F.Y.I. The Newsletter of Edgewood Townehouse Association
PO Box 5424, Eugene, OR 97405March 2011
Important Dates:
Next Regular Board Meeting: Tuesday, April 12, 6:30 PM
Next Quarterly General Meeting: Tuesday, April 26, 7:00 PM
(Notices of any special board meetings are posted in the Clubhouse 3 days before date of meeting per Bylaws)
Hospitality Activities:
By-the-Brook Book Group: By-the-Brook Book Group: Wed. April 13, 2 PM
Tuesday Afternoon Teatime: April 19, 3 PM in the Clubhouse.Contents:
Message From The Board
Announcements!
Board Of Directors Meeting Minutes: Tuesday March 8, 2011
Reports: Architectural, Clubhouse; Grounds; Website; Director's
Monthly Banking Activities [Omitted]FYI Info:
Editor: Dave Compton ( )
MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD
WE ARE A PUD
When you buy a townhome in Edgewood Townehouse Association, you became part of a planned unit development (PUD), and you also automatically become a member of an exclusive club -- the homeowners' association (HOA). But what is a PUD? The technical definition of PUD is “Planned Unit Development: a means of land regulation which promotes large scale, unified land development or an exclusive community.” Houses in PUDs often include access to a large shared open space surrounding the house as well as a smaller private yard. These large protected open spaces are created by the layout of the buildings and are intended for use by all residents of the developments.
Street patterns are one of the most important elements in establishing the neighborhood character of a PUD like Edgewood Townehouses where the typical street pattern is local streets serving only our residences with generally low traffic volume. Sidewalks and pedestrian ways in PUDs supplement and complement the street systems in establishing the character of the neighborhood. At Edgewood Townehouses, sidewalks are located along the Brae Burn Creek to enable the walk ability of the development. Circulation systems are provided to link residential groupings, open space areas, and common recreation features like our Clubhouse and Pool.
The club's members, or HOA, include all the people who own homes in the same development. There are eighty-nine (89) of us at Edgewood Townehouses. The homeowners' association exercises control over how we use our property and almost always include limitations on how the property can be used. Usually these limitations - called covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs) - put decision-making rights into the hands of the democratically elected homeowners' association.
Some associations enforce every rule with the enthusiasm of a military drill sergeant; others are run in a more relaxed way. But, all associations try to make decisions that will enhance the value of the houses. Before buying, your real estate agent and you should have made sure the CC&Rs are compatible with your lifestyle. CC&Rs commonly limit architectural features on the exterior of your house, the use of common open space and recreation areas, and even the type of front yard landscaping you can do. And if you want to make change to your house, such as new windows, skylights, or heat pumps, you will need formal permission from the association (in addition to having to comply with city building codes).
Read our CC&Rs carefully. They are posted on-line at edgewoodhoa.org. If you need a paper copy, please contact the Board. If you don't understand something, ask for more information.
Announcements!
Mary Paladino ( ) will perform in the celebrated Eve Ensler play, The Vagina Monologues on Wednesday, April 13 at 7pm and on Saturday at 2pm at the LCC Main Stage.This play is sponsored by Sexual Assault Support Services and all ticket sales go to the prevention of violence against women in our community.
The Vagina Monologues is "Spellbinding, funny, and almost unbearably moving... it is both a work of art and an incisive piece of cultural history, a poem and a polemic, a performance and a balm and a benediction." -- Variety
The speed limit on the Edgewood grounds is 15 mph. Do not exceed it. Driving too fast endangers not only other drivers but the many pedestrians who enjoy the Edgewood area.
We are looking for a volunteer to take over the production/editing of the FYI. If you have a computer and a few hours each month, please consider volunteering to put together the monthly Edgewood FYI newsletter. The current editor (Dave Compton) can help with the transition if necessary. Please contact Dave Compton or Bruce Trafton.
When writing your monthly dues check, please write your unit number on the check if it is different from the address printed on the check.
