Announcements

LARMAC recognizes that many residents have questions and concerns regarding our Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program and the products used to maintain the Association's landscape. We appreciate the thoughtful feedback shared through Board meetings, emails, conversations, and other community engagement over the past several months.

During its recent meeting, the Board carefully considered homeowner feedback regarding the Association's landscape management practices. Following that discussion, the Board took several immediate actions designed to increase transparency, encourage resident participation, and thoughtfully evaluate opportunities to enhance the Association's Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program.

The Board's responsibility is to maintain a healthy, safe, and beautiful community while responsibly stewarding about 1,000 acres of LARMAC-maintained landscape. We are equally committed to continuously evaluating our practices, listening to resident feedback, and making informed decisions based on sound information, industry best practices, operational needs, fiscal responsibility, and the long-term interests of the community.

As part of this commitment, the Board has established an Ad Hoc Landscape Pest Management Advisory Committee, comprised of homeowners, to evaluate the current IPM program for LARMAC-maintained areas and develop recommendations for the Board's consideration. In addition, the Board has directed staff to implement a temporary 60-day pause on the routine use of certain landscape maintenance products used for weed management and plant growth regulation while this review is underway. This temporary pause applies only to those routine landscape maintenance applications and does not affect activities necessary to address public health and safety concerns, such as rodent control or responses to invasive pests.

What the Board Has Directed

The committee consists of up to eight (8) homeowner volunteers, which includes two (2) Board members.

The committee's responsibilities include evaluating recommendations in the following areas:

●        Evaluating an Organic-First Integrated Pest Management framework.

●        Reviewing notification practices, including advance application notices and publicly available product information.

●        Comparing LARMAC's current landscape management program with those used by neighboring agencies, including the City of Irvine, considering effectiveness, operational impacts, and costs.

The committee's first meeting is scheduled for July 23. The Association will provide updates on the committee's progress and any recommendations as they become available.

Temporary 60-Day Pause

To support the Advisory Committee's review, the Board has directed staff to implement a temporary 60-day pause on the routine use of certain landscape maintenance products used in the Association's current Integrated Pest Management program. This temporary pause applies only to those routine landscape maintenance applications currently used for weed management and plant growth regulation within LARMAC-maintained common areas and does not affect activities necessary to protect public health and safety, such as rodent control or responses to invasive pests.

During this period, landscape maintenance will continue utilizing cultural practices, mechanical controls, hand removal, organic products where appropriate, and other available maintenance methods. Landscape conditions may vary in some areas during this temporary pause as alternative maintenance methods are utilized, including an increase in weed growth in some locations. The Board believes this measured approach provides an opportunity to thoughtfully evaluate current practices while minimizing unnecessary impacts to the community.

Clarifying Current Landscape Management Practices    

As community discussion has increased, so has the amount of information being shared. Some of that information does not accurately reflect the Association's current landscape maintenance practices. The Board believes it is important to provide the following factual clarifications.

Turf Areas

Routine weed management in turf is accomplished through cultural practices, proper maintenance, and the Association's organic fertilizer program.

Where weed control is currently performed using landscape maintenance products, it is generally limited to tree wells, planter beds, fence lines, curb edges, sidewalks, and other non-turf landscape areas, where weeds can create maintenance, aesthetic, or infrastructure concerns.

Parks, Playgrounds and Sports Fields

Herbicides and pesticides are not applied to parks, playgrounds, sports fields, or school sites where children and families regularly recreate as part of LARMAC’s current landscape maintenance program.

These areas are maintained using an organic fertilizer program together with cultural practices and routine landscape maintenance.

Waterways and Open Space

Herbicides and pesticides are not applied to community waterways, including detention basins and the Sienna Botanica area, as part of LARMAC’s current landscape maintenance program.

Front Yard & Driveway Special Benefit Area (SBA) Neighborhoods

Herbicides and pesticides are not applied within the Front Yard & Driveway SBA neighborhoods, consisting of 1,167 homes, as part of LARMAC’s current landscape maintenance program.

These areas are maintained using cultural practices and routine landscape maintenance.

Fuel Modification Zones

Herbicides and pesticides are not applied within the 90-acre fuel modification zones around the perimeter of the community as part of LARMAC’s current landscape maintenance program.

These areas are maintained using routine landscape maintenance.

Transparency Improvements

In addition to the Advisory Committee, the Association is already evaluating additional opportunities to improve communication with residents.

These include:

●        Advance notifications before landscape treatments    

●        Enhanced treatment maps.

●        Expanded information on products used.

●        IPM Annual Report (similar to the City of Irvine).

Our goal is to provide residents with clear, accessible information so they can better understand both our current practices and any future improvements.

Questions Regarding Public Health

We understand that some residents have expressed concerns regarding reports of several Ewing sarcoma diagnoses within the community over the past several years.

These concerns are deeply personal for the affected families and understandably important to many residents.

LARMAC takes these concerns seriously. However, as a maintenance corporation—not a public health agency—it is neither qualified nor authorized to investigate medical conditions or determine their causes.

Public health investigations are conducted by agencies with the appropriate medical and epidemiological expertise, including the Orange County Health Care Agency and the California Department of Public Health.

Should those agencies ever request information from LARMAC, we would fully cooperate.

Our Commitment Going Forward

The Board recognizes that residents hold a variety of perspectives regarding landscape pest management. While opinions may differ on the best path forward, we are committed to approaching this process with openness, respect, and a willingness to carefully evaluate all reasonable options.

The formation of the Ad Hoc Landscape Pest Management Advisory Committee, the temporary 60-day pause on the routine use of certain landscape maintenance products, and the Board's continued commitment to transparency reflect our desire to thoughtfully consider resident feedback while continuing to responsibly maintain our community.

We encourage residents to stay informed through Association communications, public Board meetings, and the Advisory Committee process. The Association will continue providing updates as the Advisory Committee's work progresses and additional information becomes available.

We appreciate the many residents who have participated respectfully and constructively in this conversation. The Board looks forward to receiving the Advisory Committee's recommendations and will carefully consider them before making any long-term decisions regarding the future of LARMAC's landscape pest management program.