Waiting for Follow-up

As of today, I have not heard back from CPDC regarding follow-up to these items. 

CPDC follow-up list as of May 23, 2007:

1. 1.Unsold lot appearance – tall grass & weeds: 

2. 2.Signs: Remove or change remaining incorrect signs with references to the “Land Office”

3. 3.Signs: Replace missing lot identification signs

4. 4.Existing fenced garden: Finish off the fencing in the garden to a logical stopping point. 

5. 5.Garden expansion: Receive permission to temporarily expand garden to the East of existing garden.

6. 6.Save fencing & monuments: Preserve & store wrought-iron style fencing and decorative monuments (land office & main entrance).

7. 7.Remove silt fence & barbed wire fencing: Remove fencing, mostly near walking trails and roadways need to be removed.

8. 8.Remove debris: Remove barrels from the Northern side of the lake, East of the Community Center. 

9. 9.Displaced trees near main entrance: Ask new property owners to save & move shrubs and trees near main entrance to new locations if possible.

10. 10.“Welcome to Hugo” monument sign: Complete electrical and landscaping work around the monument sign.

11. 11.Trusses left by Nottinghome Builders: Please speak to Nottinghome Builders and/or the truss company to remove these items.

12. 12.Victorgardens.com website: Is there any timeline for updating the victorgardens.com website?  

13. 13.Intranet: Is there any timeline for updating the Victor Gardens Community Intranet?

Sprinkler Watering

Gina Higgins, our Community Manager was told last week by our HOA contractor, Early Bird, that the common area sprinklers were turned on.  Since I’ve received a few questions on this, she’s following up on this for us. She wrote,  “I spoke to Early Bird last week on Tuesday and was told that the system was turned on.  I will follow up with them right now to see what is going on.  Thank you for informing me of this.  I will let you know what I find out.”

There may be a separate watering issue related to the turn-over of the Parks by CPDC to the City of Hugo. Gina Higgins wrote to Dave Hempel of CPDC regarding this, “I just wanted to confirm that you would be coordinating with the City, the start-up of the irrigation system in the areas that they have taken over, per the letter... provided me.”

Mr. Hempel responded today, “Yes, that is still the plan. I will see if I can schedule for Friday this week with city and Tom at Early Bird.”

Lots Reserved for New Construction

According to Jack Broughton of CPDC, six lots are currently reserved in the Single Family Village.  He wrote, “The lots that have been reserved are 1st Addition Block 1, Lot 20, Block 2, Lot 7, Block 4, Lot 4, and in VG East, Block 3, Lot 6 and 8, and Block 4, Lot 3.”

City meeting set for Tuesday, June 5.

Two new items were recently pointed out in Arbre Park.  They have been added to the other questions we will discuss at an upcoming meeting with Chris Petree, the City of Hugo’s Public Works Director.  The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 5.

There are a number of questions and suggestions that fall under the control of the City.  I will share the list I have with Mr. Petree:

Val Jean Park:

1. 1.Consider adding a device to prevent wide opening of the tennis court’s doorway to physically prevent bicycles from entering.

2. 2.Consider adding signs to tennis court prohibiting bikes, skates & scooters, which damage the court’s surface.  

3. 3.Consider adding “dogs prohibited” signs in the tennis court as dog waste has been found inside the fence and on the court itself.

4. 4.Repair drinking fountain in Val Jean Park. Gina Higgins said last week“The City needs to come out and turn the water source on as it is 6 feet underground per the vendor that was out to repair.  I will contact the City to confirm this”

5. 5. Coordinate the sprinkler watering of the park with CPDC.

6. 6. Fix latch on tennis court door.

Arbre Park:

7. 7.Raking mulch needed near bleachers and playground equipment in Arbre Park.

8. 8.Repair edging near the playground in Arbre Park.

9. 9.Consider adding drinking fountain to City-owned Arbre Park: CPDC has completed its plans for this Arbre and Val Jean Parks.

10. 10.Repair railing on playground equipment and consider adding step to playground equipment.  Chris Petree, City of Hugo is aware of the situation and wrote yesterday, “I met with the playground equipment rep. today…he will repair/tighten/etc. all equipment on the play structures today.  He will also supply me with options/prices for the stair area that was of concern….we’ll figure something out shortly.”

