Friends & Neighbors Meeting: Can an Elevation Certificate Reduce Your Flood Insurance Premiums?

Join us Tuesday, May 27th, 6:30-8pm at Word of Faith Church on the corner of Delmas & Fuller

when we discuss the merits of elevation certificates and volunteer creek restoration.

Many of us are required to pay hefty amounts for flood insurance due to being in a flood zone. In many cases an elevation certificate can mitigate those costs. Insurance agent Natalie Arola will walk us through deciding whether it is appropriate for each specific home to get one.

Our other guest speaker will be Friends of Los Gatos Creek (FOLGC) founder, Steve Holmes. FOLGC is a volunteer group focused on the preservation of Los Gatos Creek through cleanups & habitat restoration from Lexington Reservoir to its confluence with the Guadalupe.

Head's Up for Next Water-Wise Wednesday: Lawn Replacement Talk

Replace Your Lawn with Drought-Tolerant California Natives, a talk by Cayce Hill 

Wed., May 21, 6:00-7:30 PM, SJPL Calabazas Branch, 1230 S Blaney Ave., San José, (408) 808-3066

Ready to lose the lawn, but don't know where to begin? Come to this talk and be inspired to create a beautiful, water-wise garden! See a variety of no-lawn landscaping styles and ideas. Get professional landscaping tips on removing a lawn, choosing the appropriate plants, and watering more efficiently. You’ll see how to have a lush landscape without a water-hogging lawn.

Cayce Hill has been growing California natives since she moved to San Jose in March 2008. She works as a professional gardener, designing and maintaining culinary gardens for restaurants and homeowners in the Bay Area. Her previous experience includes being a head gardener, program manager, and the treasurer for the Friends of Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County.

Keeping Creeks Clean is Water-Wise as Well: Join Us!

National River Cleanup event on Saturday, May 17 and Friends of Los Gatos Creek is asking for volunteers. Please arrive at one of the locations below 8:30-8:45am. This great organization has done a lot of good work removing debris from the creek to protect the wellbeing of our water supply and the wildlife in and around Los Gatos Creek. Please consider joining your neighbors this weekend to help out.

Auzerais Avenue Site
Cross streets are Wright Place & Auzerais Ave., our Sign-up table will be adjacent to the entrance of the bike trail next to LG Creek.

Park Avenue Site
Cross streets are Montgomery St & Park Ave, parking is in the 3-Story Business Complex (grey building) at 595 Park Ave. Sign-up table will be located in this parking lot.

FOLGC will be providing trash pick-up tools, trash bags, gloves & water. We ask everyone to wear heavy soled shoes, long pants, hat and sunscreen. The work will begin at 9:00 running through 11:30am. Thanks to all for supporting this effort. The Community is making a difference on our Los Gatos Creek!

 

Water-Wise Wednesday Tip

While it may not help you use less water, it does help the environment. By simply directing your runoff water to permeable land (rather than down a driveway for example) you feed your plants and help recharge the aquifers we rely on for so much of our drinking water. If that water otherwise goes to the street, it collects pollution and pulls it to the Guadalupe River, both making the river dirtier and contributing to a potential flood. Hard to think of flooding in a time of drought but there is a reason so many of us in North Willow Glen have to pay for mandatory flood insurance. If not for flood mediation than certainly consider it for the well being of our creek critters, and for our continued supply of drinking water.

The corner of Willow and Clark

Before and after shots of the work underway to redevelop this corner for housing.

Farmer's Market starts this Saturday

The Willow Glen Community Farmer's Market starts this Saturday. Fruits, vegetables, foods, crafts, and more will be available from 9:30 to 1:30 every Saturday behind the Garden Theater, 1165 Lincoln.