January 2004 Pinery HOA Newsletter

	Homeowner
Published by The Pinery Homeowners’ Association, Inc. Volume 28; Issue 1

PHA Annual Meeting
& Election

Wed, January 14th
7:30 p.m.
Fire Station Meeting Room
(downstairs)

Pinery Parkway
& Hillcrest Way

Light meal Provided
Complimentary
Child Care

Don’t miss it!!

Hope you will be able to attend this year’s annual meeting in the New Year, held Wednesday, January 14, 2004 at 7:30 p.m. in the fire station meeting room.

Review 2003
We will review the most interesting developments in 2003 including:

This meeting will also follow-on to the discussion held at the September meeting. As outlined in the November newsletter, there is a growing awareness of a need to update our governing documents, which are for the most part 30 years old. Issues which we believe to be key to the character, quality of life and property values residents have come to expect in the Pinery are not adequately addressed in our covenants.

Share your thoughts
We want your input. If you have concerns pertinent to these matters please be sure to come!

Be there to vote
The election for approval of the proposed by-laws to rejoin the ACC and PHA, as well as election of new officers to the PHA will be held at the meeting, too.

Who can vote?
You must be a member of the PHA to vote. You are a PHA member if:

(If you are not sure if you are a PHA member, please call the office at 303-841-8572.)

Between now and the Annual Meeting, there may be additional candidates. Contact the PHA Office prior to voting for updated candidate information.

Marc Hardesty
I moved to The Pinery from the Washington Park area approximately two years ago with my wife, Esther. I have a one year-old son, Jacob, and another son that will be born in April. I am the manager of a retail woodworking store in Denver, and my wife is a commercial building inspector. When my wife and I were looking at places to live, we toured many neighborhoods. In the end, none of them had the unique feel of The Pinery. It was refreshing to drive down streets that wound their way through a “pine forest on the plains,” past houses that each had their own architectural style and weren’t tightly fit together on small lots. It is for this reason that we moved here, and in turn is now why I would like to serve on the Homeowners’ Board. It is my desire to preserve this beauty and enhance it by working with the other members of the board, as well as various public and private entities. Most importantly, I would like to facilitate what is in the best interest of the residents of the Pinery as a whole. My goal for running for the Board is to bring in fresh ideas, while maintaining the well-established values of the neighborhood.

Pam Hildebrand
I became a resident of The Pinery in March 2003. I moved to The Pinery with my husband, Jeremy, and our two children, Jacob age 7 ½ and Chloe age 2 ½. We moved to Colorado from Wichita, Kansas in August 2002. I am a Home Mortgage Consultant with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and Jeremy is Director of Marketing for Dreampointe Communications. I graduated with a BBA in Finance from Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas. I have been in the Mortgage Industry since graduating from College and have been a Loan Officer for the past 7 ½ years. My hobbies include spending time with my family, reading and traveling. I desire to be a Board member for The Pinery Homeowner Association to assist in keeping The Pinery the most desirable neighborhood to move in to.

Jeff Kroll
   I have volunteered as the Vice-President of the Pinery Homeowners Association for the last two years, and would be excited to have the chance to continue serving our community for another two-year term. During that time I contributed to enhancing our newsletter, running Board meetings, helping to fight the "beetle war" with our Ponderosas, organizing the Fall Cleanup on our streets, and reviewing and responding to development plans around The Pinery.
   We have a great Board made up of dedicated individuals that really want The Pinery to be something special, and I have enjoyed working with each of them. I think I help bring balance to the Board with my business background, knowledge of Parker and Douglas County, and a fresh idea or two. My goals would mirror what most homeowners want: continuing to preserve our quality of life, improving our housing values, and increased communication between the Board and Pinery homeowners.
   I work in The Pinery every day, and believe it is something worth protecting. We have some exciting plans for the future of The Pinery that I would be proud to contribute to. Thanks in advance for your vote!

John A. Nevshemal
I have a special respect for the Pinery as a place to live. This feeling goes back to the creation of the Pinery. At that time I ran in the road races that were held in the Pinery. In the mid-1980s I left the Denver area, to return at the beginning of 1991 and was privileged to be able to purchase a home in the Pinery. My goal now would be to preserve the quality, as well as maintain the Pinery’s uniqueness via covenants and the respect for each homeowner. This is the driving force behind my interest which also includes the goal of the Pinery original founders. I am now a Senior Private Consultant with complete control over my schedule which means being 100% available to address the needs of the PHA. I have been a member of the Pinery ACC as Vice-Chairman and therefore also understand the Pinery covenants in detail.

