a newsletter for ridgemark homes association • … · left to right: lois paullus dunning, fred...

HANGINGTIMES ANDVIEWS

We are in the beginning stages ofmajor change at Ridgemark Estates.No one really knows for sure howRidgemark Estates will evolve; not the residents, the golf members, theHOA’s, the local community, nor JMK.

The original plan for the develop-ment of Ridgemark Estates in theearly 1970’s was encouraged, if notpushed through the County, as anasset to San Benito County. HollisterHills, local wineries, and most recentlyPinnacles National Monument are the current golden children for SanBenito County. These industries are

increasing the tourism that bringsdollars into our community, just asRidgemark has done for the past 40years. When these industries struggleduring difficult times they should getall the support needed from our coun-ty government. Our industries shouldnot be abandoned in order to increaseresidential development that onlyserves to continue turning San BenitoCounty into a bedroom community.San Benito County’s economy is slowlydeclining. Looking back 40 years, wenow have less of everything; lessindustry and jobs (Leatherback,Milgard Windows, canneries, bou-tique clothing, gift shops, office sup-plies) where we should have growth,less diversified local shopping oppor-tunities other than large chains thattake their profits out of our communi-ty, and less local shopping and diningby residents as many are forced tocommute to better job opportunities.Our county officials must look beyondresidential “rooftops” for growth.

With careful planning the recentlyabandoned golf course could havebeen minimally maintained for futureuse, if not for traditional golf, a morepopular/trendy form of golf or recre-ation associated with a Country Club.Instead of assuming the golf courseshould be transformed into residentialhousing, any owner of the propertyshould be expected to uphold the orig-inal open space requirement from thetime our community was presented asa planned unit development (PUD).

Message from the BoardA N E W S L E T T E R F O R R I D G E M A R K H O M E S A S S O C I AT I O N • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4

In This Edition• Message from the Board

• Not to Boycott

• California Drought

• Guard Services

• CC&R Violations

• HOA Legal Action Update

• Trespassing

• Ralph’s Way Annex

• ARC Policy

• Streets of Ridgemark

• Landscaping

• Announcements

• Who to Call

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Dedication of a street at Ridgemark Golf & Country Club to Fred Paullus, May of 1985.Left to right: Lois Paullus Dunning, Fred Paullus, Loren (Sonny) Paullus,

Louise Paullus Rosati, and Myrtle Nunes Paullus

RIDGEMARK HOMES ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 20142

It has been sug-gested that weshould boycottRG&CC. You arefree to displayyour dissatisfac-

tion as you choose but thinkabout this please. RG&CC wascreated and developed for theopen space, recreation, dining andenjoyment of our community. If boycotted, as a business it willsurely fail which may give cause to close it down entirely. Some of us choose to notgive up, but to count on JMK, as well as anyfuture owner, to continue to provide the openspace, recreation, dining and enjoyment that were part of the original planned unit development. We like the idea of any clubhouse owner continuing to serve our community.

We are hopeful that if JMK is serious about retaining at a minimum, one 18-hole premium course—just half of what was represented when JMK was introduced to the RG&CC golf community—that Ridgemark Estates will remain a golf community. The one sure thing we have control of is ensuring that we always remain a

fine gated community withfine homes and properties.

The best way to ride out the difficulty of all thiscommunity change is toremain Community Proud

and Community Strong. Trustthat every effort within ourpower is in force to minimize

the effect(s) on our quality of lifeand property values at RidgemarkEstates. We are pleased that our

ARC committee is reviewing submittedplans for an increased number of home

improve-ments, remodels, and updated land-scaping. Many homeowners are proving to show they

are in control of how Our Community is perceived. Moreso than ever, show that Community Pride by doing yourbest to maintain your home to a higher standard. Alsothink about increasing the value of your investment bycontinuing to improve your homes. For your review, we’ve included information about our ARC procedures on page 5. To obtain a complete form and an application,please contact Thelander Management by phone at: 800-655-2855 or 831-758-2855.

INot to Boycott

California Droughtrought is not new toCalifornia or RidgemarkEstates, and this year isno exception. WithCalifornia facing one ofthe most severe droughts

on record, we all want to do our partto conserve water. There’s no need tocompletely scorch your lawns, butyou can choose to use water wisely in all water uses to make the most of what you self allocate. There are anumber of new sprinkler heads thatdirect water specifically to the realneed with micro adjustments to mini-mize the waste of over spray. Choosewisely the frequency and timing ofwatering any of your landscape.Refer to the State Water ResourcesControl Board guidelines mailed

with your most recent SunnyslopeCounty Water District bill. Rememberthat the environment needs trees,plants and other greenery to purifyour air and provide for a cleaner,cooler environment.

For those that have chosen to aban-don their lawn altogether, you mustsubmit plans to the RHA ARC com-mittee for an alternate landscape.

California residents witnessed their driest year on record in 2013, according to statistics from the National Weather Service (NWS). As shown above, One look at

the San Luis reservoir reveals just how low the water level has dropped.

