AESTHETICS AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
by Lynda Parker, A&E Chair
If you’ve read the Nov and Dec TVRA newsletters, you’re already aware the Aesthetics and Environment Committee has been revived and is under way.
We understand many homeowners in Tellico Village purchased their property here because after a lifetime of working a career and raising families, many of us were looking for a quiet, peaceful refuge in nature to live out our retirement. We had the right idea, as many recent studies have shown living in a natural space can significantly boost physical and mental health, reduce our stress, improve your mood, enhance cognitive function, encourage physical activity, and strengthen social connections.
We also know the POA acknowledges our “stunning setting” as they market Tellico Village to prospective buyers. Realtors say when they show properties in Tellico Village, people are impressed with the natural beauty in our community.
We heard you when you said in two separate surveys (in 2018 and 2021) that protecting the natural beauty of Tellico Village is very important to you. – not only for your emotional well-being, but also for your property value. The Aesthetics and Environment Committee was commissioned for exactly that reason. – to protect and enhance this natural environment we all found so enticing to bring us here.
We’ve heard it repeatedly: “Why do the builders have to cut down all the trees when they build a new home?” Obviously, changing the builders’ work processes will not be an easy or overnight task.
We begin with our property owners; when they take pride in the land their home sits on, respecting the natural environment and committing to practices that do good and not harm to that ecosystem. You might know many of today’s yard maintenance practices are antithetical to a thriving natural environment.
The A&E committee will serve as a resource for homeowners to understand how many of our accepted yard maintenance methods are detrimental to the wildlife and beautiful flora which influenced us to move here. We’ll do this by encouraging villagers to participate in established programs that serve to protect and enhance natural greenspaces. We’ll sponsor quarterly seminars to help you learn about these programs. Our goal is for owners in Tellico Village to be better stewards of their yards.
As more homeowners demonstrate a commitment to protecting nature on their own property, neighbors and the POA will take notice to hopefully enact policy changes for Tellico Village.
Please feel free to reach out to me if you have questions, ideas or comments:
Lynda Parker, A&E Chair (cell) 865-603-0466 (text or leave message) lyndaparker62@gmail.com