Dale Sherman
   My name is Dale Sherman, and I'm running for election to the newly created Executive Board.
   I have served on both the Pinery Homeowners’ Association and The Architectural Control Committee for the past year. I am running this year for the same reasons I need your vote to continue for the next year. I saw by observing and by having two appraisers tell us over the last two years that The Pinery had not held it's property value like many other areas. I saw a problem with outdated and unwieldy Covenants, now over 30 years old and unchanged. The area was starting to look "dated". Building materials, colors, maintenance issues, inconsistent enforcements, some homeowners contributing financially while all enjoy the improvements, these have been some of my concerns.
   All board members on both boards have worked very hard the last year, spending many extra hours away from home, in the hope that we could bring this unique and lovely area into the 21st century, while preserving the unique character we love. It's a very challenging job, and a great deal is left to be done, with so much of it depending on your involvement. Please give not only me your vote of confidence but any other incumbent members running this term. We're at a sensitive crossroads right now between the past and the future. We believe we're working hard for the future, for our neighbors and our families.
   Please get out and vote, and GET INVOLVED with the process!

There’s a new shelter at Lakeshore Park thanks to the foresight of former PHA President, Sonia Eyre. In working to upgrade the parks in The Pinery, new playground equipment was built at Lakeshore Park in 2000. Sonia realized then, that a shelter was needed because there was no place to go in case of a thunderstorm, no way to get out of the sun and no sheltered place to have a picnic. So she set plans in motion to provide safety, shade and a place for some good ol’ family fun. Ron Henkel, current PHA Treasurer, saw the project to completion. A small pine tree will be moved when weather permits so that parents will be able to sit and watch their children play on the playground equipment.

Be sure to stop by Lakeshore Park and see this wonderful new addition to our neighborhood.

   Pinery homeowners are fortunate to have Douglas County Open Space lands that are open to the public running throughout much of The Pinery. (Some of the open spaces are owned and managed by The Pinery Homeowners’ Association and other entities.) Most homeowners are good land stewards and respect the natural resources of their neighboring open space lands. They know that it is their responsibility to understand where their property boundaries are and limit private activities to their personal property. The open space brings added values to their homes and the opportunity for all citizens to view wildlife and take walks through open fields and forests.
   Unfortunately, a few homeowners like the open space so much that they act as if they are laying claim to that adjoining land as an extension of their private yards. They are the neighbors who take liberty to mow the native grasses, set up trampolines, or dump lawn and shrub clippings, ashes and kitty litter “over the line,” ignoring the privileges of others.
   Douglas County Open Space volunteers, who live in the Pinery, as well as rangers and natural resource staff, monitor the open space properties to ensure that their conservation values are retained. Rules and regulations for Douglas County Open Space prohibit dumping of any trash, including brush, lawn trimmings and Christmas trees on these lands. Any digging or disturbance of the ground, plants, or animals is also prohibited. Unauthorized signs, structures, motorized vehicles or fireworks in open space are all subject to penalties. For a complete list of open space rules and regulations, please check www.douglas.co.us under Recreation. Any questions? Call 303-660-7495.
   Please help to preserve the natural character of open space in the Pinery.

   In December of each year, the Board of Directors of the District adopts a budget for the following year, at the same time we establish the mill levy that will be assessed as part of your property taxes. In the last 5 years the District has reduced the mill levy from 19 mills to 8.8 mills while adding an average of $4,900,000 per year of capital improvements.
   The District sells bonds to provide funding to build new facilities. The two types of bonds that we have sold are General Obligation bonds and Revenue Bonds. General Obligation bonds are paid with property tax revenue. General Obligation debt requires a vote of the residents of the District. The residents of the District voted in 1971 and in 1976 to allow the District to take on $9,000,000 of General Obligation debt. From 1991 to 2000, the levy assessed by the District was 0.019 (or 19 mills, the amount of property taxes is calculated by multiplying 0.019 times the assessed valuation). In 2001, the property tax was reduced to 10 mills, and in 2003, the rate was reduced to 8.8 mills. For 2004, the rate will again be 8.8 mills. We hope to be able to further reduce the property tax rate for our customers in 2005.
   Our plan is that all of our General Obligation debt will be paid off in 2011.
   Our regular Board Meetings are on the second Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. As always, the public is welcome.

Bird Sanctuary Looking for Artists!!
   We are interested in creating a logo for the Bird Sanctuary, and refurbishing our sign. All interested artists are invited to call me at the number below, and we can get together to make plans! Thanks in advance for your input.
   You may have noticed some new bushes at our site near our boundary markers. These were donated by American Turf Farms, and resident Maxi Young. Many thanks to these donors! Thanks also to our volunteers, who helped plant the bushes, as well as more wildflower seed. Barb Westerdale, and Linda and Amelia Westerdale were on hand for this big job! Thanks again, also, to the landscapers at the Country Club for digging the holes with their backhoe.
   We also want to again thank Maureen Venzara’s students at Northeast Elementary for maintaining the bird baths. We have lost two of the four original basins - apparently to winds. The remaining basins now have our return information on the bottoms, and have had rocks placed in them, in hopes they’ll stay put! Should you find one of the basins, please return them to PHA at the fire station. They are dark green plastic, about 15” in diameter, and 2” deep. Thanks again to everyone who makes this project possible.
Deb Dieter 303.840.4360.

