Sunland North Owners Association
Quarterly Newsletter March 2019
Email: sunlandnorth@gmail.com
Website: https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1655, Sequim, WA 98382
The next three Sunland North Monthly Board Meetings are scheduled for April 10, May 8, and June 12, 2:30 PM at the Gathering Place, 135 Fairway Drive.
Welcome to all our new residents: As a reminder, please review Sunland North Homeowners Association Governing Documents (CC&R’s, By-laws, and Rules and Regulations) available on Sunland North’s website.
Vice-President’s Report – John Lewis (Volunteer)
Most of my efforts have been, and will continue to be, confined to the Fire Restoration Project. Restoration work is now underway and, for the residents of Cascadia Loop, this is very obvious. Please continue your understanding when you experience some street congestion when the contractor is delivering materials, etc. The contractor will do its best to keep it to a minimum.
As I reported at our last BOD meeting I volunteered to serve on a SLOA committee to review the original SLOA CC&Rs versus the current ones. The intent of the review was to catalog differences for referral to the SLOA attorney for legal review. Unfortunately personal events over took me and I was not able to participate beyond one meeting.
On March 20th several members attended a work shop to come up with ideas for Sunland North long range planning. This work shop dealt with the question, what do we want our 33 acres of open space to be in the future. A more detailed report, prepared by Barbara Brooner, is included in this Newsletter under the heading, Looking Ahead for Sunland North. Thank you to Mike Johnson as the facilitator of the work shop and Barbara as the recorder. Based on the response to the first work shop I hope there is an interest to continue them; there are lots of issues that merit discussion and provide direction to future BOD’s.
Treasurer’s Report – Jim Jones (Volunteer)
Through the first two months of 2019 Division 17 Operating expenses were $39,079 which is $437 over Budget, and at the end of February the Operating Fund balance was $167,653. This high balance is due in part to the fact that 31 owners paid the full year’s assessment of $2,840 in January. There have been no expenditures from the Fire Trust Fund so far this year so the Fire Trust Fund balance was $511,139 at the end of February. The major change that has occurred to Division 17 finances during this quarter was the need to use $250,000 from Reserves as cash collateral for the Injunction Bond that had been ordered by Judge Melly on December 28, 2018. After extensive searching we could find no other alternative to being able to post the required bond with the court. The Board approved this use of Reserves at the February 13 Board meeting, and the bond was acquired on February 14. The cost to acquire the bond was $5,350 so a claim has been filed with CAU for reimbursement of that cost. Following this shift of Reserves, the Reserve Fund balance was $93,458 at the end of February.
As a reminder, 2019 second quarter assessment payments ($710) are due April 1 so hopefully you have made your payment. Finally, on March 22 Estes Builders closed on the sale of a new unit on Mount Baker Drive, so Division 17 now has 135 units and the final four units are expected to be complete in the coming months.
Secretary’s Report — Lawrence Charters (Volunteer)
Division 17 proposed updates to their Bylaws in February, and these were approved in March by the Board following owner review and comment. The updates were prompted by some mandatory changes required by a new Washington State law that came into effect last summer. The revised bylaws may be found on the Sunland North site: https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/governing-documents/sunland-division-17-bylaws/
Please use the e-mail address sunlandnorthsecretary@gmail.com to contact me regarding board business.
Architectural Control Committee’s (ACC) Report – Susan Hamman (Volunteer)
The promise of spring and being outdoors has Exterior Change Requests picking up once again. One outdoor handrail was approved. There are two exterior change requests pending, requesting privacy fences.
The following 12 units are scheduled for repainting during the summer of 2019: 130/140 Cascadia, 150/160 Cascadia, 170/180 Cascadia, 210/220 Cascadia, 230/240 Cascadia and 241/251 Mt. Baker Drive. Unit owners were notified by letter of their scheduled repainting. Any changes to the exterior colors must be submitted by each building (the two unit owners together) by April 22, 2019, using the Unit Exterior Color Paint Change Request form, found on Sunland North’s website: www.sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/homeowners-forms/.
