Columbine Knolls South-Estates

Presidents Letter

Mar 05, 1999

HI!
I am happy to report that the King Sooper?’s development is reaching some conclusion. We have met with the developer several times during the course of planning. We have been satisfied that the developer has listened to our concerns and has tried to satisfy them. The Board of County Commissioners will meet on March 9 and one of their subjects on the agenda will be the final approval of the King Sooper's development. We plan to have representatives at that meeting. Joe Hart and his committee have done an outstanding job of clearly stating our concerns and amicably working with the developer to get them recognized. We owe Joe a great deal of thanks for his efforts on our behalf. As the project becomes a reality there will be some things which you may or may not like, but I can assure you that it will not be because the committee did not do their job. There are, of course, things that the county allows which no amount of our protest would change. We are still pursuing closure of Upham. In the short term, a three-foot berm with a three-foot fence on top of it will hide the development from people on the east side. This is a temporary fence until Kaiser develops their part of the area. The developer plans to separate the north side with a berm and a high fence, which will keep the development from being an eyesore to the people on the north. The developer has plans to begin breaking ground by the end of March. That is a very ambitious plan and we shall see how it develops.
More good news on the development front! We have told you in the past of the 40 foot buffer strip between the development and our subdivision. Due to the good work of John Bradley and his contacts with Foothills Park and Recreation, we will receive some benefit that was not expected from this development. During the Foothills Board meeting of February 9, the Foothills Board of Directors voted to spend money earned from the easements for the development on projects in Columbine Knolls South/Estates. This will be a substantial amount of money and will go a long way towards making major improvements to our parks. We are indeed fortunate to have residents in our area such as John Bradley and Joe Hart, who not only have the inclination to help all of the neighbors, they also possess a great deal of knowledge which allows them to convey our concerns to the proper people. You will recall that the board has been very proactive in this project. One would be hard pressed to find a concern or subject relating to this project that has not been addressed. Thank you Joe and John!
During the last board meeting, it was suggested that we lay out, for the residents, our procedure on covenant violations. When we receive a complaint, our first contact is a letter to the alleged covenant violator. This letter addresses the concern and gives the homeowner fourteen days to correct the problem. We usually wait longer than fourteen days to allow for correction and/or contact with the board about the matter. If there is return contact to the board and a desire expressed to discuss the situation at a board meeting, that time is granted. If there is no response whatsoever, a second letter is sent advising the owner of the non-response with a copy sent to the county. At that point, the county will contact the homeowner and explain the procedure that follows. Since the county knows we have already given the homeowner an ample period of time, they will suggest methods of compliance which are more stringent than ours. Obviously, if the homeowner corrects the problem they will receive a letter from us thanking them for taking care of it. We are happy to report to you that almost every time the county is not involved and a thank you letter is sent.
I really enjoy writing columns like this one for the month of March. For the most part, it is a good news kind of letter. In the last issue of The Scroll, we asked for help in organizing the Easter Egg Hunt for 1999. The response has been good and we will have the hunt. A committee has been established so if you are asked to participate as a volunteer, please do so gladly.
Those of you who have not paid your 1998/1999 dues should do so now. Charlotte Bagwell our capable blockworker maven will see to it you are, each individually, contacted by mail to remind you of the dues renewal option. Your dues are what keep our homeowners association strong and allow us to go forward publicly with developers and commissioners, as well as planing and zoning departments. Dues payments are proof that we are a strong and viable organization with the support of our neighborhood.
Almost every year we get comments stating that our dues are excessive. Given the fact that we are a voluntary organization and our dues almost exclusively go to improvements to our neighborhood, that is a hard argument to make. Please be aware that there are mandatory homeowners associations throughout our county and counties nearby wherein the dues run anywhere from fifty to one hundred dollars per month, and if you live in that subdivision you have to pay those dues. Now it is true that those are neighborhoods that have tennis courts and/or swimming pools, but I can assure you those neighborhoods do not get the kind of improvements that we do in our cooperation with Foothills.
Please remember as we enter our snowiest time of the year that your neighbors appreciate when you shovel and/or snow blow your sidewalks. Those of you with corner lots do have a bigger job, but it is much appreciated when you clear your walk all the way around. As you know, the county plows the main roads first and gets the subdivision roads later. The county puts sand down early during a snow to help us at intersections and with inclines. We are indeed fortunate to live in a county that provides these services.
One of the great things about where we live is the open space and the ability to feel like we are still more rural than urban. One of the things that accompany the open space is the fact that we get coyotes and foxes. I know for a fact that we have had a coyote in Wayside Meadows off and on for last ten years and we have foxes almost all of time. The reason why I mention this is to alert you to be careful if you have small pets. I do not believe the foxes are a problem, but the coyote can be.
Included in this year's comments we received with the dues renewals were quite a few concerns regarding tree and shrub trimming, unkempt yards, and garbage collection. The nature of the comments indicates that we need to remind everyone that the board of directors and the Architectural Control Committee do not patrol the neighborhood looking for violations. If you have a concern, you must let us know about it or nothing can be done. We do not disclose the names of those making complaints. Thanks to those of you who alert us.
You do not have to wait for the dues renewal each year to let us know what is on your mind. Our phone numbers are listed in the newsletter and you could come to a board meeting. The board meets each second Thursday year round and welcomes your participation. We are always willing to hear your thoughts about what we are working on or what concerns you if it is not a current agenda item. We meet in the Saint Frances Cabrini Church at 7:00 p.m. at S. Pierce at Chatfield. Please attend, as all are welcome.
Remember, we post timely information at our web site which is available for your perusal at any time. You can go directly to the site http//www.ecentral.com, then click on Neighborhood Links and type in our Zip Code (80128), which will take you directly to our information. You may also contact me by fax or e-mail at cdunias@ecentral.com. Be sure to read the other reports and the minutes for more details.
SEE YA!