Pinery HOA July 2002 Newsletter

PHA General Meeting & Election

Jan 16th, 7:30 p.m.

Community Room
Lower Level
Pinery Fire Station

-Agenda-

D.C. Sheriff's Dept
Drive Smart

Also Meet Your Candidates

Complimentary
Child Care provided

As Douglas County’s population has exploded over the past ten years, the Pinery and surrounding areas have no shortage of new, young, teen drivers. These are spawned primarily from our neighbor, Ponderosa High School. Every morning many Pinery teens rev up their cars for the “quick” trip through the community, and every afternoon they are released from the school to hurry back home. Statistics show that teen drivers between sixteen and eighteen years of age are more likely to be involved in an accident than any other age group.

The Douglas County Sheriff, Miller Safety Center and Drive Smart have joined ranks to help parents and teen drivers in Douglas County. Bob Kraus, DC police chief responsible for traffic, will be the keynote speaker at the January 16^th General meeting to give residents a presentation addressing the elements of the teen driver program in the County.

This will be extremely informative for all residents, not just the parents of teen drivers. A concerted effort of the entire community can save lives by learning about Drive Smart. Even seasoned drivers can refresh some of the defensive driving habits learned years ago. We have nothing to lose and much to gain in listening, supporting, and implementing the Drive Smart program/challenge.

Just a quick reminder to all of you to take advantage of the opportunity to meet the new candidates on the ballot for the Annual January General Meeting/Election. All of the Board, old and new, will be there to shake your hand and say hello. If you would like to refresh your memories on any of them, please refer to the last issue of this Newsletter. We look forward to seeing all of you on January 16th!

Many thanks to all those residents who have responded to our plea for community vigilance in our fight against vandalism! With your help we will prevail! (Please read the related article on vandalism)

Congratulations to Pinery Resident, Rod Yoakim, a senior volunteer at Mountain View Elementary School. Rod was recently presented with the Colorado Association of Partners in Education Individual Volunteerism award for Congressional district 5. This honor was bestowed in recognition of four and a half years of helping young students attain reading goals. According to Assistant Principal, Carol Briggs who nominated him, “Children adore Rod and eagerly await their reading time with him.” We are proud to live in the same community as good citizens like Mr. Yoakim.

Last year's creative talents produced a fine exhibit! The show was held in the lower level of the Pinery Fire Station. This year's exhibit will be in the same location.
    If you are an amateur artist and a member of The Pinery Homeowners’ Association, enter the show.
    There will be gallery space for up to 55 artworks. A professional artist will judge the show. Exhibit dates are: Sat. & Sun., March 16th and 17th of 2002 from 1:00 pm—6:00 pm on both days. The show is open to the public.
    Mark your calendars and plan to share your talent with the community!

If you have questions, please contact:
Jim Bagley at 303-841-7836 or e-mail at gymbag@mindspring.com.

Are you a high school student looking for ways to fulfill community service requirements? Please check the PHA web page for opportunities right here in the Pinery! HS Comm Service

As of this edition, plans for the new R-V lot, owned and operated by the PHA, are truly moving ahead quickly. Final approvals for construction are expected shortly. When our application is approved, contractors will be selected and grading activities will begin as weather permits. We hope to have much of the initial work done to allow the project to be completed in the spring of 2002. We may be able to open the lot for use as early as this coming summer.

The new lot will include a sewage dump station as well as a fresh water source. Lessees of PHA spaces will be able to use these facilities at a very nominal cost.

We hope the completion of this project will provide the best possible storage space available to the members of the PHA.

In the future, the other older lots will be reviewed for similar improvements based on available finances.

During mid-December, the storage lots may have been accessed by unauthorized personnel. A cursory inspection did not reveal obvious damage or loss. We encourage you to review your stored property to ensure there are no problems.

It is always a good idea to check your property from time to time to ensure tarps are in good condition and secure, etc. during times of low usage.

The PHA office staff would like to offer Notary Public services to Homeowner Association members. Please drop by during office hours to take advantage of this convenience.

