Grass - sod, straw mat, erosion control mat and seed

One of the challenges on a large property is maintaining the landscaping. Boards are sometimes inclined to take the low cost approach. Boards are also inclined to spend money on entrances and at the two addresses on Briarcliffe Blvd. Of course, the residents at 1825-1827 are all in favor of this. Sometimes the justification is "It is advertising".  However, if the interior is allowed to degrade, or ignored, then I have always taken the position that fancy and expensive treatments on Briarcliffe are possibly "bait and switch".

With rolling grounds, controlling the flow of water to get it to move away from buildings and walks should be a priority, but may not be.

From 2010-2018 maintenance did a lot of work to control the flow of water, reduce the number of "mud pits" and "mosquito glades" on the property. This was an expensive undertaking throughout the property. There were debates on the board. Some favored the use of straw grass mat and seed. I preferred sod.   Grass mat is possibly an acceptable solution if:

1. The area is predominantly level.
2. Watering at $5.05 per hundred cubic feet is acceptable. Add labor to this.
3. Frequent watering and weeding is acceptable during the grass sprouting period, perhaps a month or more. 

Nevertheless, we did try some grass mat. This worked adequately for the Lakecliffe Street replacement project where narrow strips were placed along new curbs. This was done as part of a large single source contract.