March 2005 Newsletter

	Homeowner
Published by The Pinery Homeowners’ Association, Inc.  Volume 29; Issue 2

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Bingham Lake Update

In January of 2005, the Douglas County Parks and Trails Division formally took over the management of Bingham Lake. Previously, Douglas County had been responsible for maintenance and patrol of the trail around the lake and the two trailheads. With this new agreement, Douglas County will now manage all of the recreation on both the trail and the lake.

Bingham Lake will operate under a private lake provision through the Colorado Division of Wildlife. This allows fishing on the lake for the public without the need for a fishing license from the Colorado Division of Wildlife or the Pinery HOA.

Bird Sanctuary News

Generosity Toward the Bird Sanctuary Keeps Comin’

As usual, we have much to be thankful for down at the Bird Sanctuary. Northeast Elementary School has donated a 4’ spruce tree to the project, and it will be installed as soon as the ground is soft enough. Also, one of our Eagle Scouts, Rob Steinhauser, was so successful at fundraising for his project that he had a significant amount leftover to donate to us. We also have funds coming from the flower sale. Many thanks to everyone who gives to us, either directly or indirectly.
We will have a spring meeting to organize summer maintenance, decide how to spend our funds, and discuss future goals for the site. The meeting will be publicized on the marquees at the Pinery entrances. All residents are welcome. We will be advertising at Ponderosa High School this spring for students who want to work at the sanctuary to get their required community service hours. This is a great way to do it—in your own neighborhood, at times that are convenient for you (we cover you when you take your summer vacation). Students who call me now—I can guarantee you’ll get your 20 hours this summer if you really want them. Looking forward to working with you!!

Deb Dieter
303.840.4360

Thanks For Your Support

As of this printing, 1,408 residents have chosen to join the Pinery Homeowners’ Association in 2005. In addition to those residents participating in the trash program, 84 persons maintain membership through participation in the storage lot program and 47 residents have paid direct membership dues. We sincerely appreciate your support!
If you are not yet a member, please consider joining using the PHA Membership/Trash Program Enrollment Form found in this newsletter. If you prefer other arrangements for trash collection, check the box in the middle of the form indicating that you want to support the community through direct enrollment.

Community Concerns

The PHA office continues to receive calls from residents concerned about dogs off leash. Douglas County regulations are very clear on this matter:

“Animals must be kept under control for their own protection and to preserve the public’s health and safety. Dogs, livestock and other animals found off the owner’s or keeper’s property are called “strays” and may be impounded. The owner or keeper may also be fined.

R-999-177 1.05 (1) (b)
Dog at Large:
A dog owner is in violation of this law if an owner fails to properly control or allows a dog to run at large in the County. This ordinance does not apply in designated areas where dogs are permitted to run off leash.

Control means the restraint of a dog by means of a leash or similar tether no more than thirty feet in length or by means of confinement within a fully enclosed area adequate to ensure that the dog will not escape.

Run at Large means off the premises of the dog owner and not under the real and immediate physical control of an owner able to control the dog.”

Trash & Recycling News

...from Lisa Cox,
BFI Representative to the Pinery

Secure Your Trash: When putting out your trash on trash day please help BFI keep your community clean by bagging your trash. Also, if you recycle and put out newspapers please be sure to secure them by placing something heavy on top of the newspapers, like a heavy rock or even your container with your commingled recycle materials.

Service Information: Please report any service issues to our customer service center, 303-287-8043, within 24 hours of your pickup day. If you have large items such as furniture or a large amount of extra bags please call our customer service line at least 24 hours in advance of your pickup day for scheduling. And always make sure that children’s toys and bikes are not placed near outside trash.

Thank you: BFI would like to take this opportunity to thank The Pinery and the residents for their business over these last years. Thank you to everyone who has been supportive. We look forward to continuing this relationship.