I am writing this letter to encourage residents of the Pinery Community to take a little time to participate in our Pinery Homeowner's Association activities and committees. Having been a PHA board member for several years, as well as a short term on the Pinery Architectural Committee, I know how important our residents’ input and participation is to our community. Many issues face The Pinery in the near future and the need for leadership excellence and resident input has never been more important. I urge all residents to include time to attend meetings and participate in the management of your community, as well as to protect our unique and cherished environment.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Pinery residents who have supported the PHA during the past years and those who have volunteered their time to participate and serve The Pinery. I have elected to "retire" from the PHA Board of Directors and want to sincerely express my appreciation for all of the efforts, in and on behalf of the residents of the Pinery, applied by all of the members of the current Board. I'm sure that others who have also elected to "retire" from the board feel as I do, that our efforts have always been towards the goal of making our community a better place for our families to live.

I wish the new Board of Directors every success, and encourage more Pinery residents to take the time to "be involved" to ensure that our community will retain its charm and unique living standards.

It seems that since the Nation was placed on a heightened state of alert due to the events of 9/11, now might be a prudent time to remind Pinery residents that even in our own community, we need to maintain vigilance. Recent telephone calls to the Homeowners’ Office about strangers seen rummaging though discarded paper trash has prompted us to pass the following along. The FBI calls “Identity Theft” (IT), the fastest-growing white-collar crime in the country. Most often this is a financial crime that victimizes many unsuspecting people. Wide-spread availability of personal information, as well as easy access to credit fuel this problem. Personal information can be obtained from stolen wallets, handbags, mail and discarded mail, personal files, and documents. In fact, “dumpster diving” through trash bins is becoming increasingly popular with identity thieves.

What can you do to protect yourself? Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet. Monitor your credit reports annually. Carefully scrutinize your credit card statements. Don’t give out your Social Security Number unless it is absolutely necessary. Limit your number of credit cards and don’t leave them laying around. Choose complicated passwords and PIN numbers . Leave your health insurance cards in a safe place—not on your person. Investigate when expected bills don’t arrive. Shred all sensitive papers with a cross-cut shredder before discarding. Have your name removed from pre-approved credit card lists. Call 888-567-8688. Although there are no guarantees that you or I will fall prey to IT, we can protect ourselves by changing old habits and developing new ones.

Neighbor News...

The PHA cordially invites the Homeowners’ associations in the greater Pinery area to submit bits of information for publication in our newsletter. Additional insertions are warmly welcomed!

We, at Pinery Pointe, sincerely hope you all had a wonderful Holiday Season, and would like to take this opportunity to let you know who is now representing the residents of Filing 20 on the Board:

Developing The Pinery involved Senior Corp in some opposition from residents. A rezoning plan by the developer for Filing 10, the area north of Lt. William Clark Road and adjacent to Misty Pines, was presented to the Douglas County commissioners in Nov. of 1986. Senior Corp wanted 57 houses to be built on 1/2 to 3/4 acre sites in this 37-acre parcel. The Pinery Homeowners' Association and a committee organized by Fred Rossiter appealed to the commissioners, asking that Filing 10 be declared "open space." PHA and the committee members appeared in person before the commissioners on Nov. 17th to oppose Senior Corp's application.

The ad hoc committee of homeowners was called the "Pinery Homeowners Outraged Over Excessive Expansion," or PHOOEE!. PHOOEE!'s members had secured over 700 signatures, 240 letters, and numerous phone calls to protest the aims of the developer. A letter from then Governor Lamm was also submitted. Because of the well-planned protest, Senior Corp requested a postponement of a decision on the matter.

Shortly thereafter, PHA, PHOOEE!, and Senior Corp announced that they had reached a compromise: the 37 acres of land in Filing 10 would become open space. Located in the midst of The Pinery, it became known as The Preserve. Densely treed and heavily vegetated, it would become a refuge for all, including the wild animals.

Senior Corp, of course, made further filings in The Pinery. They planned to change another parcel adjacent to Thunderhill Road from open space to condominiums, a golf course, a riding path, or estate property. Not PHOOEE!, but another group of Pinery residents living on Thunderhill Road, raised their voices and presented a petition asking for a review of the plans for Filing 22. They wanted to minimize any negative effects of new homes already built, specifically regarding erosion, drainage, and slope control. More than three years later, the homeowners won their cause when the developer agreed Filing 22 would remain open space.