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3RIDGEMARK HOMES ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2014

Guard ServicesESIDENT/VEHICLEREGISTRATIONIn order for the guardservices to properly servethe community, it is nec-essary for them to prop-

erly identify residents and each oftheir vehicles. All residents should beregistered with our QuickPass system,even if you chose not to purchase anRFID card for that vehicle or do nothave internet service. A registrationform is enclosed for your convenience.

RFID CARDSPlease know that you are required toupdate your registration upon retiringand purchasing any additional vehicles.If you are seen or filmed using an RFIDthat is not affixed to the properly reg-istered vehicle, it will be deactivated.Reactivation will only be initiated after the RFID is affixed to your vehiclewith properly recorded data in the

QuickPass system and payment of a$35 reactivation fee.

YOUR QUICKPASS ENTRYACCOUNTAnyone with internet service shouldbe utilizing the QuickPass onlineservices to register guests. This willeliminate the necessity of a guardcalling you when your guest arrives.It only takes a minute to update yourdata. A guest can be temporary whichis through midnight same day, can bea duration of your choosing, or per-manent until you change the status.

We encourage all members to partici-pate in the online service; the guardshave too many calls to operate thesystem as designed. Ño one should be allowed through the gate unlesspreauthorized. We are meeting withguard service management regardingthe expectation to follow the protocoldesigned for our community.

With that we expect our members tofollow protocol and plan to honorthe no authorization–no entry rule.

If you have not set up your account,please log on at https://www.quickpass.us. Go to Log In, Request anAccount, and fill in the four lines ofrequired information and click onsubmit. You will be notified of youraccount information via email. If you have any problems, please contact [email protected].

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CC&R Violationsur CC&R’s are essentialto maintaining the valuesof our homes, provide forthe safety of our familiesand to keep peace withinour community. Some of

the more common issues that can beavoided by following the rules are asfollows:

• Respect the maximum speed limitat 25 MPH.

• Trash cans must be stored out ofsight and should be removed fromthe curb as soon as trash is collected.

• Proper maintenance of your landscaping. Keep it weed free and well groomed.

• Street parking, is reserved for guests.

• RV parking is limited to 72 hourswithin a 10-day period

• Responsible dog owners keep themleashed, prevent constant barking,and pick up after them.

• Golf cart drivers MUST be licensed.

• Obtain ARC approval before planting trees, landscaping, exterior remodeling, roofing…

You should have reviewed and signedfor a copy of our by-laws and CC&R’swhen you purchased your property.Members should become familiarwith these documents in order tocomply with the rules of the com-munity. You may request a copy

from Thelander Management, seecontact information on the back page of this newsletter.

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Legal Action UpdateIn response to our legal complaint, JMK choseto demur. This is a legal term and action where-by JMK’s attorney challenged whether RHA hada legal claim and asked the court to dismiss ourcomplaint. At a recent hearing, Judge HarryTobias overruled the demur. Judge Tobias stated

that it is a complicated case that must be heard. You will benotified when the case goes to trial where your attendanceis encouraged.

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Ralph’s Way Annex UpdateIf you’ve been walking around the neighbor-hood, you may have noticed the progressbeing made on the Ralph’s Way annexation.Workers are just finishing wire services and

approximately 90 % of the storm drain and sewer work iscomplete. They’ll be starting the joint trench for utilitiesvery soon, and are targeting the end of October to bepaved out.

Trespassingost of the propertieswithin RidgemarkEstates are privatelyheld, including yours.The majority of theproperties are not

common use for any HOA. The onlycommon properties for HOA use areour roads and the park(s). We mustremind you that just as you wouldnot want people walking throughyour yard, you should not be walking

through any other private properties,including the private road Tyler (offof Marks Drive), Ridgemark Greenstownhouse association pool, orRG&CC’s tennis center and golfcourse (unless you have been person-ally invited and/or paid fees to play).Certainly do not cross over a home-owner’s lot to trespass on the golfcourse. It is utter disregard and disrespect to our residents.

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RIDGEMARK HOMES ASSOCIATION ARCHITECTURAL CHANGE POLICY PROCEDURES

In accordance with article VI of the CC&Rs and 1378 of the Davis-Sterling Act: 1. Applicants must provide a completed application form and reasonable plans and specifications

in duplicate to management who will record the date of receipt and forward the plans to the committee. Depending upon the change requested, plans and specifications may include blueprints, simple drawings, architectural renderings, photographs, brochures, and written material provided by manufacturers.

2. The Architectural Control Committee shall have sixty (60) days from receipt of complete and comprehensive plans to provide the applicant with either approval or denial of the request. Any proposal which has not been rejected in writing within sixty (60) days from the date of submission will be deemed approved.

3. Plans shall be submitted well in advance of the projected date of construction in order to provide the committee with sufficient time to fairly evaluate the application.

4. After Architectural Control Committee provides conceptual approval, the applicant must secure where applicable the necessary San Benito County approvals, permits and inspections prior to any work commencing.