To request any other change to the exterior of your unit, please go to https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/homeowners-forms/ and fill out the three forms for the ACC process: Exterior Change Request, Hold Harmless Agreement, and Neighborhood Consent forms and then follow the instructions for submittal to the ACC. Do not start work until your Exterior Change Request has been approved.
Please note that certain parts of our community are considered to be “common elements.” These include the light posts outside your units and mailboxes. If your mailbox is faded, you may repaint it black, but no other color, so it retains the harmonious look throughout the community. Please understand that this uniformity through Sunland North is what has drawn many of us to the community.
The ACC thanks Cindy Rhodes, outgoing member, for her dedicated work with the ACC over the past several years! Thank you, also, to incoming member, Rob Crombie, who will take Cindy’s place on the ACC!
Exterior Maintenance & Inspection Report – Doug Hale (Volunteer)
Remember, it is still cold at night, so if you are using your hoses during the day, be sure to disconnect them after usage until it warms up. Our outdoor spigots, if connected to hoses, can freeze and cause leaking. Even though the spigots are on the exterior of the home, it is the responsibility of the owner to make repairs. Please refer to your Rules & Regulations within the CC&Rs, which can be found on our website, https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/governing-documents/.
If you are having an issue with the exterior of your home, please go to the website (find the Exterior Maintenance form in https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/homeowners-forms/) and fill out an exterior maintenance request then email it to div17external@gmail.com or drop it off at 171 Mount Baker.
On a brighter note, it seems that winter is now behind us and we can all look forward to enjoying a great summer.
Welcome Committee’s Report – Leah Prince (Volunteer)
Seven welcome visits were completed this first quarter. Welcome to all our new neighbors! Thank you Lawrence, for your hard work to update the welcome packet information!
Landscape Coordinator’s Report – Eric Mahnerd and Gerry Hatler (Volunteers)
SPRING HAS SPRUNG, THE GRASS IS RIZ, GEE, I WONDER WHERE THE FLOWERS IS.
Dormant season pruning finished the first week of March. If you think your trees and/or shrubs need additional pruning send an email to sunlandnorthlandscape@googlegroups.com. Please provide your address and a brief remark about what you think needs to be done.
Pre-growing season prep is ongoing. Edging and the first mowing of the season were done the second week of March. The irrigation system will be turned on shortly.
Reminder: if you plant bulbs in the flower beds you are responsible for their maintenance as the landscape crew will not disturb your plantings or the beds where you planted them.
I spoke with our landscaper regarding the tent caterpillars that are beginning to show up in the trees. He said that these critters follow a three year cycle. Our landscape crew will keep an eye peeled and clip infested branches they can reach and throw them in the lawn mower when they are cutting. If the infestation becomes severe we will investigate spraying as a solution.
Website Coordinator’s Report – Lawrence Charters (Volunteer)
Don’t Forget We Have a Great Online Owner’s Manual! There’s lots of useful information for HOA residents, so check it out at https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/. The website now has a search function which should simplify finding things on the site. Enter a search term into the box next to the magnifying glass. The site is now encrypted which makes it safer to visit and helps to ensure identity, authenticity, and reliability to our Website. Please note that this changes the website URL slightly from http:// to https://. If you do a google search for Sunland North Owners Association, the search will provide the site and you can click on that.
Thank You’s
The trimming of the arbor vitae on the west and south side of the RV park finally happened! Susan Hamman and Mike Gawley (SLOA RV park chair) coordinated the event. Volunteers trimmed the trees from protruding through the fence but still preserved the privacy barrier for the homes on the other side. Debris went to composting, and several hours later, the project was complete. Thank you to all the volunteers for your very hard and willing work!
