These are not official Board Minutes, but rather my random thoughts following the meeting.
—By President Larry Dittloff
Members Present: Dittloff, Nuesca, Obie, Tremper, Luke, and Greeley
Members Absent: LaVack and Bradley
Architectural Compliance Committee:
Applications have slowed down now that we are into Autumn. The Committee is being consistent with State Laws and following the CCRs with reviews taking no more than three business days. The Committee has recommended a variance for all fences that are to be six feet. The current CCRs state four feet but have been five feet in the past and a Board action in 2010, which was subsequently ruled illegal, made fences that were six feet tall OK. The proposed CCRs say six feet. Boxing in one’s residence has become somewhat of a trend at Capitol City and is quite contrary to the original framers of our Association wanted. They hoped that our neighborhood could maintain openness with sweeping views of the fairways. The CCRs, which track with the County, say any 4 to 6-foot fence or wall cannot be nearer than 25 feet to the front of any road or street. Decorative or rail fences not exceeding 3 ½ feet can be erected with ACC approval at other locations. The Committee also reviewed several applications that were submitted after the work had been completed. Those owners were advised that any work in the future that may change the outside appearance of one’s home must be reviewed and okayed by the ACC.
Compliance Committee:
The Committee is also consistently following CCR’s which is mandated under state law. One Committee Member suggested that a few of the recent Courtesy Letters that were sent out were without a basis when reviewed after the monthly inspection by Vantage. The September inspection was completed without a Committee Member being with Vantage on the drive around. The situations that were noted could well have been corrected before the Committee Member made their observation. However, the Committee did report regular overnight parking on street of a work truck and resident’s car which is not allowed by the CCRs. A cut out on Hogan is approximately 80 feet long which is also prohibited by the Cut-Out Policy that the Board enacted in late 2016. The owner of that lot has asked for a variance but to date, has not been granted one. The Board Chair reported that the Committee has discussed reviewing Courtesy notices before they are sent to determine if the lot is still out of compliance or if the observation was of only a temporary situation that has already been corrected. The Committee will review the thought more and contact Vantage. The Committee, however, is very much in favor of independent inspections.
Roads/Signs Committee
Roads and Signs reported that the Association had received a check from PSE for almost $4,000 for the grant that they applied for the street light retrofit. It was noted that there was not an accounting of those funds which was supposed to be deposited in the Reserve Fund. It was further stated that that income could have been partially offset by the cost of the new speed limit and street signs which were also to be deducted from the Reserve Account. There has to be an accounting, nonetheless, and Vantage said that they would do so.
The Replacement Street Sign Project will commence once some needed sign brackets are delivered. It is hoped that all of the new and architecturally consistent signs will be in place before the end of the current calendar year. All speed limit signs have been changed to 20 MPH and the Agreement with the Sheriff to patrol our roads for speeders is in place.
The “No Dumping” stenciling project was completed on all storm drains. It was reported that the stencil was a bit of a challenge over the exposed rock aggregate and worked much better on smooth concrete.. Vantage still has not found a contractor to pump clean four storm water basins. The golf course has already indicted their willingness to pay for two of those drains which are full of their sand. The Golf Course indicated that they would not be hauling sand on CCGCE streets in the future.
Ad Hoc CCR & Bylaws Committee:
The Committee reported that because of the late review of the Association’s CCRs and Bylaws by our Attorney that it will be impossible to present them to the Membership at the November 16th Association Annual Membership Meeting. I did indicate that I was going to give an update of our progress as part of my President’s address. I will be responding to the Attorney’s questions in early November so that we can get a somewhat final DRAFT before the end of the current year. Once developed, they will be sent to the membership for additional input and thought. It is expected that that both documents will be brought forward at the 2018 Membership Meeting for consideration.
Welcome Committee
Doug Colby is the new Welcome Committee Chair and has been given the names of new owners to contact. He plans on visiting each new residence. He has developed a script with me of important items to cover with new residents like the need for an ACC Application and other CCR items. He is also hoping to develop a true Welcome Package with “give aways” for new home owners at Capitol City Golf Course Estates. Doug will make a report to the Board at its December Meeting on the 21st.
Treasurer’s Report
Current projections indicate that we will have a balanced Budget this year with a possible small amount being sent to the Reserve Fund.
Executive Session
The Board considered several fine reversals and went over the Delinquency Report. The Board also discussed the Association’s contract with Vantage Community Management which is set to expire at the end of December.
