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RANCHO RIO VISTA PROPERTY OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER SPRING 2020

Fire Abatement Update— from your RRVPOA Board

Promoting Community Consciousness

As we reported previously, the Rancho Rio Vista Property Owners Association

(RRVPOA) Board has been working with Cypress Fire and property owners to

reduce fire risk in our neighborhood. The RRVPOA and Carmel Knolls

Property Owners Associations have jointly submitted a fuel mitigation grant

application to the Cypress Fire Protection District over the past 2 years, and

we intend to apply again this year. To date, we have been awarded joint

matching grants for a total of $20,000.

Cypress Fire laid out their plan. Phase one was completed in 2018, working in the canyon adjacent to Segunda Drive and

running between the 2 neighboring associations. The work consisted of climbing standing mature trees, thinning and reducing

ladder fuels, felling snags (brush and saplings) and hand chaining the material to the road for chipping. Large diameter materials

were bedded, bucked, limbed and topped for decomposition. Annual grasses and light standing fuels were cut and scattered.

The second phase was started in 2019 and extended the work south from Segunda Drive in the canyon toward Carmel Valley

Road. Cut material was pulled to Dougherty Drive and to Carmel Valley Road for disposal. The third phase was also initiated and

continues the work from Segundo Drive north along the canyon adjacent to Chiquito Place to Arroyo Trail. Cut materials were

pulled to Chiquito Place and Arroyo Trail for disposal, where feasible.

The fourth phase will focus along the northwest corner of the Subdivision bordering Hatton Canyon adjacent to State Parks land,

north along Arriba Del Mundo Drive (in conjunction with the Carmel Views Grant). Cut material will be pulled to Hatton Canyon,

Arriba Del Mundo Drive and Canada Drive for disposal where feasible. The fifth phase will be focused along the eastern edge of

the Ranch Rio Vista subdivision adjacent to Canada Drive of the Carmel Views Subdivision. Material disposal for this location will

be addressed in the future, after collaborative meetings have occurred with the Carmel Views Association.

How these matching grants work: Every dollar we homeowners spend on “qualified” fuel reduction efforts can be used to

generate a matching dollar of spending by the District on fuel reduction work where the greatest needs have been identified.

When we “bank” $10,000 of qualifying expenses, the District will spend $10,000 of its funds reducing fire fuel hazards in the

grant areas. “Qualified” fuel reduction expenses include cutting down dead trees, thinning out underbrush, and clearing debris.

Receipts for qualified work done in 2019 have met our goal, but we will again be asking for them after July 1st, 2020. If you

think you have work that would qualify for the grant, Rancho Rio Vista Board member Ann Hanham, would be happy to discuss it

with you. You can contact Ann through the Rancho Rio Vista email ----ContactRRVPOA@gmail.com .

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President’s Letter ~ By Suzanne Taunt

Dear Neighbors,

Because of Governor Newsom’s directive and uncertainty about how long we must stay in our homes and avoid being in groups, the Board has cancelled the annual Spring Meeting . Normally we elect members to the Board at the meeting.

There are 5 incumbents on the Board who have indicated that they would extend their terms another year:

Judy MacClelland, Secretary

Ann Hanham, Vice-president

Laurie Balcar, at-large

Don Battles, Treasurer

Les Albiol, at-large

Because of extenuating circumstances, the Board believes we should accept their intentions and re-visit this process in a year.

Finally, please consider removing Genista and Pampas Grass from your property along the roads. The oils in both plants cause them to be flammatory, and we are working hard on fire abatement in the neighborhood.

Who would have thought we would be in this serious health situation, even two months ago. On the positive side, more of us are enjoying the fresh air and beauty of Rancho Rio Vista, and this is a good thing. As friends and neighbors, I hope we are able to weather this storm as needed. I wish you All patience, ingenuity, perhaps a sense of humor, but above all good health.

Respectfully,

Suzanne Taunt

Board President

rrvbod@gmail.com

https://rrvpoa.wordpress.com

In other news, many of you may have noticed our beautifully “resuscitated” white fence along Carmel Valley Road. I think the fellows did a wonderful job of fixing and re-painting the fence. We have Board member, Les Albiol, to thank for spear-heading this improvement.

The Annual Picnic sponsored by the Carmel Valley Association was deemed a big success by all who attended last September. The Saddle Club venue was very pleasant and the food catered by Jeffreys was excellent. And there was live music. The Board intends to sponsor residents once again this year, and we’ll update you when the dates become available.