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
Tuesday March 8, 2011Call to Order at Six-Thirty (6:30) PM: Present were board members Bruce Trafton, Linda Johnson, Russ Fryburg, Susan Klein, and Suzy Wojcik. Also present was Frank Gaddini. Excused were Jon Joseph, Toni Horodysky, Eaton Conant, and Doug Cone.
Approval of Minutes of the February 2011 Board of Directors Meeting: It was moved by Russ Fryburg and seconded by Linda Johnson to approve minutes of the February 8, 2011, board meeting as circulated. Motion passed.
State of Facilities and Operations Report: Frank Gaddini reported on the progress of the concrete work being done, garage doors, gutters and downspouts, and moss on the roofs, and submitted a written report. March work includes the first round of chimney cleaning and sealing and the beginning of repainting garage doors. Some of the front doors will be done this year also. Several of the garage doors have been replaced as well. Gaddini submitted a written report.Budget Report: The association is repaying the reserve fund on a monthly basis and the Association is where it ought to be.
Standing Committee Reports:
Architectural/Building Committee -- Written report submitted. There was agreement by the board to approve window replacements for townhouse #1 Westbrook Way. The clubhouse deck repair that is needed was discussed by board members. The plan is to reduce the size and replace the rotten wood. There was consensus of the board for Frank Gaddini to proceed. There was also approval by the board to proceed with refurbishing the sign on Brae Burn and Willamette.Clubhouse Committee -- Written report submitted.
Grounds Committee -- Written report submitted.
Swimming Pool Committee -- Pool closed for the season.
Welcome Committee -- Written report submitted. # 5 Westbrook Way has a new resident. #163 Westbrook Way was also greeted by the welcome committee.
ETA Website -- Written report submitted.
Old Business:
Clubhouse Deck Repairs – see aboveReview goals
1. Welcome packet information - The board approved updating the welcome packet with current information. A group of three has been recruited to redo the information.
2. Replacing signs and installing new ones on Brookside and Brae Burn. Approved by the board.New Business:
Conserving Energy -- Susan Klein reported that a film on energy conservation was an interesting presentation about solar panels and there was some discussion about the technology of solar energy and conserving energy with our lighting fixtures.Four letters to ETA:
A homeowner had some new ideas about our complex.The second letter was a thank you for a new garage door.
The third was from Sperry Tree Care regarding leaves on the ground and the benefits they provide by not removing them. Russ Fryburg stated that we should stockpile and mulch the leaves. This has been done for the last three years.
The fourth letter was from attorney Robert Cole Tozer, representing the [ ] family and stated that landscape maintenance requests were not being handled by the management and association. A letter was sent to the attorney in response.
Next Board Meeting Time and Place: April 12, 2011
Next General Meeting: April 26, 2011, starting at 7:00 at Clubhouse
Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 8:00PM
Respectfully submitted: Suzy Wojcik, Secretary ( )
Architectural Committee Report
The Architectural Committee met March 2nd at 7 PM in the Club House.
Old Business:
The committee voted to recommend to the board that Operations Manager be allowed to proceed with the proposed safety measures for the deck on the Club House and the Monument at Willamette and Brae Burn.The committee made several suggested changes to the proposed solar light/sky light protocol form. They have been forwarded to Frank Gaddini to be implement on the proposed protocol sheet before sheets are printed up.
#1 WW requested permission to insulate her attic, sub-floor area, and windows. The committee reaffirmed that the attic and sub-floor areas are not in our area of discernment. We have recommended that the Board approve the suggested changes to the windows with the proviso that there be a sign off by our operations manager that the work performed met with ETA standards.
Thank you
Simone d'Aubigné
Chairperson-Architectural Committee, ( )
Clubhouse Report
March 2011Clubhouse activity has been slow since the beginning of the year. Our regular groups – Board, By-the-Brook Book Club, and tea – are meeting each month as are two other groups that have ongoing reservations. As the weather improves, I expect other activities will pick up too.
