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TRANSCRIPT
September 2008 Issue 9
MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD
The Vista Community Association Board of Directors met on August 4, 2008 at the Las Lomas Community Center, at 7:00 pm. The meeting started with an Open Forum, where Homeowners directed questions to the Board. There was a very animated discussion for an extended period of time on the issue of the trees in our community. There is at least one homeowner who thinks we have too many trees and that they are all too large. The Board is in the process of working with tree trimming companies to arrive at a program to trim back the trees and eliminate some. The priority on elimination will be to remove the trees that are intrusive on the houses and balconies, but also those trees which are lifting the roads and are blocking the sewers and drains in the community. After a lengthy discussion on how we might be able to eliminate vandalism at the swimming pool and tennis courts, the Board decided that the best recourse was probably to ask parents to talk to their children in hopes of eliminating the costs to the community, that is to explain that everyone pays for the damages of a few. The Board had to spend nearly $800.00 to repair the washroom at the pool. In conjunction with the report from the Operations Committee, the Board agreed to have our sewer lines in certain vulnerable areas scoped by camera to try and avoid expensive ruptures and repairs. There will be a more detailed discussion on the required repairs to our roads at the next meeting. We know more or less what has to be done, but must find the money within the budget to do it. The Board held a very long “Executive Session” to attempt to resolve a number of delinquent accounts, noncompliance issues and to proceed to more strongly enforce our fines procedures which are already in place. Please remember that YOUR Board has a legal responsibility to enforce the CC&R’s and Bylaws, which are the laws for everyone in the community. (Continued on page 6)
Next Board Meeting
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND, 2008
7:00 P.M. at LAS LOMAS
COMMUNITY CENTER 10 Federation Way
(corner of Turtle Ridge – take first left after
Shady Canyon)
Irregular Schedule!
Contents Board Message 1 Stadium EIR timeline 3 Committee Announcements 3 Architectural Procedures 4 History of Turtle Rock 5 Coyotes 7
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Board of Directors________________________________________________
• President • Vice President • Secretary • Treasurer • Director at Large
Eldon Ferguson Mel Posin Dennis McCollough Mary Reiser Bert Sherron
Management Company_____________________________________________
Action Property Management Irvine (Corporate Office) 29B Technology Drive, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92618
Toll Free – 1-(800) 400-2284 Phone - 1-(949) 450-0202 Fax - 1-(949) 450-0303
• Community Manager: Stephen Stanton
• Manager Assistant: Andrea Soler
949-450-0202, X313 [email protected] 949-450-0202 X344 [email protected]
Vista View Newsletter____________________________________________ Editors Sue Suesada
7 Valley View 854-7101 [email protected] Eileen Tsai 2 Falling Leaf [email protected]
Vistas Website: www.turtlerockvista.org or www.trvista.org
DEADLINE for submissions to the October newsletter- Monday, September 15th.
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FROM THE LANDSCAPE COMMITTEE
To all homeowners-----The Vista replanting has come to a stop due to hot weather. The replanting efforts are expected to resume in late September. Please bear with us and be assured it will improve. Thank you very much for your patience. FROM THE SOCIAL COMMITTEE Thanks again to all those that participated in the Vista Home and Garden Tour in May. Please send photos and descriptions of the enhancements you made to your home/garden to Sue at [email protected] so that we can put them up on the website. We could have realtors link to our website to show potential buyers how beautiful our homes/gardens are! Thank you!
DESPERATELY WANTED – NEWSLETTER STAFF! The newsletter team is looking for a few good folks to get involved with the writing and production of the monthly newsletter, Vista View. Our community is rich with talented, educated people who can bring fresh ideas and creativity to this important neighborhood communication medium. Please consider sharing your time and talents to make our newsletter even better. If you are interested, please contact Sue Suesada at [email protected]/854-7101.
UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL STADIUM PROJECT – EIR TIMELINE Our community website (www.trvista.org) has a dedicated page for the proposed University High School stadium project. You’ll find the latest information on this very controversial project that will affect all of us in the Vistas. Relevant documents (including Neil Marchower’s article in the May 2008 issue) are listed and archived there as well. Please check the website for future updates. At this point, the completion of EIR (Environmental Impact Report) is further delayed. The IUSD Board now anticipates the release of the draft Environmental Impact Report after Labor Day in September. At that time, all concerned residents will be asked to respond in writing or in person. Those on the email list will receive more specific information as to what response might be considered. To be placed on the email notification list, please contact Janis Kerr at [email protected]. Make sure you include the word STADIUM in the subject line.
