March 2001 Newsletter

PHA  HOMEOWNER

Major Bingham Lake Development Set for June 2nd!

If you care enough about Bingham Lake to read on after that headline, we need your assistance.

National Trails Day is June 2nd, and Douglas County, the Pinery Water District, the Pinery Country Club, and The Pinery Homeowners Association, are planning to complete major improvements to the Lake area that will benefit everyone in our communities.

What are these improvements? Here is just a short list:

The parking area on the dam will be enlarged and improved, and second parking area will be added on the east side of the lake, across from our park. A pavilion will be added for picnics and general gatherings. Toilets, similar to the one installed at the Cherry Creek trailhead across Parker Road, will be installed. A more permanent dock will be added. An 8’ trail of crushed material that hardens into a concrete-like surface will be added after a complete grading of the trail.

Plans for these improvements can be viewed at the PHA office, during normal business hours.

Does it sound like our community is getting a facility to be proud of? Do you plan to utilize these improvements? If you said yes to either of these questions, we need your help to finish the project.

We have committed to Douglas County that the Pinery area residents will assist them on June 2nd—we need at least 75 volunteers to spread the materials for the new trail surface. Please bring your own tools and lunch.

Your community spirit will not go unheralded! The PHA is planning a gala celebration to mark this major improvement to our community including invited dignitaries.

After the work is done (mid-afternoon), we will have a dedication ceremony, including food, beverages and entertainment for the volunteers.

Our next newsletter issue will outline the exact details of this day, but PLEASE mark your calendars for June 2nd. Then call the Pinery office to let us know your plans to spend the daylight hours improving your community with your neighbors and friends, and to enjoy a great party afterwards.

We do ask that the volunteers be at least teenagers, and that you let the staff know of any physical limitations, so you can be assigned to the proper job.

Volunteers’ Corner

The Pinery Homeowners’ Association General Meeting and Annual Election were held on Wednesday, January 17th in the Meeting Room of the Fire Station.

The election results were as follows:

• Lillie Ben, incumbent—re-elected.
• Ron Henkel, incumbent– re-elected.
• Fred Slick, incumbent—re-elected.

Per the Bylaws, a closed session of PHA Board members followed and officers for 2001 were selected.

1^st ANNUAL PINERY
COMMUNITY ART SHOW

The time we have all been waiting for with brushes poised is almost upon us!

• Entry open to members of the Pinery Homeowners’ Association (PHA) only. Viewing is open to the public.
• Amateur artists only. One entry per artist. Artwork must be the original work of the entrant.
• The show will be judged by a professional artist.
• 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place prizes, ribbons and honorable mention ribbons will be awarded in two classes: Photography and Other Media. The judging will be complete before the show opens on Friday.
• Entry forms must be received at the PHA office by Mar. 9, 2001. Due to display space contraints, artworks will be accepted on a “first-come-first-served” basis. You will be notified as to whether your artwork has been accepted or not.
• Artwork must be dropped off at the PHA office between 8 AM and 3 PM on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, March 19^th, 20^th, and 22^nd, 2001.
• Artwork must be picked up at the PHA office between 8 AM and 3 PM on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, March 26^th, 27^th, or 28^th, 2001.
• Artwork medium must be Acrylic, Oil, Watercolor, Pastel, Other (specify), or Photography.
• Artwork must be framed, wired and ready to hang.

Art show dates/times are:

• Friday, March 23, 2001 from 5 PM to 9 PM
• Saturday, March 24, 2001 from noon to 9 PM
• Sunday, March 25, 2001 from noon to 5 PM

Questions? Call Jim Bagley at 303-841-7836 or e-mail at gymbag@mindspring.com

Mail or bring entry form to:

The Pinery Homeowners’ Association
8170, N. Hillcrest Way, Parker, CO 80134

Eons ago, during the Cambrian Era, an ocean covered much of Colorado, leaving fossils behind when the water receded. In the Jurassic Period, with its warm, humid climate, the ground was swampy, the flora tropical, and dinosaurs ruled the countryside. The Laramide orogeny took place; a tremendous upheaval of the land began, forming the Rocky Mountains. During the Tertiary Period, the mountains thrust up further, volcanic and other debris filled the high plains, and coal deposits, oil shale, and minerals settled deep beneath the ground's surface. Centuries passed; the palm, fig, and other trees from Jurassic times became petrified. At the Moore Ranch on Democrat Road is a beautiful specimen of a large petrified tree, which fell and was buried by time. Animals began to appear: woolly mammoths, dire wolves, camels, and huge antique bisons. About 12,000 years ago, man made his appearance.

Whether Sandia, Clovis, or Folsom man, time has erased most of his tracks. It is known these early men were in Colorado, hunting numerous animals, and that these forerunners disappeared about 2000 years ago, leaving behind some points of their weapons.

The primitive men were followed by the Woodland-Plains Indians, who left an encampment opposite Ponderosa High School, and a dry cave near Franktown, complete with arrow and spear points, moccasins, and other belongings. Even today the flakes from their manufactured weapons may be found in The Pinery and its surroundings. Made of petrified wood, they are brick-red in color, a sign they were hardened by fire. Shards of crude pottery left by these natives have also been found. The rolling hills around The Pinery allowed the Woodland-Plains families to look out upon the lower vistas to spot enemies or herds of animals. Their location seemed ideal to meet their needs, but they, too, disappeared. Their place was taken by the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute tribes. These “modern” inheritors of early man were witnesses to the arrival of the early settlers in this area of Colorado. 