I had hoped to have draft clubhouse rules revisions to the board this month. However, I will be out of town on the day of the March board meeting so I’ll get draft revisions to you before the April meeting.
Bev Day, Clubhouse Committee Chair ( )
Grounds Committee Report
Matt Denberg, from the City of Eugene Urban Forestry, Private Property Department, recently surveyed the entire ETA site with Jerry Wojcik, Frank Gaddini, and Bruce Trafton. Denberg pointed out several trees that are inhibiting the growth of other trees or are dead and might be considered for removal in the future; however, he did not find any that needed immediate attention.
He said that, considering the large number of trees and bushes on the property, the site is in very good condition.
Sperry Tree Care was on site Feb. 18, pruning the common areas in the front of three condos south of the creek. On March 16, it will be working north of the creek off of Brae Burn.
A large rhody was purchased and planted behind the lower block wall at the north entrance to Westbrook Way at Willamette. It is a match in specie and in color (bright red) to the rhody that already exists behind the similar south wall directly across Westbrook Way.
Dozens of fir seedlings have been planted on both sides of the creek. Some were transplanted from our grounds areas that were overcrowded with trees and plants; the rest were given to us by one of our neighbors, who generously let us dig them up from where they had sprouted on her property.
The individual contract workers have been cleaning debris from the sidewalks and parking areas and will continue to do so as needed.
Jerry Wojcik
Grounds Committee Chair, ( )
Website Report, March 2011
Edgewood Townehouse Association website, www.edgewoodhoa.org, had 46 visitors who looked at 87 pages during the period February 4 to March 3.
Toni Horodysky, Webmistress ( )
February Operations and Facility Maintenance Report
The month of February continues to be one of revenue building and project planning for the Association. Revenue building is very important and critical for our Association. During the first quarter of our Fiscal Year as we start our new fiscal cycle, our liquidity is usually very limited. Our budget can sustain pay the bills for the normal day-to-day operational costs; but paying for major capital improvement projects takes time to accrue over the course of several months and well into our third quarter of the year. But this pattern of managing projects and spending money is not always efficient
This year, after review and consideration, the Board authorized the early release of some of our Reserve Funds – the funds that are set aside each year to cover the costs of major capital improvements, like the replacement of all the roofs in ten to fifteen years. The Board withdrew $10,000 from the Reserves to fund our Capital Improvement Project for Sidewalk Replacement. So, instead of waiting until fall, when we have all the money in the bank to pay for the project, we took a loan from our Reserves to conduct the project early in the year. We will be re-pay the Reserve fund over the next eleven (11) months: completing the project at a time when we have a low cash flow, yet preserving the Reserve fund as it grows to cover the cost of roof replacement a decade from today.
The projects that we completed in February include mainly Operation and Maintenance activities, except for our first Capital Improvement Project of the year - ten thousand (10,000) square feet of concrete sidewalk. Two (2) unexpected overhead garage doors failures occurred and both were replaced with new steel insulated overhead garage doors. We replaced one thousand (1,000) linear feet of gutters and one hundred and fifty (150) linear feet of downspouts. Eight (8) more roof and gutter cleaning projects including the application of hydro zinc sulfate to minimize the growth of moss on these roofs were completed. Even though our Contract Laborers had only limited hours on the site this month, they blew the last vestiges of leaves off of our hardscapes, performed several softscape repair jobs including the new rhododendron installation at Westbrook and Willamette Street, and major pruning along the northeast corner of BraeBurn and Willamette. The month also included significant attention to 1) monitoring the flow of available resources to cover the cost of maintenance demand, and 2) planning work projects for the upcoming month of March based on predicted revenue.
Frank L Gaddini, Facilities and Operations Director for Edgewood Townehouse Association ( )
[Phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and street addresses have been removed for privacy reasons.]