Sump Pump Issue to be Discussed at Annual Meeting

Victor Gardens Groundwater Study Complete.

Residents affected by groundwater, flooding, and sump-pump problems are urged to attend the upcoming April 16 Annual Meeting. 

Hugo’s Development Director Bryan Bear, informed me yesterday that the City had completed it’s groundwater survey in Victor Gardens.  Mr. Bear offered to discuss the results of the survey, and respond to resident questions at the beginning of the Single Family Village’s 6:00PM Annual Meeting on April 16.

The meeting will be held at:

Hugo’s Rice Lake Centre

6900 - 137th St. North  

click here for map & directions

6:00 PM

Board Advisory Group Met with City Staff

Yesterday, members of Victor Gardens’ Board Advisory Group met at City Hall to discuss the proposed turnover of the Victor Gardens Community Association (the master HOA) and the Single Family Village Association.  

The group met to discuss legal and financial issues as homeowners consider assuming control of the two associations.  A punchlist of unfinished developer projects, city projects, and items the Association is responsible for were also discussed.

More specific information will likely be available in the next week or so.

Another New Builder?

Here’s an item that someone brought to my attention regarding unsold Victor Gardens Single Family Lots.  It appears that a company, North Country Builders, is offering Victor Gardens lots for sale.   Among their many listings from a variety of neighborhoods is a price list itemizing the remaining unsold lots in the Victor Gardens Single Family Village.  (This doesn’t include Ryland Homes or Pratt’s Creekside Villa areas).  

North Country is not the first company to offer these lots for sale. Last year, CPDC’s alley-loading lots along Victor Hugo Blvd & Cossette Lane were MLS listings found on Edina Realty’s website including illustrations of Hartman Homes.  At this time, it’s unclear whether the North Country Builders website listings are outdated or whether they have a new relationship with CPDC and the Beard Group.    

I have not been informed by CPDC or The Beard Group of any recent news about lot sales efforts or marketing plans. 

To view the North Country listings, click here: http://www.northcountrybuildersinc.com/lots.html

Master Association Transition Meeting, April 16 at 7PM

The Victor Gardens Community Association (the master association) will be transitioned at the upcoming Annual Meeting.

Wednesday April, 16 at 7:00 PM

City of Hugo - Rice Lake Centre

6900 - 137th Street North (click for Map)

It is very important that everyone attend this meeting or return your signed proxy so that a quorum can be reached and Members can proceed with the meeting.  Proxies should be mailed in advance of the meeting.

According to the notice,

“The main purpose of this meeting will be to transition the Association from Developer control to Homeowner control and to announce the Directors of the Board of Directors.

The Master Board of Directors will be comprised of one appointed Director from each of the Village Associations.  Other matters concerning the affairs of the Association will also be discussed.”

If you have not received your ballots or notices for this meeting, please contact Gina Lampe at (763)225-6438.

Single Family Village Association Transition Meeting April 16, at 6PM

Residents of Victor Gardens Single Family Village Association should have already received notice of the upcoming Transition Meeting.  

Wednesday April, 16 at 6:00 PM

City of Hugo - Rice Lake Centre

6900 - 137th Street North  (click for Map)

According to the notice,

“The main purpose of this meeting will be to transition the Association from Developer control to Homeowner control and to elect directors to serve on the Board of Directors for the Association.”

With the proposed transition, homeowners have the opportunity to make positive changes in our community. There are five Board Positions available to Single Family Residents.   You may nominate yourself or another individual.  If you are nominating another individual, please verify their interest in serving on the Board of Directors prior to filling in their name on the ballot.

The master association’s Transition Meeting will follow at 7:00PM after the Single Family Village Association meeting is completed.

If you have not received your ballots or notices for this meeting, please contact Gina Lampe at (763)225-6438.

Subscribe to Victor Gardens Email Announcements

Feel like you’re not getting enough information on what’s happening in Victor Gardens?  

We’re trying to solve this problem by creating an email subscription system to keep everyone informed.  We ask that ALL residents register and sign up to receive email updates that are important to you.  Visit http://lists.victorgardensnews.org to register your email address.

WHY REGISTER?  

    Why have my dues increased?

    Will the Pool open this Summer?