11. 11. A large Cottonwood tree in Arbre Park needs attention.  It may need to be trimmed or removed to prevent a dangerous situation.

12. 12. Coordinate the sprinkler watering of the park with CPDC.

Signs:

13. 13.Repair leaning stop sign at Garden Way and Arbre near Arbre Park.

14. 14.Consider adding “Children at Play” signs.

15. 15.Consider adding “Teeter-totter” graphic sign in close proximity to playgrounds.

16. 16.Consider adding “Speed Limit” signs on key roadways, especially on Garden Way & Victor Hugo Blvd.  

17. 17.Additional asphalt onto V.G. streets:  Determine schedule with City on the final layer of blacktop on some of our streets.

18. 18.Are there any city-related issues which prevent CPDC's completion of the "Welcome to Hugo" monument?

Follow-up : CPDC’s Marketing of New Home Sites

A question was asked and posted in the “News” section on May 16 about how Victor Gardens’ developer, CPDC, intends to show or sell single-family home site lots without a Land Office.  

Jack Broughton, of CPDC has responded,  “To let you know, the phone number on the realtor-sized signs sprinkled around the single-family area that say "For Neighborhood Information or Model Home Tours, call..." is forwarded to my cell phone and I either drop everything to run up to Hugo for interested prospects or I schedule a future appointment with them.  In the past month, we have taken 6 new reservations for single-family homesites, 3 in the 1st addition and 3 in VG East.  These do NOT include the Ryland sales.  So, yes, sales efforts are continuing even though we don't have a sales office, and in fact, Victor Gardens sales this spring have been the best of any of our neighborhoods.”

At the Annual Meeting and during the Walk-Through, Dave Hempel and Homer Tompkins were made aware that marketing signs contained outdated information.  They also know were informed that many lot identification signs were damaged or missing.  It was also re-iterated that the victorgardens.com marketing website contained inaccuracies, and should be updated.

As of today, there is no word yet whether these remaining three items will be addressed by CPDC.

Pool Opens Today!

The Victor Gardens pool will open later this afternoon. Other than the obvious safety rules, 3 sometimes overlooked rules should be highlighted: 

1.  No Glass!  Please leave your bottles at home.  If broken glass is discovered in the pool area, the entire pool may need to be drained, cleaned, and refilled.  How will you explain to your neighbors that your Iced Tea bottle effectively closed the pool on the warmest weekend of the Summer?

2.  Swim Diapers!  This should be self explanatory.  Last year, unfortunately, the “Baby Ruth-in-the-pool” scene from the movie, Caddyshack, was re-created in our very own Victor Gardens Pool.  Pool contamination requires closing, draining, cleaning, and re-filling. It’s a process that’s expensive for the Association, and closes the pool for many days. It’s also completely avoidable.  Please put swim diapers on kids that need them.

3.  Math Quiz:  

Question:  What do 65 families in the Single Family Village plus all of our Victor Gardens Townhomes neighbors equal?
Answer:  A crowded pool.

Don’t feel like a summer “Grinch” when someone you don’t know tells you the old line, “I forgot my pool key at home.  Please open the door for me?”   In addition to overcrowding, allowing non-residents into Victor Gardens’ pool unfortunately presents a legal liability issue for all homeowners in the Association  

Click here for the complete set of rules for the Activity Center and Pool.

Don’t forget the Pool Opening Fiesta, will be hosted by The Victor Gardens Social Committee on June 3.  Check our Upcoming Events page for details.

Maintenance Update - Following Up

I wish I had more news to report.  Unfortunately, as of today, a list of items has not been followed-up by CPDC or Victor Gardens’ Architectural Review Committee.  A few points have been addressed, but not enough to publish an update.  It’s possible that more have been addressed, I just have not received follow-up comments regarding my CPDC follow-up list for May 23,2007.

I am also working to  schedule a meeting with City of Hugo officials to address issues related to the parks, signs, and other City property.  

Since it’s so close to a holiday weekend.  I don’t expect a response on these items until next week.  I’ll update the site when I hear back from CPDC about their follow-up lists.

