Cedar Springs Homeowners’ Association Special Meeting
January 13, 2007
Presiding were Board members Don Lapworth, Alec Taylor, Kippy Strandberg, Susan Miller, and Art Shotwell. John Childs, owner of Simply Yards, sat with the Board to respond to questions about the landscaping proposal we were meeting to discuss.
Nineteen of the twenty-eight units (68 percent) were represented at the meeting, according to the sign-in sheet.
The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m. in the large meeting room of the
Anacortes Library.
1. Welcome and Opening Remarks
Don Lapworth introduced the board members and John Childs. He then presented some of our landscaping installation and maintenance history and gave reasons for presenting a proposal that was as comprehensive as this one. Don encouraged the homeowners to think of the project as an investment of $1108 per unit, paid over 30 months, which each homeowner would most likely get back at the time of resale, given the enhanced real estate value from the projected improvements.
2. Explanation of Voting Procedure
Susan Miller asked that someone from each unit write their names on the sign-in sheet and take one ballot per unit. At the time of voting, the anonymous ballots were to be placed in an envelope.
3. Current Landscaping Problems and How Project Will Address Them
Kippy Strandberg, our Landscaping Coordinator, led the group through a detailed log of all the problems that we encountered in just a few months last summer, so that people could understand how pervasive, constant, and difficult our landscaping challenges are. Kippy also detailed her frequent communication with Simply Yards and praised the promptness and effectiveness of their responses, especially regarding our problem-ridden sprinkler system. She distributed these detailed logs last summer in documents to homeowners, and today she reviewed some of the pertinent information in them. At the meeting Kippy also listed the problems that cannot be solved under our regular maintenance contract because of the clay soil, poorly performing sprinklers, and misplaced trees, shrubs, and plants.
Ongoing problems include the following: growing plants have blocked sprinkler water from reaching the plants they are supposed to water. Sprinkler heads are placed in the wrong places, sometimes directly under plants. The system is not divided into zones, so the wet places get watered whether or not they need it, and the dry places stay too dry. The layer of clay just under the thin layer of top soil keeps water from draining into the ground, so it sits in pools above the clay and rots the roots of the plants. Many of our plants have died or are dying because of the clay problem. Shrubs are too close to homes and don’t get the benefit of rainwater because the eaves prevent rain from reaching them; many plants are in the wrong place for their light and moisture requirements. Some trees are so close to homes that they will become serious problems in three to five years.
Kippy and other homeowners have been pleased with the responsiveness and expertise of Simply Yards when they have fixed things where they could. Sometimes they simply could not fix something because a much larger effort would be necessary, and such an effort was outside the duties specified in their maintenance contract with us.
Kippy then summarized what the proposed landscaping project would accomplish. All homeowners received this information in a five-page document last month. The project would include the following: 1) putting the right plants in the right place, 2) making the irrigation system fit our moisture needs; 3) improving the soil and the grassy areas, 4) improving the aesthetic harmony of the entire development.
4. Details of What Simply Yards Plans to Do
John Childs of Simply Yards gave a thorough, detailed, informative presentation of exactly what will happen and why. Included below are examples of why the project should be done soon and what exactly he plans to do.
• John said that three to five years from now we will start to have serious problems because of plants and trees that are in the wrong places. They will have to be moved or cut down or else they will cause damage.
• A full 65 percent of our plants and trees are in the wrong place for their growth pattern, moisture needs, and light needs. They will be moved if healthy and replaced if not.
• The irrigation system is “horrible” and must be revamped. At least fifty percent of the pipe must be replaced. Simply Yards will change the number of watering zones to 12 to 14, with watering varied according to the watering needs of each zone. Watering times will be adjusted each month based on weather patterns.
• Our clay soil is a terrible problem. Sandy loam must be added on top, then good sod put over it. Berms and crowns will take care of the drainage problem.
