The provisions of the lakes & streams policies and procedures are governed by Articles I, K and IX, F of the Willowbrook Covenants and Article 1.3 of the Maintenance Agreement between the Homes Association and the City of Overland Park.
If one has a question or problem concerning any aspect of the lakes & streams policies and procedures, please contact the Lakes & Streams Committee Chairperson. If he/she can not solve your problem or answer your question, he/she will bring the matter to the attention of the Homes Association Board of Directors.
Background Information:
- Tom French and John Groebe - the Developers of Willowbrook entered into a "Maintenance Agreement" with the City of Overland Park on July 3, 1989. This "Maintenance Agreement" covered the three (3) Lakes the Developers constructed within the subdivision.
- Article 1.3 Sections (b) states the following: “(b) The Homes Association Declaration will provide that one of the duties and obligations of the Willowbrook Homes Association (as opposed to one of its permissive powers) will be to properly maintain the Lakes, including, without limitation, maintaining landscaping and any improvements erected surrounding the Lakes and correcting the effects of material detrimental erosion or other damage caused by the flow of water into the Lakes from the surrounding property, including the dredging as is necessary from time to time of the Lakes.”
- This "Maintenance Agreement" is filed with the City of Overland Park and legally transfers the maintenance responsibility to the Willowbrook Homes Association.
- A portion of the Monthly Homeowners Dues goes into a Lakes and Streams Reserve Fund to provide the necessary maintenance of the Lakes and Streams. The exact amount of the Monthly Fees for this Fund is determined by the Board of Directors.
Maintenance History
- In the early 1990's Tom French paid to dredge the ponds prior to turning them over to the Willowbrook Homes Association, which occurred when 100% of the lots in Willowbrook were sold.In 1999 the Homeowners Association entered into a joint venture to purchase a dredge and dredge the ponds. The dredging was successful in every pond except the "silt pond" (pond 3) just north of 143rd Street. There was too much shale and rock that clogged the pipe lines, so the dredging was abandoned in this pond.
- In 2001 an independent Contractor was hired to dredge the "silt pond" (pond 3). This project was only partially successful because the Contractor could not get all the equipment needed to the ponds to complete the job.
- In 2004 the Homes Association Board of Directors made the decision to gradually turn the "silt pond"(pond 3) into Wetlands. In 2004 the Board of Directors contracted with Dennis Haag, an Environmental Engineer, to install a series of "Aeration Systems" that operate continuously (non-stop) to help control the silt buildup in our Lakes. These "Aeration Systems" were successful in pond 1 and some of pond 2 where there was sufficient depth for the systems to work properly.
- In 2005 approximately 175 feet of rock wall was replaced on the west side of pond 1. In 2006 approximately 135 feet of rock wall was replaced on the west side of pond 2.
- In 2007 the Board of Directors decided to contract with Dennis Haag to use a newly designed small dredge to dredge a portion of our lakes.
Maintenance Procedures
- Lakes Cleanup:
There are normally two voluntary Cleanups during the year, usually in the Spring and the Fall. The cleanups consist of removing fallen and dead tree limbs and debris from all three ponds and the streams adjacent to the swimming pool. - Pond Vegetation:
Growth of pond vegetation occurs during the summer months. This situation is monitored by the Lakes and Streams Committee, who contracts with outside services to control this growth. - Wildlife Controls:
- Canada Geese: The geese population in and around our ponds has created an unhealthy situation for Willowbrook residents, guests, and pets. Every year since 2002 the Homes Association Board of Directors has approved the oiling of geese eggs, subject to the approval of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. This process has successfully controlled the goose population in our Lakes.
- Beavers: Occasionally Willowbrook encounters beaver problems, which results in trees being cut down on common ground and residents’ grounds along our lakes. The Board of Director’s solution to the problems of beavers is to use outside services to trap and kill or relocate the beavers to other locations. The Lakes & Streams Chairperson works with these outside service companies to handle this matter in the most approved humane way.
- Culvert Blockage:
- Overland Park point of contact is the Public Works Maintenance Division (327-6600) of Overland Park. They will remove areas of blockage or flood hazards at culverts, if they pose an imminent or serious flood hazard.
- The culvert at 141st Street and 143rd Street are of interest to Willowbrook residents. Obstructions at these culverts have the potential to pose a flood hazard during a storm event and affect homeowners whose homes back up to the creeks. In addition, debris that collects at the culvert of 143rd Street flows into our ponds after a large rainstorm. Residents who notice blockages at the 141st Street or 143rd Street culverts should inform the City Liaison committee chairperson, the Lakes & Streams committee chairperson, or call the Public Works Maintenance Division (327-6600) to arrange for removal/clean-up.