From the Pinery Homeowners’ Association

The Pinery Executive Board has, after considerable deliberation, announced a rate increase for the Pinery/BFI Trash Program. This is only the 2nd increase since the inception of the program in May of 1996. Rates were last increased in January, 2000. The new rate, effective April 1, 2005, will be $45 per quarter, an increase of $3 over the current $42 per quarter. The Pinery HOA has absorbed several increases in cost over the past five years without increasing rates. This increase will be reflected on your next Pinery/BFI Trash Program bill.

Please note:

BFI recycle calendars and bins are available in the PHA office. Recycle dates can also be found on the calendars in the back of the newsletter.

Castle Rock/Parker Mothers & More

The Castle Rock/Parker chapter of Mothers & More is part of the national nonprofit group for at-home mothers, which advocates wider options for women balancing work and family.
Mothers & More features a variety of activities for you and your family. Our meetings offer child safety tips, women’s health issues, guest speakers, charity events or just someone to talk to. The chapter offers mom’s night out and weekend retreats, couple events, playgroups for the kids, book clubs, dinner club and more.
Meetings are held the second and fourth Thursday of the month in either Castle Rock or Parker. Castle Rock meetings are held at the New Hope Presbyterian Church from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. and at Parker they are held at the Stonegate Community Building in the Stonegate neighborhood from 7 p.m.-9 p.m.
For more info call 1-800-454-1906 extension 1040 or visit our website at:
www.mothersandmore195.org.

COVENANT CORNER
The Pinery Architectural Control Committee

The Pinery Architectural Control Committee in 2004

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 seven members who are elected for alternate two-year terms. Election for three or four 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. The Pinery ACC has covenant enforcement responsibility for Pinery Filings 1 through 8A, Fairway Ridge and Pinery Estates, almost 1900 properties.
The committee serves without compensation. The ACC office is staffed Tuesday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
In an effort to address homeowner issues as quickly as possible at meetings, homeowner submittals are reviewed from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Review of builder submittals begins at 7:30 p.m. or when homeowner reviews are concluded. Submittals received by noon on the Friday before receive priority handling at the meeting.

Following is a summary of 2004 activity by the Architectural Control Committee.

Homeowner Submittals Approved:

Landscaping Changes 44
Exterior Color 43
Deck/Hot Tub/Patio 30
Fencing/Kennels 25
Driveway Additions 15
Misc. (e.g. air conditioner, post lights, etc.) 15
Sheds 11
Windows 11
Roof Replacement 6
Room Additions (including garages) 6
Garage Door Replacement 4
18” Satellite Dish 3
Siding Replacement 2

New Home Plans Reviewed and Approved: 3

Violations Acted on:

Parking Issues 68
Trash Containers Stored in View 25
Unapproved Exterior Modifications 19
Dead Trees/Yard Maintenance 15
Exterior Debris 14
House Maintenance 2
Other (Bus. Use, Nuisance, etc.) 8

Covenant Violation Notices Filed with Douglas County Clerk and Recorder: 11

Compliance Notices Filed for Previously Filed Violation Notices:  6

As we approach the busy, warmer months of 2005, 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 the Pinery for our home. 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.

IREA Upgrades in the Pinery

As part of normal maintenance and improvement, IREA is replacing residential cables within the Pinery this spring. Residents affected have been directly contacted by IREA. In the event that you have questions, please contact Brooks Kaufman at 303-688-3100, extension 105.

2005 ACC Election

The election announced in the January 2005 Pinery Homeowner will be held Tuesday, April 5, 2005 beginning at 6:30 p.m. as part of the monthly Architectural Control Committee meeting held in the lower level of the Pinery Fire Station. 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 seven-member committee. 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 the meeting may also vote by mail using the ballot following and during Pinery office hours (8 a.m. to 3 p.m.) on Monday through Friday in the lower level of the Pinery Fire Station. Please note that submittal of your name and address is critical so that we may verify voter eligibility. This information will be removed prior to ballots being cast. In the event additional candidates are received after press time, their information will be available at the Pinery office and on the website at www.pinery.org.

Effective with this election, the terms of three board members expire. We wish to sincerely thank Scott Langewisch for his contribution to the community through service on the committee.