Kindergartners must be five before September 15, 2001 in order to enroll for the 02-03 school year which will begin July 8, 2002. Please bring photocopies of your child’s state-issued birth certificate, immunization records, and proof of residence (lease agreement or warranty deed).

Parents with older elementary students must register their kindergartner during this week to guarantee placement on the same track as their sibling.

We all enjoy the wonderful holiday lighting presented by our residents and appropriate for the season. With the holidays over, please be sure to take down your lights and decorations in a timely fashion. Winter holiday lighting still apparent on our residences in the warm spring and summer months lends the appearance of neglect. Take advantage of one of our many wonderful warm weekends to get this item off the to-do list!

The 2002 ACC Election will be held during the April , 2002 ACC meeting for three positions to run two years. Please consider this important opportunity to serve your community. Information for candidates is needed no later than February 1, 2002 for publication in the March 2002 newsletter. The committee meets once each month (normally the first Tuesday); special meetings are scheduled as needed. Each board member is assigned responsibilities requiring four or more hours monthly to complete. Candidate information will be published in the March issue of the Pinery Homeowner.

ACC Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month unless otherwise published in this newsletter. ANY changes to the exterior of Pinery residences must be submitted and approved by the ACC prior to initiation of the work. Submittals are reviewed based on Covenant requirements and Architectural Standards. Submittals received by noon on the Friday prior to meetings appear on the printed agenda and receive priority handling at meetings. Current Architectural Standards are available on the Pinery website http://members.aol.com/pineryha or by calling 303-841-5305. For a copy of your Covenants, call 303-841-5305. If leaving a message, be sure to give your address and phone number.

Please note that we have obtained a new and easier to remember E-mail address – ThePineryACC@comcast.net.

Did you know that the restroom enclosure with its Porta John was vandalized shortly after it was initially installed this late summer? In fact, it was completely burned to the ground! Does this read as though it may have happened in some ghetto? It happened at Bingham Lake here in the Pinery. According to Ron Benson, Director of Parks and Trails for Douglas County, it will cost approximately $12,000 to replace the restroom enclosure.

Did you know that a Pinery resident recently reported finding a car parked at the end of Thunderbird Road and someone had taken a sledgehammer to? The car still had the dealer’s plate on it and appeared to be new.

Did you know that in this month, a lessee of the storage and RV lot reported that the south lot gate was opened and that the lock had been cut through the shank, indicating forced entry into the lot?

Did you know that the PHA signs that dedicated the playground facilities at the North Park were vandalized and completely destroyed? The PHA has not replaced them as yet.

Did you know that a letter to the editor of the Rocky Mountain News, November 21st, 2001, from Arlene Battishill, a Pinery resident who reported spotting a four-point buck at her back patio door? This buck had an arrow through its haunches but was still able to walk.

Have you read enough? This article does not even begin to cover all of the vandalism that has been reported in 2001. According to Deputy Chocha Heyden, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Community Relations Dept., since January of this year, there have been more than fifty documented reports of vandalism in the Pinery.

Have the number of reported vandalism incidents increased over these past several months? Yes! and we urgently seek your help. We ask that you take steps, both proactive and reactive. Won’t you please step-up-to-the-plate, make a commitment, and assist the PHA in its resolve to stop vandalism in your community? Think about this: without your commitment to help stop the vandalism, you, as a Pinery resident, are indirectly perpetuating this destructive activity targeting the Pinery.

According to Deputy Chocha Heyden, “Based on the fifty plus vandalism incidents that have occurred this year alone in the Pinery, we need to look beyond our own yards to protect our neighbors and neighborhood. This can be done through a simple proactive tool called “Neighborhood Watch”. Please read “Neighborhood Watch Program” following this article.

Deputy Heyden continues, “As Pinery residents, if you do not take pride in your community and neighborhood, then the Pinery will be known as a place that can be victimized and where residents will do nothing about it.”

