On this page you will find resources and guidelines, as well as some community information. Please check our Homeowner Guide for a more robust set.

Architectural Changes

Before you make changes to the exterior of your home an architectural change application must be submitted to the Design Review Committee. Click here for the application.

Speed Limit

The speed limit on the private streets within the community is 15 MPH.  The streets throughout the community are relatively narrow, so for the safety of residents, children, joggers/walkers, and dog-walkers please watch your speed.  Violators will be reported to the City of Rockville Police Department and are subject to citation and/or fines.  

Safety

We encourage everyone in the community to develop a rapport with your neighbors.  In today’s society, we often do not talk to our neighbors, but our neighbors are essential to good home security.  We can work with our neighbors to keep an eye on each other’s homes when we are away.  We can let our neighbors know when we will be away and let them know if we have other people checking on our homes when we are away.  Neighbors working together provide some of the best protection when we look out for each other.  Other recommended safety measures include:

• If you leave your car out at night, make sure the doors are locked, windows closed and remove all personal information and any visible valuables that may entice an opportunistic thief looking for an easy target.
• Always make sure your garage door is closed when going to bed or leaving the house.
• Lock your doors and any accessible windows/sliding doors when going to bed or leaving the house.
• Leave lights on when you are gone or have them on automatic timers for the evening.
• Avoid posting on social media when away and while you are away.
• Clearly display your house number so police and other emergency vehicles can find your home quickly.
• Everyone in the community is encouraged to report any suspicious activity immediately to law enforcement. If you see something say something.

Parking

All Villages Owners and/or occupants shall park within their garage and/or on the driveway. 

Visitors may park in VISITOR ONLY spaces or in the driveways of homes that they visit.

Please do not park in the street and do not block the sidewalks. This decreases visibility and in an emergency makes it difficult for police and fire safety vehicles to quickly get through. Parking in such a manner that sidewalks are partially or totally blocked is not permitted and may get your vehicle towed.

Waste & Recycling

Casella
www.casella.com
301.569.2438

• The Villages contracts with Casella for garbage and recycle removal.
• Trash is picked up twice each week, on Monday and Thursday, usually early morning.
• Recycling is picked up once each week, on Thursday.
• The only trash/recycling pick up exceptions are Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, when Casella is closed.
• Garbage must be placed in a closed-lid garbage container. Recyclables must be separated by paper and plastic.
• Trash and recycling placed outside for pickup must be secured such that debris does not blow around.
• Trash and recycle containers are supplied by the homeowner. They are available Lowes, Home Depot other stores.
• Consider writing, with a permanent marker, your street address or other identifiable information on your trash cans and recycle bins. It is not uncommon for cans and bins to end up on a neighbor’s driveway.
• Casella also removes yard waste (grass, twigs, weeds, etc.) during Thursday recycle pickup provided it is disposed of in specialty, oversized paper yard waste bags (available at grocery and hardware stores).
• Casella will remove certain types of bulk items, such as furniture, mattresses, tables, etc. for a nominal fee. Do not place such items out for pick up without first contacting Casella and expressly arranging pick up.
• Casella will not remove metal scraps or materials, appliances and similar items. Metal trash must be taken to the Shady Grove Transfer Station, see: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DEP/trash-recycling/drop-off-hours-events.htmlp?facilityID=6

Landscaping

We all want our community to remain beautiful and well kept. Please do your part by maintaining the landscaping on your property, cleaning up after your pet, and picking up litter on both your property and the common areas.

The Villages at Tower Oaks contracts with Level Green www.levelgreenlandscaping.com for landscaping maintenance of our common areas. Level Green also mows and edges lawns, mulches plant beds, and trims at front and side yards of Villages homes. Note that Level Green mows back-yard grass as a courtesy and only if the gate door is unlocked. They will not force open a gate handle that is broken, stuck, or locked.

For their own property, homeowners may, at their own expense, hire Level Green for additional landscaping design and maintenance. Contact Dave Briggs at Level Green, 202.544.0968, or email david.briggs@levelgreenlandscaping.com for more information. Remember that any major changes to trees or shrubs on homeowner property require Design Review Committee approval.

Who maintains the area around the storm water drainage pond behind Treasure Oak Court, and the area around Dogwood Park?

These areas are maintained by the City of Rockville. Homeowners with landscape concerns involving these areas should contact the city directly.

What can be done about yellow and bare spots on common area lawns?

The yellowing of grass is caused by pet urine. The official position of the HOA is “your pet goes on your property.” Owners are encouraged to plant Liriope (Lily Turf) as an alternative grass to cover bare spots at front yard planting strips. Liriope is an inexpensive plant that grows well in both sun and shade, does not require mowing, and fills in areas nicely.

As part of the HOA’s ongoing landscape maintenance program, Level Green restores grass (new sod or seed) to a portion of the common area each year, typically in the fall months during cooler weather and greater rainfall. This restoration replenishes grass that has died due to lack of water or erosion not due to pet urine.

Does putting new mulch on top of old mulch without turning it over provide areas for termites to breed?

According to Level Green, this is a fable. The mulch is so heavily processed (ground up multiple times) and then bagged (high temperatures and no oxygen) that it is impossible for any insect to survive. In the case of bulk mulch that is not bagged, a chemical dye is applied that prevents insect survival.

What deer resistant plants are recommended for my private yard?

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources provides the following information: www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Hunt_Trap/deer/deer_damage/ddmtplants.asp.

Are there any recommendations for native/drought-tolerant plants, plants that attract butterflies, and invasive plants to avoid?

Check out this website, all about gardening: www.emmitsburg.net/gardens/index.htm.

Snow Removal

The Villages also contracts with Level Green to remove snow from our community streets. Homeowners are responsible for snow removal from their driveways, sidewalks, and steps. The City of Rockville snow removal guidelines should be followed, see https://www.rockvillemd.gov/1111/Snow-Removal.