President’s Message Kevin

I hope that this newsletter finds all our members and family safe and healthy during this unusually trying time with social distancing limited to the wonders of the area around us. I know many in our community have reason to be concerned for the health of themselves and those around them. I am glad to see that everyone is doing their part and maintaining their distance while still enjoying walks and exercising around Walnut Run. I regret that we had to postpone our annual meeting and hope that we will be able to have our meeting sometime this summer. With no meeting our election of Board members had to be by mail and email vote. The following people were re-elected or elected to the Board: Mac, Charlene, Chris and Ernie. The Board’s April meeting was postponed until after the election and which we held using Zoom. With Board members in our homes or in a place with acceptable reception, we were able to have a very productive meeting. Our first line of business after introductions was election of officers. All officers, except for secretary who asked to step down, agreed to remain in their position and the Board voted in favor. We asked for someone to take on the position of secretary and Ernie stepped up and was approved by the Board. We are still looking for someone to take over as the chair of the Hospitality Committee as Pat would like to step down from this position. Pat will be remaining on the committee but does not want to continue as the chair. If you are interested or know of someone who might be willing to fill this position, please let me know. You do not have to be a full-time resident to fill this position and if anyone has questions or may be considering this volunteer position, please feel free to contact me to discuss. As part of the financial report we discussed the possibility of providing a way for our membership to pay their annual dues without the necessity to have a check sent into the POA. Our treasurer, Bonnie, will investigate how we may be able to do this. We also discussed and voted on changing the late fee to start with $25 on September 1st and adding an additional $25 if not paid by November 1st. If not paid by January 1st the POA will proceed with the placement of a lien on the property. We also approved our annual donations of $200 each to SML Association, Burnt Chimney Fire Department, and the Marina Fire Department. One committee reported waiting on some of the septic reports that we need from homes that are more than 500 feet from the lake. We have 3 suggestions from our lawyer on items that we should address in our covenant update and we will be asking the committee members to investigate the wording for these before presenting to the community.

I look forward to working with our Board this coming year for our community. Please stay safe and healthy and remember to social distance

MAY 2020

Walnut RunningsWALNUT RUN POA

Landscape Committee Report Janie

The Garden Spot

Spring 2020

At a time when we are all looking for good news…

Daffodils brightened our March mornings as Mother Nature teased us with warm temperatures.

The redbuds lined our roadways and ravines with purple surprise.

And who doesn’t like a dogwood brightening the woods?

Our neighbors, Pat and Bob, were making sure we had a Happy Easter message with the eggs that were hung on each sign garden. Thank you! Soon the soil temperatures will rise and our “sign parents” will be hard at work putting in the annual plants to add some color to the gardens. The Main Garden on Walnut Run had a super “clean-up” in late March. The leaves and sticks were quickly cleared, and a new layer of mulch was laid. It was quick work because of all the helping hands. We will again this year be looking for help to care for this large garden. Taking turns, a week at a time, to water, dead head blooms that are faded, and be on the look-out for the deer munching on the plants. We will supply the deer repellant spray, and lots of support. Please look at your calendars and see if you can help tend that garden. The landscape committee is always looking for back-up support to fill in watering and tending the smaller corner gardens. Let me know if you would be able to help on a temporary basis as people travel.

Thank you to all our volunteers!

Stay well, stay safe….. Happy Gardening!

Future flyers…

MAY 2020

Walnut RunningsWALNUT RUN POA

Hospitality Committee News Pat

The Walnut Run Hospitality Committee is currently on “lock down,” much like the rest of us.As the Coronavirus was becoming more prevalent, the first order of business was to cancelThe Westlake Country Club reservation for the WRPOA Annual Meeting which was scheduled for April 18, 2020. Currently, it is a postponement with no future date yet in place. When an alternative date is chosen, residents will receive an update regarding that information.

While we shelter in place, all home hospitality visits to new homeowners will be on hold. We do welcome our new neighbors to the Walnut Run community and hope to resume delivering theWelcome Baskets whenever it is prudent to do so. Please give your neighbors a greeting and awave while out walking…staying six feet away, of course.

Architectural Review Committee Lee

In this issue of the newsletter I'd like to write about erosion and our 2 rip-rap covenants that affect our lakeside neighbors and anyone who hates it when our lake turns muddy brown. The rule is that your lot likely qualifies as a rip-rap candidate if there is “active erosion.” Active erosion is defined by the Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) as: 1. areas that are bare and void of vegetation or other stabilizing material. 2. areas that are experiencing undercuts and/or sloughing off of the potential parent material or 3. areas directly adjacent to the shoreline that have the potential to deposit sediment or soil material into the lake. This can be true whether the lot is flat or steep. Article 3.4 of our covenants says that lot owners shall, within 6 months of purchase, prepare the waterfront shoreline where no natural rock or preexistent control exists with riprap or other appropriate material approved by ARC for erosion control. Article 4.9 states that prior to home construction, lot owners shall prepare the waterfront shoreline where no natural rock or pre-existent control exists with riprap or other appropriate material approved by ARC for erosion control. We should thank the committee that came up with these Walnut Run covenants back in 2003. Not only were they good stewards of the lake but somehow, they had the foresight to realize that recreation on the lake could expand to wake boats and other high-speed craft that pound waves into the shoreline. Riprap is the solution to save your land from washing away. Please review photos which show the impact of either good or no control.

The reason for covenants is to protect your property values. A quote from realtor Vicki of Prudential Waterfront Properties sums it up pretty well:

“If you have a property that is experiencing erosion, it is critical to deal with it. I know of one beautiful, nearly flat point lot owned by some wonderful folks from another area. Because they did not take the simple and relatively inexpensive measures necessary to control erosion, their lot has shrunk 10% to 20% in size. Don’t let this happen to you!”

Thank you and stay well.

MAY 2020

Walnut RunningsWALNUT RUN POA

Old riprap in need of repair

MAY 2020

Walnut RunningsWALNUT RUN POA

Communications Committee Kevin

I know everyone is anxious to see Shentel get their fiber to us so we will all have faster and more reliable internet service. As anyone who has driven in or out of Walnut Run has seen, they have started to run the cable to our community. I have had many questions on why they seemed to have stopped just short of our community. There have been rumors that the contractors doing the work were pulled off our project to work on another. I have contacted Shentel and they assure me that is not the case but rather the reason for no work being done the past couple of weeks is due to the rain and wet ground. They also said that the progress has been slower than expected due to the amount of stone and hard soil that they are encountering. Let us all hope for drier weather so that they can get back to work. I will pass on any new information as I get it and please let me know if you hear any rumors so that I can get the facts.

Walnut Run Marina Association News Bill

It’s been a productive spring for the marina in preparation for a busy summer season!

In March, Affordable Power Washing, power washed both A and B docks.

All the wood planking on the permanent docks was torn up and replaced. Although there is no lake clean up this year, large amounts of debris have been removed from the marina. Some was put onto the wood pile ready for this fall’s Annual POA picnic bonfire. Due to the quantities of large logs which were removed, a separate wood pile of cut logs was begun on the side of the marina parking area. Anyone who needs firewood, please help yourselves.

Enjoy the 2020 Boating Season!

MAY 2020

Walnut RunningsWALNUT RUN POA