 The Bingham Lake Committee would like to tip its collective Pinery fishing cap to Graham Johnston for picking up trash around the lake on Sunday, January 7, 2001.

Graham is an 8th grader and a member of the National Honor Society. The work he did at the lake fulfills his requirement to perform a community service activity.

Thanks so much, Graham—you are an exemplary citizen of our community!

With snow still on the ground, it is hard to believe that planning activities are taking shape to ready the Bird Sanctuary for spring! 

Please meet at:Deb Dieter's (303) 840-4360 Friday, March 16th, at 7:30PM for dessert and to to help develop a plan of attack for what is left of 2001. Those past volunteers on the phone tree will receive a reminder call; however, if not, please feel free to call for details at (303) 840-4360. 

Hope you had a wonderful winter. 

Can't wait to see you all in March! 

The election announced in the January 2001 PHA newsletter will be held Tuesday, April 3, 2001 beginning at 6:30 p.m. as part of the monthly Architectural Control Committee board meeting. A good response to the call for candidates was received, and you, the community, are encouraged to respond by participating in the election process. The election is being held to fill three expiring terms on the six-member board. The location will be the lower level of the Pinery Fire Station. All property owners in Pinery filings 1 - 8A, filing 21, and Pinery Estates are eligible to vote (one vote per household). Property owners who are unable to attend may also vote early during PHA office hours (8 a.m. to 3 p.m.) on Tuesday, April 3, 2001 in the same location.

Pinery Pointe News—Pinery Filing 20

Detention Pond: The board is continuing to work with the county regarding the detention pond, as well as the landscaping and irrigation in the area.

Spring Clean-up: Saturday, April 21st, 9:00 a.m.

Mark your calendar and bring your gardening tools to help spruce up our entrance!

An enormous Thank You to two of our Pinery Pointe neighbors:

Bill Livingston, an accountant, has volunteered to do our bookkeeping.
Chuck Free has volunteered to mow our entrance area.

COVENANT CORNER
The Pinery Architectural Control Committee

We are happy to report that your Pinery Architectural Control Committee is alive and well and working to maintain the standard of quality and beauty we all appreciate here in the Pinery.

The Pinery ACC is comprised of six board members who are elected for alternating two-year terms. Election for three board positions is held each April. The ACC meets the first Tuesday of every month (unless otherwise announced via this newsletter) at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Pinery Fire Station. We are responsible for enforcing Protective Covenants for Pinery Filings 1 through 8A, and Fairway Ridge.

In an effort to address homeowner issues as expeditiously as possible homeowner submittals are reviewed from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. with builder submittals beginning at 7:30 p.m.

The board serves without compensation, but does employ a part-time secretary. Office hours are Wednesday 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Following is a summary of 2000 activity by the Architectural Control Committee.

New Home Plans Reviewed and Approved: 7
(3 Spec. 4 Custom)

“As we approach the busy, warmer months of 2000, we want to thank Pinery residents for the pride they express in their community through compliance with Covenants intended to maintain the unique qualities that led us all to select our Pinery homes. Please call the ACC office at 303-841-5305 if you have questions, or feel free to attend any of our open meetings. We welcome your interest.”

It may seem hard to believe, but Spring is just around the corner. With that in mind, we will be looking at completing more long overdue work on the water and wastewater systems throughout the Pinery. Yes, we did complete some long overdue work last year, but we are still playing catch up from the early 1980’s when work should have been completed, but was not. One of the things that we have been able to do because of the work last summer was some much-needed maintenance on some of our older facilities along the North Pinery Parkway. While in good shape, some of our potable water reservoirs needed some repairs and cleaning and these have generally been completed with a minimum of disruption. We could not have done this without the newly constructed water storage reservoirs and piping that was put in last summer along Democrat Road.

Most of the work this year will be in the Cherry Creek and West Pinery Areas, so disruptions to the older parts of the Pinery should be kept to a minimum. The contractor is financing the work and will be repaid based upon the tap fees collected by the District for each new house constructed. These facilities will be constructed to District standards, which are some of the most stringent in the State of Colorado. Douglas County, not the water district, controls the number of houses and therefore the amount of construction required. If you have questions about any of this work effort, please do not hesitate to contact the District for information. While we try and keep the Homeowner Associations and the locally impacted residents informed of on going activities, we may not get the word out to everyone. I apologize for this in advance, but we will try.

As always, you are cordially invited to attend any of our monthly meetings, held monthly at the District Offices, the second Tuesday of every month, at 7 o’clock p.m. If this is not possible, please stop by the District Office, Monday through Friday, 8-4 daily, or call at (303) 841-2797. Someone is always available to meet with you and discuss your concerns.

David C. Eyre, Civil Engineer, P.E.
Director

Gun Locks Recalled

Please be aware that Project HomeSafe gunlocks have been recalled because they can be opened without a key in some situations. The locks resemble bicycle cable locks with a red cable and black padlock. Red vinyl bands around the top and bottom of the lock read “Project” and “Homesafe.” “Made in China” and “30mm” appear on the bottom. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Department distributed these locks to homeowners. Replacements are available at no cost from the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

Call 800-726-6444 for more information