    Why don’t I ever hear about social events?

By registering, you’ll find the answers to these questions and more.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE LISTS THAT INTEREST YOU:
    1. Announcements List
            Everyone who subscribes to this list will receive:
                Important meeting notices
                Parties & events invitations
                Committee news
                Occasional updates meant for ALL Victor Gardens residents.
    2. Town Homes List
            Subscribers to this list will receive information relevant to Town Home residents
    3. Single Family Homes List
            Subscribers to this list will receive information relevant to Single Family Home residents

STAY CONNECTED:
Once you’ve registered, your neighborhood representatives will use the subscription lists to keep you informed.  They’ll phase out their old email lists and use email addresses collected by the new system. Of course, your information will be kept private.  It will not be sold or shared.  If you choose not to register, you won’t receive email announcements.

TECHNICAL NOTE: Please keep in mind that this is an all new system.  It does not share information with the old Victor Gardens Intranet Site.  Residents will have to subscribe and set up a new account. Your old Victor Gardens Intranet Site’s user name and passwords will not be recognized by this new database.  Even if you currently receive neighborhood emails, you’ll still need to register with the new site to receive future announcements. 

Thanks to Jason Lanpher, a Victor Gardens homeowner and President of Stealth Networking, Inc. who designed and hosts this new website. 

Please take a few minutes to complete the simple registration process. Soon after you register, your account will be activated. The subscription site's address is:
http://lists.victorgardensnews.org

Learning from Liberty on the Lake

Members of the Board Advisory Group met this week with Sarah Buerkley.  Sarah lived in CPDC’s other community, Liberty on the Lake, when it was transitioned to homeowner control.   She served on Liberty’s master association’s Board of Directors for four years after the transition as President, Vice-President, and Secretary.  Victor Gardens Board Advisory Group asked a number of questions of Sarah in the hope that the group could learn from Liberty’s experience.

Here is a brief outline of what was discussed:

1. Liberty transitioned in 2003
   

2. 
   

   The transition was planned for a period of months but took effect over the period of one Annual Meeting.
   

3. 
   

   Liberty transitioned as originally planned, as a certain percentage of lots were sold.
   

4. 
   

   The transition was viewed as a very positive experience for residents.
   
   

5. Question: Were there any problems that residents were surprised about or unprepared for?  Answer: Residents had not anticipated the level of costs that CPDC covered as part of the developers marketing budget.  The master association needed to increase dues after transition to maintain the level of amenities and services that residents had come to expect while under CPDC control.  The association also had to adjust their budget anticipate reserve fund needs.
   
   

6. Liberty’s master association is structured with a master board, and 3 sub-association boards.  
   
   

7. Liberty works with a management company whose responsibilities are similar to Victor Gardens management company.
   
   

8. Responsibilities for planning social events and some landscape planning is carried out by volunteers. 
   
   

9. Liberty’s day-to-day administration is carried out by their management company, Durand & Associates.  
   
   

10. The level of service and quality of Liberty’s amenities increased as a direct result of their transition from CPDC control.  This includes landscaping, snow removal, community center, overall appearance, etc.
    
    

11. Liberty’s current association does not rely heavily on volunteers to carry out the responsibilities of their association.
    
    

12. Liberty’s Architecture Review Committee was partially transferred from CPDC at the same time.  Before residents gained full ARC control, CPDC transferred some ARC control, notably to set and enforce landscape and architectural changes to existing homes. 
    
    

13. Liberty’s ARC consists of a group of 5 residents.  
    
    

14. Liberty’s association did not have outstanding debts that residents didn’t know about before transition. 
    
    

15. There were no major financial problems that resulted from the transfer.
    
    

16. Sarah was not aware of any legal problems that resulted from the transition.

Annual Meeting set for April 16

Gina Lampe has announced that the Victor Gardens Community Association’s Annual Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 16, 2008.  She confirmed transition plans for both the master association and the Single-Family Village.  