On to better news...  Working hard for our neighborhood as usual, Gina Higgins of Community Development, Inc. is coordinating a number of repair items, and other community-specific items.  Her list is posted below:  Thanks Gina!

Community Development follow-up list (May 23,207)  - notes from Gina Higgins are in red.

1. 1.Prepare work orders to re-install paver stones near the main entrance fountain.[Gina Higgins]  A work order has been submitted 

2. 2.Prepare work orders to repair & restart the main entrance fountain.[Gina Higgins]  Early Bird is working on this. 

3. 3.Prepare work orders to install new plantings near the main entrance fountain.[Gina Higgins]  Work order submitted to Early Bird. 

4. 4.Price message board to be installed at the Community Center.  Another suggestion was made that we consider re-using the decorative wooden monuments no longer used - and sitting at the main entrance to Victor Gardens.  They may be a future solution for message boards in the Parks.

5. 5.Pool:  Make sure everything is ready for pool opening  [Gina Higgins]  Pool will be open this afternoon! :o) 

6. 6.Fountain at Jardin Circle:  Clean-out and fill and start [Gina Higgins]  Cleaned out - needs water source to be turned on - will be done next week. 

7. 7.Tree splint:  Tree should be checked by landscaper to ensure tree is not growing into its temporary splint – across 4354 Victor Hugo Blvd. in Poet’s Green Park.[Gina Higgins]  Early Bird is aware of this and will take care of it. 

8. 8.Volleyball net:  Re-hang volleyball net in Arbre Park [Gina Higgins]  This will be completed next week. 

9. 9.Prepare work order to repair broken drinking fountain in Val Jean Park [Gina Higgins]  The City needs to come out and turn the water source on as it is 6 feet underground per the vendor that was out to repair.  I will contact the City to confirm this. 

10. 10.Follow-up with contractor regarding snowplowing damage.  [Gina Higgins]  Work order submitted to Horticulture Services. 

11. 11.Garden irrigation:  Ask landscaper to reconnect irrigation in the garden. [Gina Higgins]  Early Bird & Dave [Hempel of CPDC] are working on this. 

12. 12.Dead Trees: Request bids to replace dead trees near Community Center. [Gina Higgins]   

13. 13.Sunken concrete at Gazebo:  Are we still awaiting bids for the repair of the Victor Square gazebo concrete? [Gina Higgins]  Yes, I have contacted two contractors that do mud-jacking and am awaiting their bids.   

14. 14.Leaning fountain controls and fence screening at Victor Square’s pond:  When will this be finished?[Gina Higgins]  I have another call into the pond & lighting company that was out to repair to check the status.  Will update you as soon as they get back to me. 

15. 15.Pool Heater:  Have we received bids for new venting in the heater room of the Activity Center? [Gina Higgins]  The HVAC person was out and checked the CO levels in the room with the window shut and they are just fine.  The window can be closed and the fan can actually be removed and then put in an additional vent.  I spoke to the pool company again that had HVAC person out to get a price for this.  

16. 16.Follow-up with landscape contractor about replacing mulch in common areas (not parks). [Gina Higgins]  This is not something that is included in the contract - for 100 yards of mulch it will be $5,500. 

Landscape Policy & Requirements Approval Process

In response to a homeowner’s question, and for those who are unaware of the the process,  Shelly Tompkins of CPDC has clarified the method that Victor Gardens’ Architectural Review Committee uses to approve and refund landscape deposits:

“We will be inspecting the landscaping... for a refund of their landscape deposit.  Until their completion and request, we will not be reviewing their installation.  Once they are complete and request their refund, we inspect the landscaping to see that it has substantially complied with the approved plan.  Often homeowners will vary installation of products due to seasonal install or availability at the time of purchase.  We take that into consideration and we review the tree, shrub and perennial plant sizes.  If the installed size of the product does not meet the approved plan, the homeowner will not receive their refund until it is replaced or an additional tree to approved size is installed.”

Annuals Planted

Sarah’s Cottage Creations has installed beautiful new plantings in our common areas.  Recent rains should give the flowers a good head-start for the summer.

Welcome Home John!

This week, the neighborhood welcomes John Flor home from Iraq.  Thank you John for your service to our country!