Yard of the Month Award Program

05/23/2020
Cypress Trails Yard of the Month

The Cypress Trails HOA Board of Directors and the Events Committee are pleased to announce the creation of the “Yard of the Month” award program. This program is designed to show appreciation and to recognize those homeowners who demonstrate superior effort in maintaining their property, and who, as a result, positively contribute to the overall appearance of Cypress Trails. The program will award its first winner on June 1, 2020.

The program will award monthly winners June 1, 2020 through October 1, 2020 for landscaping. Each monthly winner will receive special recognition on the HOA website, HOA Facebook page, and the HOA Newsletter, along with the honor of displaying the official “Cypress Trails Yard of the Month” lawn sign that identifies their property as the current “Yard of the Month” winner.

In addition to the monthly landscaping award, there will be Halloween decorating and Winter Holidays decorating contests. Halloween will be awarded on the morning of October 31, 2020, so the winner can display the sign with their award-winning decorations. Winter Holidays will be awarded December 19, 2020, with the sign being displayed through the rest of December and until January 9th, 2021, when all displays must come down (as per the HOA C&Rs.)

Program Guidelines:

  • Judging for the awards will be done by volunteers from the Events Committee
  • Landscaping awards will be presented the first of the month following voting, June 1 through October 1 (i.e. July’s winner will be announced August 1)
  • The award term lasts from the first day to the last day of a calendar month
  • The same property cannot receive more than one award in the same rolling 12-month calendar period
  • The properties of all current residents of Cypress Trails, both owner-occupied and rentals, are eligible to participate in the program – including those homeowners involved in the governance of the HOA
  • Yard of the Month winners must be in good standing with the HOA
  • The upkeep of the yard can reflect the efforts of the residents themselves or that of a professional landscaper
  • During their reign as Yard of the Month, winners are expected to maintain their yard in the same manner that allowed them to win the title
  • Halloween decorating award will be presented on the morning of October 31
  • Winter Holidays decorating award will be presented December 19

Judging Criteria

LANDSCAPING: (June through September)

Landscaping candidates are judged solely on the exterior appearance of their property as viewed from the street. Yards will be judged on neatness, landscaping, and color. Overall appearance and factors include, but are not limited to: tidiness/neatness of the front and side yards; pruned and trimmed trees and shrubs; edged and defined lawns, borders and flower beds; and a visually appealing façade.

DECORATIVE AWARDS: (October and December)

Candidates for decorative awards are judged solely on the exterior appearance of their property as viewed from the street. General maintenance and upkeep of the yard and home is included in the judging. Overall appearance, tastefulness, creativity, decorating in the “spirit of the holiday”, and a visually-appealing façade are considered.