Las Palomas

May 05 Comments

Jun 14, 2005

Las Palomas H.O.A.


Las Palomas ?“President?’s Perspective?”

To: Homeowners of Las Palomas
From: Ken Dry
Date: 6/14/2005
Re: Summary of May Meet
For the minutes of the May 2005 meeting, please log on to our website at: www.neighborhoodlink.com/scottsdale/palomas/ . Copies of the minutes will be available at the Las Palomas Gate for homeowners still in Las Palomas for the summer months. We have enclosed copies to out of town owners without e-mail access.
The follow information is a summery of my observations from the last meeting and only my personal opinion on topics covered in the May meeting and/or review of the minutes of the meetings from 1995 through May 2005. These opinions do not necessarily reflect the position of the other Board members or Previous Board members. I will be happy to discuss any questions that may come up from this correspondence.
We had two committee reports, Landscaping and Rules and Regulations. Landscaping will be looking at the common areas and will be making suggestions to the Board for changes to enhance the appearances of Las Palomas. They are working on the BBQ ?– lake area this month. If you want to participate, please contact Mike Frain, chairperson. Please remember that the function of the committee is to advise the Board, giving specific recommendations, in writing, for the Board to consider what actions, if any need to be taken. The Board then will present Bob Wallace with their decision as to how his staff will proceed. In no instance should any homeowner take the initiative to perform any work on the common areas without getting approval from the board and Bob Wallace. Any resulting damage to the common area, by an independent act of a homeowner will result in assessment for the subsequent damages.
The recommendation by the rules committee and the Board?’s approval to revise the C.C. & Rs is a major undertaking in this community. According to our Lawyer, some of the wording does not conform to the new state laws that have been passed over the last five years. These changes are minor and do not effect the Association?’s rights or obligations under these documents. It is the Boards intention to make some of the rules and regulations part of the C.C. & R. This again will help to mitigate some of the problems arising out of a few property owners refusal to abide by the existing rules and regulations. It should make it easier to resolve these problems and not subject the entire complex to needless expenses. The second major change will be to revise Article V., ?“ Exterior Maintenance?”. The comments, by some homeowners last year, centered around fears that some homeowners would not keep their property up to standard or would not conform to standards set by the Architectural Committee. The Board does not intend to relinquish decisions in these matters. Over the past twenty-seven years, any one house has been painted every ten years unless the homeowner has decided to paint their house at their own expense. Under the proposed changes, homeowners would make this decision for themselves, choose their own contractor and pay for the work. The homeowner would still have to get approval from the Board to begin work and to be sure that the colors and materials conform to Las Palomas specifications, (Article XI). If a homeowner fails to keep his property in compliance with Las Palomas standards the Board may, as in the past, upon notice of intent, complete the maintenance and add the assessment to the Homeowner?’s property. This is currently covered under Article V, section 2. As homeowners continue to renovate and increase the size of their homes, the cost to the Association will continue to rise and so will the dues. It seems to be the general consensus, everyone should be responsible to maintain and improve the value of his or her property. What would you rather ask; ?“When is the Board going to paint my house?”? Or ?“I will be painting my house, are the specifications and materials approved?”?
Margie Scott questioned the assessment for painting houses. She wants to know where all the money has gone. What we don?’t realize is that the money we have been assessed over the past years has been spent on painting everyone?’s homes, not just our own home. This year we included $20,000 in the budget to paint houses and common areas in 2006. This comes out to be $139 per lot per year. We paid an average of $1,800 to paint a small home last year and $2,400 on some of the larger homes. Play with the numbers and you can figure out how often you can expect to have your house painted under ordinary circumstances. In response to Margie, every penny of assessed monies to paint houses has been spent on painting someone?’s house through January 1, 2005. Be reminded, we are operating with a Reserve account far below the recommended level. In reality, any money deposited into the reserve account will be used for any required capital expenses on as needed basis unless we have a special assessment. We don?’t like special assessments - do we? This Board does not expect increase the dues over the next two years. After that, it will depend on what capital expenses do occur and if the Association will have to continue to paint houses.
Please direct any thoughts to me or the other Board members. The Documents will be revised, the community must vote to accept the changes before they become operative. Your input prior to revising the documents can save us legal fees by avoiding rewrites. This process could take up to a year. It would be nice to have it voted on by the next yearly meeting in February 2006.
My e-mail address is totalexposure@msn.com. Let me know what you think (preferably in 100 words or less on any one issue) or come and talk to me. A very small percentage of the homeowners let us know what they want us to think. What are you thinking? The Board will take your silence as our approval to vote as we see fit. If you don?’t agree with us, let me know.

Hope to see or hear from you by the meeting in July.
Ken Dry