Trash & Recycling News
...from Elizabeth Philpy,
BFI Representative to the Pinery

Holidays
Christmas is coming. BFI will be closed on Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25th and New Years day, Thursday January 1st. The Pinery pickup day is on Thursday, so pickup will be delayed to Friday for those two weeks.

Christmas Tree Collection
BFI will collect all Christmas trees for up to two weeks into the new year, without you having to call and schedule. If your tree is over five feet in length please cut it in half. Otherwise you can put it out the way it is.

True Blue Looking Out for You
True Blue Looking Out For You is a community service program that uses the alert eyes and ears of our BFI employees to report emergency situations to police, fire and medical response personnel. Each BFI vehicle is equipped with a two-way radio and employees are trained to report accidents, suspicious activity or other emergencies to a central BFI dispatcher. The dispatcher then reports that information to the appropriate agency.
Last year BFI employees spent approximately 2,000 hours in the Pinery. In addition to picking up your trash and recycle material, True Blue is Looking Out for You.

Service Information
Set your trash and recycle out by 7 a.m. Your trash and recycle should be picked up between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on your regular pickup day. Please make sure your cans do not weigh more than 50 pounds and that branches are bundled not to exceed four feet in length. If you have an unusual or large item to be picked up with the trash, please call our customer service line at (303) 287-8043 to schedule the item. Some items may require a small fee.

NOTE: Ballots were sent to homeowners in the printed copy of the newsletter and not reproduced here, If you need a copy of the ballot, contact the Pinery Homeowners’ Association Office. - Webmaster

Important:
Please complete lower portion of the form. This will be removed prior to tallying votes and will be used only to validate your ballot. If this information is missing, your vote will not be tallied.

Drop off ballots to: The Pinery Homeowners’ Association, Inc., 8170 Hillcrest Way, Parker, CO 80134.

Peanut-butter Pine Cones:
Spread a mixture of peanut butter and corn meal on the outside of pine or fir cones. Roll them in a birdseed blend or sunflower seed and hang the cones from branches or feeder hooks for an easy bird treat.

Fruit and Bagel Ornaments:
Cut a bagel into three or four doughnut-shaped slices or choose ring-shaped dried apple, pear, or pineapple slices. Spread a mixture of peanut butter and corn meal or softened suet (use care if the suet is still hot!) on both sides of the dried fruit or bagels. Dip in sunflower chips, birdseed blend or finch mix. Present as above.

Fruit Kabobs:
Using a large needle (the kind used for needlework is good) and lengths of twine, string, or yarn, sew together bits of dried and fresh fruit. Apple slices, orange sections (they will thread better if you leave the skin on), overripe cranberries, raisins, and grapes all do fairly well. Try other fruits as they are locally available and see what works in your yard. You might want to tie several knots in the string to provide extra support and to leave some space between the fruit every so often to give the birds something to hang onto.

Popcorn Garland:
Using a sharp needle and heavy thread, string popcorn, peanuts, cranberries, raisins, and even bits of suet in a visually pleasing pattern. Although garlands are usually long ropes of vegetation, you might want to keep your popcorn creations to 12 inches or so. It’s easier on the fingers while sewing, less messy during production, and easier on the birds and squirrels when they try to take off with their treasures!

Wildlife Tree:
Make a cone or a pyramid-shaped form of heavy cardboard, plywood, or any other building material that is nontoxic and non-threatening to wildlife. Using large nails, attach apples or oranges and decorate to suit your (visual) taste (and their actual taste) with holly sprigs, dried cranberries, nuts or other edible treats. Done well, a “tree” can serve as a centerpiece for your table before serving as dinner for the critters. (You might want to cut the ends off the oranges before putting them outside to make it easier to get to the good parts.)

Wildlife Cornucopia:
This is about the easiest of all. Fill an old basket, box, planter, or just about any “container” with dried cob corn, dried pumpkin seeds, nuts (with shells), berries (dried or fresh,), even split winter squash or carrots. Make it available on a low platform, stump, or on the ground and wait for the parade to begin!

(Reprinted with permission from The Wild Bird Center in Parker, Colorado, 303-805-5982).

ACC Election
The 2004 ACC Election will be held on April 6, 2004. Terms are for two years through April, 2006. Under current By-Laws, three positions will be available. Providing that the proposed By-Laws are approved in January, an additional opening will be available for a total of four positions. Please consider this important opportunity to serve your community.
Information for candidates is needed no later than February 5, 2004 for publication in the March 2004 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 to complete. Candidate information will be published in the March issue of the Pinery Homeowner. Please contact us at 303-841-5305 or ThePineryACC@comcast.net for information.

ACC Meetings
ACC Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month unless otherwise published in this newsletter. Due to the holidays, the January meeting will be held January 13, 2004.

Submit Changes
Please submit ANY changes to the exterior of Pinery residences for approval 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.

Where can I find the Architectural Standards & Covenants?
Current Architectural Standards are available on the Pinery website www.pinery.org or by calling 303-841-5305. For a copy of your Covenants, contact us at 303-841-5305 or ThePinery ACC@comcast.net. If leaving a message or sending a note, be sure to give your address and phone number.