“We will be sending out the notice for the transition meeting.  We have it scheduled for April 16th; so the notice will be mailed out next week.  The annual meeting will be as one with the transition meeting.  Both the SF and the Master will be transitioning to homeowner control on the 16th.  If you have any questions regarding the transition, I would be more than happy to try and answer any questions you may have."  - Gina Lampe

Your Opinion Needed: Association Turnover

It is anticipated that two of Victor Gardens’ associations will be turned over to homeowners at the upcoming Annual Meeting.  As of now, the meeting is not confirmed, but will likely take place in mid-April.

Victor Gardens Community Association (the master association):

VG’s Developer, CPDC, has proposed the turnover of the master homeowners association to residents.  Residents, including those serving on the Board Advisory Group, are reviewing this proposal.  There are questions that residents will have prior to the turnover.  Please use the “Add A Comment” feature below to contribute to this process. Transition is a permanent change.  It is important that everyone understands the potential benefits or problems in advance.  From the information available at this time a VGCA Master Board would be comprised of one representative from each of the sub-associations.  Please refer to the Docs (Documents) page for an organizational chart illustrating the sub-associations.

Victor Gardens Single Family Village 
(sub-association to the Victor Gardens Community Association): 

The Beard Group’s recent purchase of 26 lots in Victor Gardens East has fulfilled the pre-set requirement for resident turnover.   The Single Family Village marks VG’s third sub-association, after the Gables Association and Villas Association, to be transitioned from a Developer/Builder.

Future Board of Directors:

Both Associations will require homeowners to staff the future Boards.  As a part of the turnover process, new Board Members will be nominated and elected.  Residents have seen the great benefit of homeowner involvement over the last year.  It will be very important for homeowners to stay involved, ensuring the success of our neighborhood.

Please use the “Comment” feature to contribute your thoughts and questions about the proposed transition.  It’s best to carefully consider this issue before questions arise later.

Budgets Finalized - Dues Increase

2009 Budgets have been finalized for the Victor Gardens Community Association (the master association) and the VG Single Family Village.  The new budgets approved by the Board of Directors reflect a 25% increase of dues paid to the master association by VG’s sub-associations.

Visit the Financials page to view and download the final Budgets.

Below is a copy of  the Board of Directors letter mailed to homeowners this week.  It explains the Board’s reasoning behind the increases: 

Victor Gardens Single Family Village

Homeowners Association

7100 Madison Avenue West

Golden Valley, MN 55427

February 22, 2008

Dear Homeowner, 

Enclosed with this letter, please find the new budget for the Victor Gardens Community Association and Victor Gardens Single Family Village Association.  The fiscal year for the Victor Gardens Community Association ends on March 31, 2008; therefore the new fiscal year begins on April 1, 2008.

The Board, along with the assistance of your management company, has given the 2008-2009 Association budget careful consideration.  One of the main functions of the Board of Directors is to maintain property values; therefore an increase of the annual dues is necessary.  Furthermore, the Board has researched association dues for communities with similar number of homes and similar amenities and determined that our dues are in line with other communities.

The main reason for the increase is to relieve the current outstanding association expenses.   On the enclosed budget, you will notice an excess of revenue over expenses.  These funds will be used to pay the outstanding expenses from the current and previous years.   The total amount of outstanding expenses as of February 15, 2008 is $61,160.00.  The future budgets will have an excess of revenue for this reason. 

The overwhelming majority of this shortfall is in part because of the decrease in sales due to current market conditions and all of the common amenities, such as the pool, parks, activity center, etc. being completed.  The expenses were incurred because the amenities require ongoing maintenance and repairs.

Effective April 1, 2008 the annual master association dues shall be $582.00.  Dues will be billed on a quarterly basis for the single-family homes and monthly for the townhomes, consistent with the decision of each sub-association Board of Directors.  

The annual dues for the Village Homes shall be $745.00.  This increase of the annual assessment is due solely to the increase in the Master Association’s assessments.  The quarterly dues shall be $186.25.

In a separate mailing you will receive a set of coupons.  If you are using EFT (automatic withdrawal) for your Homeowners Association dues payments, you will not need to make any changes with your bank.  The bank will automatically withdraw $154.50 each quarter from your account.

If you have any questions please contact the Association’s Community Manager,  Gina Lampe 
at   763-225-6438 or via email at glampe@developcommunity.com  

Thank you.

The Board of Directors

Victor Gardens Single Family Village Homeowners Association