Personal Notes, HOA Meeting 06-20-2018
HOA Meeting Notes 6-20-2018
Directors Present: Chris Andre, Scott Kiefner, Dave Quinsey, Ed Wenz, Tom Wright
FirstService Residential, Richard Ford, Senior Community Manager
Fuel management is being handled; communicating with Fire Department. Date pushed back because vegetation is still too green.
HOMEOWNER FORUM
Thanks for TVRI doing some work on Dracena. Request additional work picking up clumps. Snake fence pulled up, can they push it back? Willing to pay an extra $20. Maybe it was pulled up by an animal, but maybe it was done by TVRI.
Homeowner didn't receive July 4th parking passes. HOA response: They were mailed and emailed. Board has some available at this meeting--gave her a sheet, as well as other attendees.
Months ago homeowner reported a prohibited Pepper tree on HOA property. It is still there. HOA response: It is not on the prohibited list in the CC&Rs.
<Note: Pepper trees are prohibited by City code in Fuel Modification Zone 1. Sky Ranch is in a wildland-urban interface area (WUI). "Highly flammable trees such as, but not limited to, conifers, eucalyptus, cypress, junipers and pepper trees are not allowed in WUI areas." http://cityofsanteeca.gov/government/departments/fire-life-safety-services/fire-codes-regulations-fees/wildfire-defensible-space>
Tacos in the Park was successful. Perhaps the HOA will allow the excess funds to be applied to the next event rather than return it. There was some discussion about whether the funds could be handled that way. HOA response: We will figure it out.
After repeated discussions about landscape over the years, only at the last meeting did Dave Quinsey say that money was not budgeted to maintain slope landscaping. That kind of secrecy is distressing.
$213,349 for landscape and irrigation in 2017.
$137,747 in 2017 for Management and Legal (Management $30,416, Management Reimbursables $15,338, Legal and Professional $91,993). Given the lack of enforcement these expenses are too high. The HOA had a less expensive lawyer previously, yet now you say there is no money for slope landscape.
Almost no enforcement. Only $1000 collected in fines last year. There are no lawsuits, not even small claims cases, to enforce rules or collect fines.
Announcement: Anyone who still owes us for legal expenses will find that we have a lien on their property. <Note: Money spent serving documents is included.>
At the last meeting, Tom Wright <notably absent during this discussion> said that Lennar planted landscape to sell homes. He had talked about how expensive it would be to maintain all of it, justifying the absence of budget for some of the landscape.
The homeowner handed out documents to refute his statement. He said, that the City determined how the development would be constructed. At the end of this article (http://legacy.sandiegouniontribune.com/uniontrib/20050402/news_2m2santee.html) Mayor Voepel said, "I want incredible landscaping. I want it to look like a forest up there. I intend to torture (the developer)."
City Resolution 37-2005, re Sky Ranch, states,
"All ornamentally planted slope areas shall contain trees, shrubs and groundcover...." "All slope landscaping shall achieve 100 percent coverage within nine months of planting or additional landscaping, to be approved by the Director, shall be required..."
CC&Rs explain mandatory landscape maintenance and how the resolution is binding on the HOA. It is part of the CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL.
CC&Rs
"1.1.13 CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL shall mean and refer to Resolution Nos. 037-2005..."
"4.1.1. The Association shall have the sole and exclusive right and duty to manage, operate, control, repair, replace, or restore the Association Property, as defined in Section 1.1.43 herein, all in accordance with the Community-Wide Standard of maintenance and the CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL for the Community." ... "The Association shall operate, maintain, and repair all common open space and improvements as shown on the Map(s) for the Community in accordance with this Declaration primarily for the benefit of the residents of the Community and shall continue to operate, maintain, and repair such open space and improvements until such time as the operation, maintenance, and repair of the open space and improvement is assured by some public agency, district, corporation or legal entity approved by the City, all in accordance with the CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL for the Community..."
"17.2.1. The Association shall at all times provide for the maintenance of all Association Property in compliance with this Declaration and the CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL for the community."
The Directors have a fiduciary duty to maintain all of the landscape.
END HOMEOWNER FORUM
Ed Wenz said that street lights are out on Claret, Sevilla etc, and are the responsibility of Lennar responsibility.
Lien approval for three accounts. <Liens are applied to homeowners who fail to pay HOA fees.>
NorthStar and Sky Ranch Cost Sharing Budget - tabled again
Security Patrol Request--The announcement informing homeowners about calling the security company wasn't placed in the last newsletter, but will be in the next.
Fence Maintenance Correspondence. Ed reviewed the fences. Scott still needs to review which ones that the HOA is responsible to maintain. Need to get bid. Approved unanimously.
Draft Revised Guidelines: Digital and paper. Ed explained the formatting and some of the changes. The document will be sent for printing. Ford recommends adding a cover letter, perhaps template by the attorney. Homeowners have 30 days to review it once they receive it. There will be an opportunity for homeowners to discuss it at a meeting. It will also be sent via email and homeowners will be able to download the searchable document on the FirstService website. Approved unanimously. Board thanked Ed Wenz for all of the work that he did on the revision.
Variance re 6101 Castilla - Quinsey. Variance request for patio cover with less than 10 ft setback--the post is 5ft from the fence. Approved unanimously (Quinsey abstain).
Draft Annual Operating Budget--tabled.
Possible Postal Box Relocation: This request was discussed at the last meeting. Tom said he discussed it with the Post Master, who left it up to the carrier. The carrier is satisfied with the current location. Tom will follow up further.
No Trespassing Signs at Drainage Basin: Quinsey says we risk liability without signs posted. Discussed four signs. Homeowner asked about locks on gates at Calico drainage basin where people have been skateboarding. Quinsey told her that Padre Dam had a problem with locks on the gates. Further discussion about Padre Dam and the issue with locks. Unanimously approved $500.
Homeowner Correspondence:
Scott told directors to read the correspondence at another time outside of the meeting.