bahia grass stretched to the brick Argyle sign almost obscuring the letters.

Trash littered the traffic island.

Shrubbery had died because of lack of irrigation.

Some oak limbs were broken and others so bent they touched the ground.

"There were about 15 unsightly stumps where the trees had been knocked down by cars," Hoard said. "It was just horrible. I thought something's got to be done."

Hoard, who owns a landscape company, decided he would be the one to do it. He got the city to remove the stumps and trim the trees.

Then he got permission to maintain the island, which is near the intersection of Blanding and Argyle Forest boulevards. Hoard and two employees have been mowing the 52-foot-wide by 442-foot-long median -- a 1 1/2-hour process -- every week or so since July.

"It's a beautiful area, and I think the entry should reflect that," said Hoard, who has ambitious plans for the site.

The irrigation system, which had been damaged, is being replaced. Hoard also would like to see the entry lighted at night.

Within the next year, he will be planting azaleas, oleander, Indian hawthorn, ground cover, live oaks, Bradford pears, ligustrum and such annuals as pansies, snapdragons and salvia.

Hoard, who is vice president of the Argyle Civic Council, said he wants to enlist community support in planting the shrubbery and picking up litter.

"You can collect trash one day, and the next day it's like you've never been there."

To fund the project, Hoard solicited donations from corporations and businesses. Counting his donated labor, he figures it will be a $50,000 investment.

A smaller median at Youngerman Circle and Blanding will boast the same landscape design, he said. City Councilwoman Alberta Hipps got $38,000 in city funds for that project.

"I'm very pleased that we've been able to get the city to assist with funding," said Hipps, who represents the area. "This will give everyone a positive feeling as they enter the Argyle Forest-Chimney Lakes area. I'm very proud of the civic pride that's being displayed and of his stepping forth and taking the initiative to make his neighborhood better."

Hoard, who is 31, has been in the business since he was 11. He started mowing yards in Brunswick, Ga., and two years later was so successful that his mother quit her job as a restaurant server to drive him from yard to yard.

"I was making more money than she was," he said.

After graduating from high school, he moved to Fernandina Beach and formed a landscape and irrigation company in 1988. Nine years later, he moved to Jacksonville and formed DanScapes, which does both residential and commercial landscaping.

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TU - Argyle man cleans up some of ragged landscape