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From the Turtle Rock Vista HOA Architectural Committee:
ARCHITECTURAL PROCEDURES Basically any changes affecting the outside MUST BE APPROVED by the Vista Architectural Committee. Many of these changes require permits from the City of Irvine. In addition, interior improvements that affect the building structure MUST HAVE the Association approval and may also require permits from the City of Irvine. Outside Examples: • Windows and door frames • New windows and doors • Awnings and outside window coverings • Patio and deck covers • TV antennas • Wrought iron fences/gates • Built-in barbeques/fireplaces/pits • Exterior light fixtures Inside Examples: • Any plumbing or electrical modifications • Wall removal/modification • Kitchen/bath remodeling • Mezzanines Please keep in mind that any problems resulting from changes to the condo, even with approval from the Architectural Committee and the City of Irvine, are still the responsibility of the homeowner and all subsequent homeowners. If in doubt about required approvals, please contact the Architectural Committee at 949-854-0815.
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HISTORY OF TURTLE ROCK Ever wonder where the name “Turtle Rock” came from (when it looks more like a frog)? Well, here’s the answer! There really is a rock in Irvine called Turtle Rock. But if you want to know where to find it, better ask a resident of the community near UC Irvine that was named for the 20-foot-high Miocene-era formation. Anyone else is likely to respond, “is there a Turtle Rock?” It’s there all right, albeit difficult to find now that it’s tucked away in a small hillside park in a maze of residential streets. It is unmarked by any plaque or sign, and the official Turtle Rock Community Park is on the other side of the hill. Irvine Ranch farmers called it Frog Rock when it was surrounded by a barley field instead of housing. And even though some historians say the area was commonly used by the Juaneno Indians, it is the Gabrielino Indians who are credited with naming it Turtle Rock – long before the bulldozers came. The rock, which is about 60-ft. wide and weighs an estimated 20 tons, resembles a turtle when viewed from a particular angle. No other explanation for the name has ever been cited.
Even though relatively obscure, Turtle Rock has meant many things to many people over the years and has been the subject of some controversy. In 1967, the Irvine Co. disclosed that the rock might be removed if it didn’t fit in with plans to develop the area. But the Pacific Coast Archeological Society protested
the idea and planners found a way to work around it. In the early 1980s, the rock became popular with local rock climbers, which horrified local Gabrielino Indians to whom the formation has been sacred for hundreds of years. To them, the piton-driving climbers scaling the rock were committing a sacrilege. Local tribal leaders demanded that the city of Irvine fence the formation. Instead, the city planted bougainvillea around the rock which, officials said, would deter climbers and vandals.
The Gabrielinos sanctified the rock on August 19th, 1984, and held religious ceremonies there for a short time afterward. But, to climbers and neighborhood children, the rock still presents an irresistible challenge, and it is routinely scaled and pitons driven into its surface, which contains several embedded fossilized seashells. “It’s hard for non-native people to understand Indian religious concepts,” says Paul Apodaca, a curator at the Bowers Museum.
“Native peoples are wed to the land, and natural features are the focal point for their symbolic explanations of life events such as birth, death, and creation. Any unusual feature in the surrounding landscape like rocks, valleys, distinctive coastlines, or large plants become highly significant in tribal religious imagery,” he said. (Continued on page 6)
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(Continued from page 5) Turtle Rock may no longer be the controversial landmark it once was, but perhaps the quietude has assisted in its preservation. It sits on a hillside overlooking the San Diego Freeway, unmarked by graffiti, mute, and unaware of all the memories and controversies it has generated through the years.
(An old newspaper article; from Fran Lugo’s personal collection – thank you, David and Joyce Gwidt, for bringing it to our attention!) (For a cool photo of Turtle Rock’s excavation, original sales info of the Vistas, and more, please visit www.trvista.org – Sales Info.)
(Board Message, continued from page 1) The meeting adjourned at 9:00 pm. The next Board meeting will be at the Las Lomas Community Center on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 7:00 pm. This Center is just off Turtle Ridge, which is the first left off Bonita Canyon after Shady Canyon Drive. The agenda for the Board Meeting will be posted on the Bulletin Board at the pool, four days in advance of the meeting. On behalf of your Board Eldon Ferguson, President *For complete meeting minutes, please visit www.trvista.org.
A Friendly Reminder… to park your car where you are supposed to. Streets and driveways are NOT good parking locations! Remember -- the Orange County Fire Authority Fire Master Plan for Residential Development clearly states, “Parking Prohibited on roadways less than 28’ wide.” Our streets are 22’ wide. This Parking violation is enforced by the Fire Authority, The Irvine Police Department as well as the Vista Rules Committee. Any damage done to an illegally parked vehicle caused by an emergency vehicle is the responsibility of the owner of the illegally parked car. Who wants that?
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Here is yet another important message from the Irvine Police Department: COYOTES WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Coyotes occur naturally throughout the state and have survived very well with the encroachment of people. They are opportunistic hunters who are typically more active between dusk and dawn. They can be found in most every natural habitat, suburban and urban area including Irvine. Co-existing With the Coyote Residents, especially those living near open space or wild lands are advised to give special attention to the following DO’S and DON’TS to safely and peacefully coexist with the coyote.
DO’S
• Consider making your dog or cat an indoor pet when living in an area that is known to be occupied by coyotes.
