News

Just a reminder, the Windmill Park pool will be closing right after Labor Day weekend so that the planned Kool Deck repairs can be made. The Community Center poll will be open until the Windmill repairs are complete- and yes it will be heated. The repairs are very extensive and will hopefully take 30 days to complete but should result in a major improvement in another one of CRCA’s assets.

There have been numerous complaints by homeowners about having to file written complaints when they have an issue with a neighboring owner. “We used to be able to call in and not have to sign a complaint” is the most often heard objection.  The other comment is “when were the CC&R’s changed?” The CC&R’s have not been changed since being signed on October 31, 2002- we have just chosen to actually read them before acting. Call-in complaints were and are a direct violation of the CC&R’s.

 Section 4.12 Procedure when complaints made against Owners. Any Owner who files a complaint against another Owner, shall provide the Association with a written complaint which contains the complaining owners name, address, and telephone number.”

There are a large number of “trashcan violations” every month. While leaving them out on the curb is unsightly and results in a violation letter that does not mean you have to put them in your garage. Section 5.2.3.1 of the CC&R’s states: “No garbage or trash shall be allowed, stored or placed on a Lot or in a Parcel except in sanitary covered containers. Containers shall not be Visible from Neighboring Property.”  Visible from Neighboring Property: “means any object which is visible and discernible to an individual whose eyes are six feet above the ground level and who is standing at ground level on any portion of the Covered Property.” If you can conceal your trashcan with landscaping or other screening acceptable to the ARC then there is no violation if it is “not visible from neighboring property.” Just a thought for those having problems wrestling your cans from the backyard or garage every week.

It is nice to see all the activity at both of the swimming pools here. With the increased usage comes increased issues. I find it quite irritating that the Association has to spend $50,000.00 every year to employ pool monitors to try and get people to follow the few rules there are for using the pools. $10.00 of your dues is going to these monitors because people cannot seem to understand the need to conduct themselves in a civilized manner at the swimming pools. You will find the pool rules in this newsletter- AGAIN. Let me just say that anyone not following the rules while using the pools will be subject to having their pool keys shut off as a result of inappropriate behavior. The security cameras are up and running and afford us a very clear video of what does go on at the pools and are stored for any future use.  An added note to that is that if you are not current on your dues your pool key will be turned off until you make payment.

While the BOD has implemented a new approach to covenants enforcement it does not mean that we are not issuing violations. The homeowner covenants liaison will be trying to establish personal contact about any issues before writing “the letters”. Please make sure that the office has your current phone number so that they may contact you personally before having to issue  a violation letter. Monetary fines have been used in the past to try to get people to comply- even $100 a day fines were issued a number of years ago with about the same degree of success as the fines levied now. If a violation is not remedied in the prescribed time pool keys will be turned off for a violation along with a possible monetary fine. Not what we as BOD members and neighbors want to do but we have no choice but to seek compliance with the Associations documents.

I hope you are all enjoying the new landscaping that has been going on throughout the community as much as I am. I am sad to report that Joe Callahan, the chairman of the landscape committee, has passed away. I met Joe through the Neighbors Helping Neighbors program. He was in very poor health and needed help with his landscaping. I watched Joe go from just being able to sit in his chair at home to rebounding quite nicely. He started getting around with his walker and joined the landscape committee to try to give back to the community. Joe was very outspoken and his heart was in the right place and he did one hell of a job on the committee. I know that I will miss him but CRCA is a better place because of the efforts Joe put into the landscape committee. When you look at all the new trees and plantings please take a moment and thank Joe for being involved.

Having returned from an extended business trip to Canada I was pleasantly surprised by the landscape changes going on here in CRCA. I would like to thank the landscape committee for all the planning and hard work they have put into  making CRCA more attractive. The new monument landscaping and the additions to Twin Peaks are a very real improvement to anyone entering our community. The retention pond drainage project is done at Windmill Park and DLC is working on restoration of the turf on the baseball and soccer/football field. Hopefully it will be open for use by the 4^th of July holiday. With that said, I am very upset with the amount of new plantings that someone in the community has chosen to steal from Twin Peaks Road. Over 28 plants, trees and cacti have been stolen at a cost of over $500.00 to replace. Anyone seeing or knowing of the person or persons involved in these out right thefts please contact the office so we can stop these senseless acts. Remember- there is a $500 reward for the information leading to the arrest and conviction of any vandalism here in CRCA.

While it is the “fiduciary duty” of the BOD to enforce the CC&R’s we felt that the way that covenants enforcement was handled was too harsh and counterproductive to the ultimate goal of compliance. We are all neighbors here in Continental Ranch and as such want a community that we can all be proud of. With the current value of our homes declining over the past years- because of the economic conditions- it becomes even more important that preserving property values by maintaining the appearance of the homes is a goal shared in the community. We all share in making the greatest single investment we have made in our lives- our Homes and only want them to grow in value.

The covenants enforcement person’s title has been changed to Homeowner Covenants Liaison. There will be more attempts at personal contact and attempting to resolve any issues rather than just the past “violation letters” threatening fines. While this is a new approach it does not eliminate the eventual fines or loss of pool privileges if compliance is not achieved. Please contact the office with your most current phone number or e mail so that we can move forward with this friendlier approach to resolving compliance issues. We cannot make CRCA the kind of community we all desire without your help.

Spring is just around the corner and the landscape committee has finalized a number of projects to be completed with warmer weather. Refurbishing of the entryways will start as soon as all danger of frost is gone. This project will involve removing 27 trees along Silverbell Road that are diseased or dying. The management company will be coordinating the removals so that the replacement trees will be planted shortly after the removals are completed. The sides of Twin Peaks road have been approved to receive additional plantings as well as the newly installed monument of the East end of CRCA. Windmill Park drainage basins will be reworked and brought up to code and the turf at Windmill Park and the baseball diamond will be renovated. This will require that a construction fence be installed around all of Windmill Park. The fencing will be erected the week prior to Easter and will remain up until the turf project has been completed. We understand that a lot of homeowners utilize the park so please be patient during this time and realize that the projects are very much needed to bring us into compliance with Town of Marana requirements as well as to eliminate liability issues with the current condition of the grass fields.The new security cameras are up and running and hopefully will result in less vandalism of our common areas as we will have very clear pictures of those performing these senseless destructive acts. The new pool fencing has been installed on both pools replacing the rusted out fence that was actually falling down.Having been a dog owner all of my life I truly love having canine companionship. Having a dog as a part of the family also comes with responsibilities. While I love dogs there are people who do not like dogs or are afraid of them. Please remember that Pima County has a leash law and that CRCA has a rule that all dogs must be on a leash when on CRCA common areas. Windmill Park is a great place to take your dog- but not off a leash! There have been numerous problems with unleashed dogs and owners not picking up after their dogs. There are signs at Windmill Park that some homeowners either choose to ignore or feel the rules do not apply to them. Any homeowner with an unleashed dog is subject to a $100 fine for each occurrence as well as losing use of common areas (pools included) for 30 days for each occurrence. Please be a considerate dog owner and think of others who might not have the same love of your canine companion.The activities committee is seeking help with the planned Easter egg hunt in April. Please consider volunteering so this can be a successful event for the kids.