During the snow in February, it was so nice to see so many neighbors helping other neighbors with snow shoveling, running errands, and checking on each other. There were so many examples of this going on in our Sunland North Community and so great to see!
A big thank you to Jim Jones and Donna Carson for securing the Injunction Bond so that reconstruction could begin on the fire damaged townhouses.
Thank you to Barbara Brooner and Lawrence Charter for developing and distributing the survey that will assist in planning priorities for the future of Sunland North. The survey results will be one of several sources of information for us to utilize.
Thank you to Cindy Rhodes for all her hard work on Amendment 5 to Sunland Division 17 Bylaws.
Without volunteers, the homeowners would have to hire professionals to perform the very duties our volunteers perform now at no cost. You can see why our resident volunteers are priceless! Thank you to All!
A photo essay of the RV Trimming event is available on the Sunland North site: https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/gallery/rv-lot-trimming/
Looking Ahead For Sunland North
March 20 was the first of a proposed series of “future-scoping” workshops for owners to begin exploring a range of options as part of the long-range planning for Sunland North. An invitation went out to all owners via email. These proposed workshops are a starting point for discussions, no decisions are being made at this time; but we need owners’ ideas and the issues out there for further exploration and evaluation as part of our future as a community. An action time frame is probably 3-5 years away.
There were 20 participants in this first session, representing 15 units. The group was asked to focus on one topic–the 33 acres of Open Space (“Greenbelt”) that surrounds and is a part of the Sunland North development–and we kept the discussion to one hour. Building on the owner survey conducted in January, priority topics for future workshops (one topic per workshop) could include exterior maintenance, landscaping, improving our reserves, earthquake insurance, pros and cons of hiring paid management, and the CC&Rs, for example.
Additional Information/Friendly Reminders
- Please, dog owners/walkers, pick up after your dog whether in the greenspace and/or in the landscape areas. If you have visitors with dogs, please remind them of their responsibilities. Pet waste is not something Sunland North residents want to see when out enjoying the fresh air.
- Don’t forget that there is lots of good information in the CC&R’s and Rules and Regulations on the Sunland North’s website. It is always good to review what we as homeowners are responsible for and what the association is responsible for. We have many wonderful volunteers in our community who are here to help us all, so don’t hesitate to contact one of them, if you have questions.
Saying Goodbye and Thank You – Susan Hamman
Cindy and Robert Rhodes, Sunland North residents for 14 years, have decided to relocate to Nevada. They leave near the end of April. Besides losing residents of long duration, Sunland North, in losing Cindy, is losing one of its most valuable and committed volunteers.
Since Estes Builders turned the HOA over to homeowner management in late 2012, Cindy has been involved every step of the way in helping build the community, Board and committee structures from which we as residents currently benefit. During the first two years of our homeowner-managed association, Cindy volunteered and served wherever she was needed: Secretary, President, and Treasurer, two years on the Governing Documents Committee and several years on the Architectural Committee. She also undertook the owners’ first Reserve Study, a study required by law. With her sharp analytical mind and her patience in consensus building, Cindy guided the association through the first challenging years of homeowner management. With her extraordinary Word and Excel skills, she whipped forms and documents into shape. She was always available to help new members of the Board or committees with her historical insight, careful review, and wise counsel.
But do you know one of the most outstanding things about Cindy? Her willingness to help the community. She knows that what helps the community also helps us each of as individual unit owners. Whenever she was consulted about an issue or a job to be done, her first words were, “What can I do to help?” Plain and simple, and she always followed through with her actions. Thank you, Cindy, for your outstanding work and guidance throughout these years. You will be deeply missed by our association!
2019 Sunland North Board Members
President – Gary Fortmann
Vice President – John Lewis
Treasurer – Jim Jones
Secretary – Lawrence Charters
Member at large – Mike Johnson
Kay Hatler – Newsletter Editor, kay.hatler@gmail.com
Snowstorm over Strait of Juan de Fuca