• Accompany your dog in well-lighted areas at night for comfort walks. • Keep your dog on a maximum 6-foot leash whenever you take it off your own property. • Keep all outdoor trash can lids securely fastened to the trash can receptacle. • Improve yard fencing to coyote-resistant standards. • Pick fruit when it ripens, and don’t leave rotting fruit on the ground. • Eliminate ivy and other thick groundcovers which may attract rats, which can attract
coyotes. • We recommend that cats be housed in a substantial cat run when left unattended
outdoors. • Teach children not to approach stray animals.
DON’TS
• Don’t feed wild animals. • Don’t leave pet food outdoors, especially at night. • Don’t allow pets to roam away from home unaccompanied. • Don’t leave water bowls for pets outdoors. • Don’t leave water in birdbaths, or birdseed outdoors for songbirds. • Don’t attempt to contact or “tame” coyotes.
(Continued on next page)
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(Coyote, continued)
Other Important Reminders
As with many wild animals, the coyote, if left alone, will regulate its own numbers. If coyotes in a certain area are removed, the remaining individuals will fill the area, either with larger litters, or by allowing outsider coyotes to move in. For this reason, trapping or other forms of abatement normally have no longterm impact. Flashing lights, tape-recorded human noises, scattered mothballs, and ammonia- soaked rags strategically placed may deter coyotes from entering an area. Coyotes and other predatory animals are “opportunistic” hunters. While the coyote’s natural diet may be small rodents and fruit, they will not hesitate to prey on small domestic animals, or human refuse, if the opportunity exists. Consequently, if you live in an area within the range of coyotes, it is your responsibility to afford protection to your domestic animals and to store your trash in a sound and secure manner. Trash should be put out on the day of pickup and not the night before. RECOGNIZE that the coyote is indigenous to North America. We are living in the coyote’s back yard, and the coyote has adapted well to our proximity. We have an obligation to adapt to the coyote.
Please telephone us to schedule an appointment for your free consultation with Your Neighborhood
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It’s important to understand that the Irvine Police Department and Animal Services Program does not depredate coyotes. We do document sightings and unusual occurrences involving them. If problem animals are identified, then efforts to preserve public safety will be taken without having to impact every coyote in the area. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Practice the dos and don’ts listed above. Teach your children to avoid stray animals. Keep your pets on a 6-foot leash and under your immediate control. Report sightings and unusual occurrences to the Irvine Police Department at (949) 724-7200. By doing so, we believe we stand a much better chance of peacefully coexisting with our wildlife. For further information, contact Irvine Animal Services at (949) 724-7092.
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Did you know… Daylight Saving Time this year ends at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 2nd.
INTERVIEW Past neighbor interviews can be found on our community website (www.trvista.org) under “Meet the Neighbors.” If you wish to have your interview removed or content altered (such as your address removed or have new information added), please contact Sue Suesada at [email protected]/854 7101. If there’s someone that the newsletter team should interview or if you’d like to be interviewed yourself, please contact Sue as well.
WANTED: Remote control for the old garage door. Please call Jay at 854-7101.
NEW NEWSLETTER COLOR! Our newsletter will have a different color next month. Let us know what you think!!!
The Bottom Can Come Up
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What you don’t know hurts you, if you choose the wrong agent or company. Buyers and sellers need to think about their agents’ analytical and negotiating skills, and judgment and marketing knowledge. First Team holds the largest market share in Orange County putting them in the unique position to gauge the housing slump’s impact. Orange County has little room for new-home developments and remains one of the most desirable places to live in the U.S.
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paula&[email protected]
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Real Estate Advisor
RECOVERY Every few days I get a question about the recovery of the Orange County real estate market. My answer is the same, if I knew the answer I would not be selling real estate, I would be retired. But there are some economists who are talking about the end of the housing slump. Richard K. Green, USC Lusk Center for Real Estate, has said 2010 is about the right time for a turnaround in prices. I feel that the buyers who purchased a home in 2002 or earlier are still way ahead of the game. As we all know, real estate is not a liquid investment, but it is the best long term investment. You can touch and feel it, and it makes money in the long run. If you rent your real estate, it will produce long term income. Don’t panic is my advice. If I kept all the homes I have ever bought, my net worth would be extraordinary. I believe in owning real estate and still believe it is the most safe long term investment. As a home owner, I enjoy living in a place I can call my own. Living in Orange County has been wonderful and living near UCI has given my family lots of wonderful educational and cultural benefits. Since prices are so reasonable right now, I encourage my clients, friends and family members to keep on buying more real estate. It is the Time to Buy! Call today to set up an appointment to discuss real estate! Remax Premier Realty –Irvine Office with Largest Market Share in Irvine
FRAN LUGO Ms Internet [email protected] or ezhomebuying.com Number One in Sales Units Sold in Turtlerock Vista Since 1981
(714)325-3465 cell (949) 654-3765