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Chipper Dates 2020

We have arranged 4 Chipper Days again this year, where Cypress Fire will come and pick up branches and cuttings alongside the curb of your home. Any work to clear branches and wood from our lots is a qualified fuel reduction towards the fuel mitigation grant , so let’s work together on this!

See https://rrvpoa.wordpress.com/chipper-days-information for more information.

2020 Chipper Dates

April 6 - 24 July 6 – 17

September 14 - 25 November 2 - 13

Treasurer’s Report ~ by Don Battles

Beginning Balance, 4/1/2019 $12,034.27

Ending Balance, 3/21/2020

Income

Dues $7,546.15

Total Income $7,546.15

Expenses

2019 Annual Meeting -$261.48

Administration and supplies -$65.86

Annual Picnic -$475.00

Fence Painting -$5,300.00

Landscape, Utilities (with CVCA) -$2,969.87

President's Letter -$126.92

Spring 2019 Dues Letter -$121.93

Spring 2019 Newsletter -$235.17

USPS (PO Box Rental) -$130.00

Total Expenses -$9,686.23

$9894.19

Balance includes prior year donations and expenses ($2898.24 remains) towards the Cypress Fire Grant.

Dues payments last year were significantly higher than in previous years as we received several duplicate payments as a response to our President’s letter sent in August. Shared expenses with Carmel Views were somewhat lower than 2018 due to reallocation of some shared expenses. Our largest expense was for repair and painting of the fence along Carmel Valley Road. This expense was anticipated and undertaken after examination of projected revenue and expenses for this year and next.

Don Battles

RRVPOA Treasurer

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Garrya Elliptica or Silk-Tassel ~ by Suzanne Taunt

This is a coastal California native plant. It is also well known in the British Isles. The name derives from the secretary of the Hudson Bay Company, Nicholas Garry, who helped organize British plant hunting trips/expeditions to North America ( California) in the 19th century.

Garrya Elliptica or Silk-Tassel has male and female plants, grows to fifteen feet and can live for 150 years. It needs good drainage, no soil additives and is drought toler-ant. And it is “sea-salt” tolerant. ( More landscapers who plant along Scenic should take note.) Silk-Tassels are popular with birds, too.

For the best tassels – meaning long and dramatic - one might choose a male over a female. A popular variety is James Roof.

While there are handsome examples of Silk-Tassels at the San Francisco and Berkeley Botanical Gardens, some were planted in the gardens of Vita-Sackville in West England on north-facing walls as espaliers and shrubs, because of being winter-flowering and elegant in an Edwardian way.

At the entrance of Rancho Rio Vista there are some mature examples on the left-hand side of the road.

Welcome New Neighbors! DIRECTORY UPDATES SPRING 2020

Ganina, Valeri & Julia C-22

25527 Hacienda Place

Phone: 415-446-8743

(former listing: Morris, Janet)

Wiese, Sara & David Affield F-18

4165 Segunda Drive

Phone: 915-8408 (Sara) 331-1160 (David)

(former listing: Wiese, Ken)

Trivers, Jodi A05, A06

26000 Rotunda Drive

Phone: 650-796-7732

(former listing: Torras, Vincent)

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RRVPOA

P.O. Box 221844

Carmel, CA 93922 ContactRRVPOA@gmail.com https://rrvpoa.wordpress.com

PLACE

STAMP

HERE

2020 ANNUAL MEETING:

Canceled due to the pandemic

NOMINEES FOR THE BOARD:

None, 5 incumbents have agreed to

stay on the board until our next

meeting.

RRVPOA BOARD

Suzanne Taunt President

Ann Hanham Vice President

Judy MacClelland Secretary

Don Battles Treasurer

Laurie Balcar Board Member

Les Albiol Board Member

Kathy Curless Board Member

Rancho Rio Vista Real Estate Update ~ by Alessia Ucelli*

Sold in 2019

26000 Rotunda Drive LP:$1,735,000 SP:$1,835,000 DOM: 14

25527 Hacienda Place LP:$1,385,000 SP:$1,300,000 DOM: 112

Active

2085 Segunda Drive LP:$4,200,000 SP: TBD DOM: 46 (April 1st)

4145 Segunda Drive LP:$1,775,000 SP: TBD DOM: 40 (April 1st)

*Realtor (DRE 01896783) cell: 831-5217099, email: Alessia@montereycoastrealty.com

LP: List Price

SP: Sales Price

DOM: Days on Market

Two homes in RRV sold in the last 12 months. Currently there are 2 homes on the market as of April 2020, but it is just the close of the first quarter and much can take place in the rest of the 2020.

Spring Annual Meeting canceled!