5. A decision by the Architectural Control Committee on a proposed change shall be made in good faith and may not be unreasonable, arbitrary, or capricious.

6. Subsequent to a final decision by the committee, the applicant may submit amended plans. The conditional or final decision by the committee on a proposed change shall be in writing.

7. If at the end of the committee approval process, a proposed change is disapproved, the written decision shall include both an explanation of why the proposed change is disapproved and a description of the procedure for reconsideration of the committee decision by the Board of Directors.

8. If a proposed change is disapproved, the applicant is entitled to reconsideration by the Board of Directors, at an open meeting of the Board.

TYPES OF ARCHITECTURAL AND/OR LANDSCAPING IMPROVEMENTS CONSIDERED AND APPROVED BY THE COMMITTEE AND BOARD

Balcony/decks Garage Doors /Exterior Doors Exterior Paint Re-Roofing – Part or All Sunrooms/Gazebos Greenhouse/Sheds/Outbuildings Backyard Sports and Play Equipment Swimming Pool/Solar Panel

Backyard Decks/Patios/Walkways Backyard Fountains/ Ponds/Waterfalls Backyard Arbors/Overhangs Fences/Screens Retaining Walls/Planters Earthwork/Drainage Landscaping Back Yard


on't you love to walk by the homes in ourcommunity and look at the beautiful yardsfull of flowers and trees? Even though thedrought has limited our water supply causingsome lawns to show signs of stress, and partsof the golf courses are now turning brown,

we still have a most lovely community. You know whatreally sets off the most beautiful yards?

The bursts of color that you see from the perennial andannual flowers planted around the neighborhood. The bigcolorful blooms, and the creatures we see in springtimeand throughout the seasons—whether they’re roses, irises,clematises, bees collecting nectar from orange blossoms, oran egret or two—make our community really stand out.Below you’ll find just a few of the lovely scenes found inour community that we enjoy year-round.

Beauty Within!

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Landscapinghe placement oftrees and otherlandscaping onyour property maybe presenting prob-lems for others.

Everyone has neighbors, and wherethere are neighbors, there can beproblems. Whether it’s barking dogs,an untrimmed tree, a cluster of carsin the front yard, or a loud party.Below are some problems that areoccurring with neighborhood treesand landscaping, and how to avoid or correct such problems.

• If planted too close to the road,the tree’s root system could causedamage to the road. Trees shouldbe planted no closer than 35 feetfrom the center of the road. If youhave a tree that is showing signsof damaging the road, please beproactive by cutting the roots thatare encroaching upon the pave-ment. Consider relocating orremoving any potentially largetree that has been planted tooclose. Owners of trees that causedamage could be responsible forthe related road repairs.

• To maintain a clear view for safety,please do not plan any landscap-ing that may block the line of

vision at an intersection or on acurve. Please keep any shruband/or tree that may hang overthe road trimmed to a minimumclear height of 10 feet.

• Please remove any foliage or weedsthat are on or in the paved road.This overgrowth causes damage to the pavement over time. If theassociation maintenance contractorfinds it necessary to remove yourovergrowth, the costs will becharged back to you.

• Please cut any branches from yourtree(s) that may be blocking astreetlight. The light should shinein all three directions of the com-mon road. If you have a tree thatis swallowing up a street light,please have the tree removedbefore we find it necessary to askyou to do so.

• Please consider minimizing plant-ing within the utility easementand road right-of-way, 10 feet offthe road.

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This overgrown weeping willow tree may make for some very unhappy neighbors!

RIDGEMARK HOMES ASSOCIAT ION MEMBERS OF THE BOARDTarasa “Penny” Bettencourt, President . . . . .831.637.0531 Chuck Kayser, Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . . . .831.636.1381Barbara Lee, Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .831.634.1255

Mel Tungate, Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .831.801.1838Dan Valcazar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .408.607.1119Lorie O’Brien . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .831.635.9800

HELPFUL AND EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERSIN MEDICAL OR FIRE EMERGENCY ALWAYS CALL 911

Criminal Acts in ProgressFirst call San Benito County Sheriff—831-636-4080 • Second call Ridgemark Guards—831.313.0550

Loose animals/wildlifeCall County Animal Control—831.636.4320

THELANDER MANAGEMENT COMPANYP O Box 1531, Salinas, CA 93902 • Tele: 800-655-2855 or 831-758-2855 • Fax: 831-758-1147

Ridgemark Homes AssociationC/O Thelander Management Company21 San Miguel Avenue Ste BSalinas, CA 93901

PLACESTAMPHERE

W H O T O C A L L

A N N O U N C E M E N T S

STREET SWEEPING SERVICESare scheduled for the third Wednesday of

month. Contact Linda McElroy at 636-4170 ext. 267 with questions or complaints.

SPEED HUMPSSpeed humps installation for Donald

Drive and Lanini have been completed.

MAIL LABEL HERE

a newsletter for ridgemark homes association • … · left to right: lois paullus dunning, fred...

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