Regarding the injured buck, this is not the first incident reported to the PHA about hunting wild life in the Pinery. It is, however, the first to have been reported in the PHA newsletter. Park Ranger, Thomas Welle, Douglas County Department of Public Works, was recently hired to watch over and protect the wild life and domestic animals in Douglas County. His duties include patrolling the Pinery several hours per week and on weekends.

Ranger Welle also requests your help. He needs Pinery residents interested, in protecting the area parks and open spaces, to act as extra eyes and ears for him, thereby hopefully decreasing the vandalism that continues plagued the Pinery. Ranger Welle is asking residents to watch for suspicious activities and to report these to the Sheriff’s Department at 303-660-7495. Ranger Welle has these words for Pinery residents: “Take ownership beyond your own yard. It takes work to protect and preserve our surroundings and everybody in the Pinery has to be a partner in this!”

Again, the PHA urgently asks that you please get involved - assist in stopping vandals! Report the perpetrators! If, on the other hand you choose not to get involved, then, in fact, you are condoning vandalism in the Pinery. It is as simple as that.

Please call the PHA at 303-841-8572 to volunteer for the Neighborhood Watch and/or as a partner with Park Ranger Welle.

It is a community based crime prevention program which is part of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Community Relations Unit. Neighborhood Watch Block Captains are people who take an active role in making their neighborhoods safer. The program works to educate the citizens and have them take more responsibility in the safety of the neighborhood.

Crime and fear of crime threaten a community’s well-being. Crime may be right there scaring everyone off the streets, or just looming on the horizon. People become afraid to leave their homes, to use streets and parks or to walk through the neighborhood. Suspicion erupts between the young and old, and residents gradually leave. Crime in turn feeds on the social isolation it creates. Today’s lifestyles—many homes where both parents work, more single parent families, and greater job mobility—can contribute to this isolation and weaken communities.

Neighbors can prevent or break this vicious cycle, and in the process build their community into a safer, friendlier, and more caring place to live. Whatever your neighborhood is like, getting together to fight crime, violence, and drugs can help create communities where children can be children and people once isolated by crime and fear, can enjoy being a part of a thriving neighborhood.

The Neighborhood Watch program’s success is hinged on achieving and sustaining an appropriate level of community involvement to a point at which the neighborhood realizes a reduction and/or achieves preventions of residential vandalism, burglaries, and other crime. Where they have been instituted, neighborhood watch programs have had a measurable effect of substantially reducing the fear of crime, encouraging crime reporting, stimulating members’ involvement in crime prevention, inhibiting drug trafficking, and spurring beautification activities. Statistics and criminals alike verify that when neighbors organize, the opportunity for crime is drastically reduced.

Neighborhood peace of mind goes beyond locks, alarms and Neighborhood Watch meetings. It encompasses all those things that effect the environment of a given area, including streets, lights, neighborhood needs, nuisances, and disputes between residents.

The community relations specialists Of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office work with the citizens to reduce crime. This prevention must begin in the community.

We hope that everyone had a happy and joyous holiday season. Many things have changed the last few months, not the least of which has been an increased awareness of security and safety of the community as a whole. We appreciate all of you who have called the District with your questions on our operations and concerns about the safety of our water and wastewater systems. We will continue to strive to project these valuable community assets and operate them in the most efficient methods possible.

On another note of safety, with this being the first winter season with the new trails and facilities around Bingham Lake, I want to make everyone aware of the need to avoid going out on any ice that forms. With the warm sunny days that come with Colorado Front Range Winters, the ice never really has time to set up to the thickness of high mountain lakes and therefore is always a danger for anyone who may want to walk upon it. It may hold up the weight of a Canada goose, but not the weight of a person or child. We need the help of members of the District to ensure that everyone safely uses this valuable resource. Thank you for your assistance in helping everyone follows the posted rules and regulations of the Lake Area.

If you or any other member of the District has questions or concerns on this issue, please contact the District at 841-2797. If you wish to discuss this or other District business, we would encourage you to attend the regularly scheduled meetings, held at the District Offices, the second Tuesday of every month, at 7 o’clock in the evenings.