Star Farms is a new community of homes in Lakewood Ranch Florida. When home owners purchase they are told the HOA includes landscaping however the homeowner is not made aware that pesticides are applied using vats and hoses to their lots up to their lanais and surrounding perimeter of the home. The vat method of pesticide, herbicide and fungicide application exposes the residents to dangerous levels of concentrations of the toxins rather than the spot treatment method which poses health risks in itself.  The issue with having the landscape company serve as the pesticide applicator is that their end goal is profit therefore the pesticides will be applied at a very frequent schedule with high concentrations. The health and well being of the residents as we can observe by the reckless application and high concentration of chemicals has not been considered. Neither the landscaping company nor the HOA reside and live at Star Farms nor do their children, to them it is a business and monetary operation; to the residents of Star Farms it is their home and life. The disconnect is obvious. The HOA has communal land behind and around the lots of the homeowners which we are asking to be spot treated only for the individual plants that require it and no spraying of pesticides, herbicides or fungicides on any lawns whether communal or private since the use of hoses and vats to apply chemicals to our community means that we are exposed to high amounts of chemicals that go into our air which effects our health, that of our family and children as well as our pets. That means the lawns of the athletic centers, the dog park, the events ground, the future school ground and any other communal lawn or grassy area shall not be sprayed risking injuring the health of the residents. They can be spot treated if and only if there are plants that need attention at a rate of once per month but the vats and hoses connected to a large sources of pesticides shall no longer be employed for landscaping treatments in Star Farms as the health risks and dangers are too great for the residents and that of their children and we are not willing to sacrifice our health to live in the homes we paid for and own. We deserve to be heard. Asking us to erect red flags around the perimeters of our lawns where we don't want these toxins dumped is both futile and illogical. The sprays sprayed even several feet away from our  lawns and lots or communal lawns surrounding the lots travel right to us via the wind and rain as toxins don't abide by directional flags. It does not protect our precious health, it continues to endanger it and that is what we deserve to have protected without question. 

Many residents will unknowingly put out herbs and edible plants and walk on their lawns and have direct high exposure to these poisons. It is our community and our right to vote on what is acceptable to us as homeowners. The HOA represents the homeowners and if the homeowners deem it unacceptable to empty large vats of chemicals on the lawns and grasses behind, next to and upon their lots then the HOA shall accommodate the homeowners request to cease such practices . It is irresponsible and reckless. 

These chemicals are made up of heavy metals that lodge in the organs and brain of the body causing Lymphoma, memory loss, anxiety, depression, birth defects, cancers, learning disabilities and a list of other long term and short term health complications. 

The amount and frequency of the application of these chemicals poses a very serious risk to all residents of Star Farms as well as pregnant women and young children. We are saying a loud resounding NO to the using of our community at Star Farms as a dumping ground for chemical fertilizers, pesticides and fungicides. Should individual owners wish to spot treat their yard they may do so themselves or by employing their own private service to do so for them. Each of the homeowners' garden beds have been laid with a weed barrier clothe to prevent weeds in the flower beds.  We are asking that Star Farms HOA no longer provide pesticide, herbicide or fungicide treatment for homeowners as it proves to be a conflict of interest to where the residents' health is being endangered.  We understand the amount and frequency of application of a private homeowner would be significantly less damaging than a company equipped with vats and hoses unloading huge amounts with unnecessary frequency unto our environment in which we breathe and will settle into the ground and ponds for decades to come. If we truly love our community and Lakewood Ranch we would respect and care for our environment and not employ practices that risk making it uninhabitable and poisonous for us and our loved ones.