NEWS FROM THE WATER BOARD:

   We continue to have discussions with numerous developers about water and sanitation participation within the Pinery Water and Wastewater District. Recently, we have met with Colorado Golf (the old Reata property, to the north of the District), the new owners of the Pinery Country Club, and a developer who wishes to investigate possible development around our wastewater treatment facility. Growth, controlled by Douglas County, continues to be a large part of our daily business. Last year, the District sold 197 water/sewer taps within District boundaries. This was well above projections and continues to show how well the District is viewed by the outside developer community. These are all part of the District, as approved by the County, so we have a duty to provide them service. New agencies, that wish to be included into the District, or to change their current densities, are our concern. We solicit your input as to the future direction that the District should precede on these matters. No decisions are made in a vacuum and we try to ensure that we provide services that meet the needs of the majority of our customers, at a reasonable cost.
   We have built many new components for the water and sanitation system, as well as renovating the older parts of the systems. This has allowed us to meet your needs, as well as the current construction demand within the District. The wastewater treatment plant expansion is going well and we will continue to meet the stringent discharge standards on Cherry Creek while accommodating new growth. In spite of all this work, the District was able to lower the mill levy this last year, exemplifying the fiscal health of the District. While other water providers struggle with large debt, the Pinery Water and Wastewater District is not. This shows the forward thinking and planning of this Board. Board members appreciate your support, without which we could not have accomplished this success.
   As always, you are cordially invited to attend our monthly meetings, which are currently scheduled for the second Wednesday of each month, at 6 p.m. at the District offices. Please feel free to contact our office at 303-841-2797 if you need additional information or have any questions or input about District operations.

David C. Eyre
Civil Engineer, P.E., Director
Pinery Water and Wastewater District

Spring Cleanup

Place: Fire Station
Time: 9:00 A.M.
Date: April 16, 2005
Purpose: To help maintain the beauty of the subdivision

Please come out and assist us with the spring cleanup. Each spring and fall we pick up trash along the main corridors – Pinery Parkway and Betts Ranch Road.
We hope to see you there!!
If you need community service, this is a great opportunity to obtain some hours!

Tips to Prohibit Identity Theft

The crime of identity theft is on the rise. Recent surveys show there are currently 7-10 million victims per year, greatly exceeding earlier estimates. It can happen to anyone.
Using a variety of methods, criminals steal Social Security numbers (SSN), driver's license numbers, credit card numbers, ATM cards, telephone calling cards, and other pieces of individuals' identities such as date of birth. They use this information to impersonate their victims, spending as much money as they can in as short a time as possible before moving on to someone else's name and identifying information. Following are tips to keep this from happening.

1. To minimize the amount of information a thief can steal, do not carry extra credit cards, your Social Security card, birth certificate or passport in your wallet or purse, except when needed. At work, store your wallet in a safe place.

2. If possible, do not carry other cards in your wallet that contain the Social Security number (SSN), except on days when you need them.

3. To reduce the amount of personal information that is "out there”, consider the following:
Remove your name from the marketing lists of the three credit reporting bureaus -- Equifax, Experian (formerly TRW) and Trans Union. Call 888-5OPTOUT.

4. Install a locked mailbox at your residence to deter mail theft. Or use a post office box or a commercial mailbox service.
When you are away from home for an extended time, have your mail held at the Post Office, or ask a trusted neighbor to pick it up.

5. When ordering new checks, pick them up at the bank. Don't have them mailed to your home. If you have a post office box, use that address on your checks rather than your home address so thieves will not know where you live.

6. When you pay bills, do not leave the envelopes containing your checks at your mailbox for the postal carrier to pick up, or in open boxes at the receptionist's desk in your workplace. If stolen, your checks can be altered and then cashed by the imposter. It is best to mail bills and other sensitive items at the drop boxes inside the post office rather than neighborhood drop boxes.

PHA Lost & Found

From time to time, we are called about lost items and we have ‘found’ things turned in to the Pinery HOA Office. Check the PHA website Lost & Found or call 303-841-8572  for Lost or Found items.