As we close the 3rd quarter of 2021, I want to share status updates on a few things the board is working on. Many of you have no doubt noticed along Boulder Lane that we have begun the process of pruning and removing trees affected by the severe winter storms. The board has been working with an independent arborist in recent months to observe how trees in the common areas were recovering and to make recommendations to us on how to proceed with those that were distressed. It is upsetting that so many of our trees were affected especially since they are a key feature of our neighborhood that is not easily replaced. There were a few instances where trees were on the borderline between leave in and prune or take out. In deciding how to proceed with these, the board considered the overall aesthetics of each area giving consideration to spacing, future landscaping plans for the area and how the aesthetics would progress over the near and long term. In the coming days and weeks as this work is proceeding, you’ll start to see stumps being ground and this part of the recovery finishing up and then we’ll slowly begin the process of restoration.
At this time, we’re asking residents who have not already done so to begin clean up or removal of trees on their own property that have suffered weather damage. Our community inspector is now including tree inspections as part of his regular inspections and notices are being sent out. To help Members make informed decisions about how to proceed with trees on their own property, I’m including a link to information we’ve previously shared here, as well as including the arborist report for the trees in the common area. Most folks should find the arborist report very helpful in assessing their own trees since it includes many photographs and descriptions of common area trees with the recommended course of action. It is likely that you will find similarities to your own trees and can use this information to help guide you in your decision making and to understand the expectations in case you receive a notice from our community inspector.
The board meeting to approve the annual budget took place on Sep 22 at 6:30pm. The 2022 approved budget can be viewed here. The regular annual assessment will remain at $526 for 2022, payable in two installments due Jan 1 and July 1. In the operating budget, we allocated increases for regular concrete fence maintenance and tree trimming in the 5 year outlook. In general though, aside from normal increases in contract renewals, etc. the operating budget tends not to vary much from year to year. Major capital expenses, timings and target reserve balances are primarily driven by the triennial reserve study which is refreshed every 3 years with another due in 2022. With the major renovations and repairs to the pool bathhouse and pool now complete, we are turning our attention to the common area landscaping and expect to make a number of small to mid-sized investments in the capital expense budget to refresh and restore landscaping up and down Boulder Lane next year. In addition, we have a nice upgrade to the landscaping at the south entrance median happening next year as well with regular maintenance planned going forward. If all of our numbers and projections are correct, we should end 2022 with about $50,000 in excess of our most recent reserve study’s target reserve balance. This will put us on a nice footing heading into 2023 where we can begin to consider possibilities for new capital improvements as opposed to catching up on maintenance and repairs that were neglected in years prior.
As always, send questions or concerns to board@canyoncreek.net.
Best,
Brett Funderburg
President, CCHOA