• Along the creek he plans to add moisture-loving shade plants, including predominantly native plants, such as Oregon grape and salal. Some undesirable plants in the pond and stream will be removed. The pond will be cleaned out, dead limbs taken away, and the rangy-looking plants shaped or removed. Alders will be thinned and the whole area will be attended to with its natural state in mind. No chemicals will be used nearby in order not to harm the birds and wildlife.
John then took questions from the homeowners. Most are listed below in a Question-Answer format.
Q. What will happen to the soggy grass that needs to be replaced?
A. Good sod will go back down after the soil is improved and a berm is in place. If the sod was bad, then good sod will go back in its place. The good sod will come from places where the garden beds are extended into what was previously lawn.
Q. You say that you will use 30 yards of new soil. After it is all spread out, how much new soil does that come to?
A. Where new soil is needed, there will be 8 to 12 inches of new soil.
Q. Will the root balls be kept moist while transplanting?
A. It won’t be necessary. The transplanted plants will go directly into the ground where they are to be moved to.
Q. We are concerned about the chemicals you have listed on your proposal. We don’t want chemicals used if they will be harmful for the wetland or for wildlife, or if they will be dangerous for people with respiratory problems, such as asthma. How can you address these concerns?
A. We use only organic products for the wetlands. For the lawns, we plan to use 16-16-16 and then 21-7-14 in the summer. We will use no sprays. I fired the company that I subcontracted last summer that used sprays.
Q. How can you assure us that transplanted plants and trees will survive?
A. We have a good success rate with transplants. We will examine the condition of the root balls when we dig up plants. Only those in adequate or good condition will be transplanted. Many will have to be replaced. For example, the plum trees on the semi-circle on Cedar Springs Lane (in front of 1802 to 1812) must all be replaced. They are in very bad health and are prone to disease. They were not planted properly, they were planted in clay, and they won’t get better.
Q. What do you plan to do with the noble fir?
A. It depends on where it is. Noble firs grow very tall. If it has room where it is, it can stay, otherwise, it would be best to remove it.
Q. We want plants that don’t need chemicals. We don’t mind if there are a few weeds in the grass. We realize that others may prefer a weed-free lawn, but if having a few little weeds mean you can bypass using strong chemicals, we favor that approach.
A. I am very sensitive to ecological concerns. I’m crazy about birds and wildlife. We use only lime and organic fertilizer, and we won’t aim for the eradication of every single weed.
Q. What do you plan to do regarding drainage and walkways?
A. Three hundred feet of drain line will be added. (At this point, John put a large chart of his project plan on the whiteboard and pointed out where walkways would go and where the drainage lines would go. He referred to the chart as he explained the need for certain walkways.)
Q. I’ve heard that punching through the clay can make some problems worse. How thick is the clay?
A. It varies greatly across the property. We plan to get around many of the clay problems by putting in berms and crowns.
Q. Do you plan to take core samples? The ground between the grass and the foundation makes the surface boggy, and the moisture in the ground comes right up to the foundation. This isn’t a good situation. Will the clay be removed? If we have a huge amount of clay, won’t that be an enormous problem?
A. We plan to solve some of these problems with proper drainage. We will tie the new drainage lines into existing downspouts that flow into the storm drains. These drains are four feet in diameter, so they have plenty of capacity to handle the increased flow of water. We will not be doing deep digging into the clay.
Q. Will we get the as-built plans for the new irrigation system? Will they include a schematic of all the sprinkler heads and watering zones?
A. Yes. I included $2000 in the proposal for these plans. Everything will be detailed in them, including the heads, pipes, zones, and drainage lines.
Q. Will the sprinkler system timers be adjusted during the growing season?
A. Yes. Simply Yards can have someone do it regularly (for a fee) or you can designate a homeowner to do it.
Q. I noticed that several months ago your estimate for the project came to $800 per unit. Now it’s $1100. What changed?
A. Upon walking through the property again, I noticed many more plants that need to be replaced because so many here are dead or dying. I added $2200 for the as-built plans of the sprinkler system. I gave much more attention to the irrigation system this time, including zones, drainage, and gravel walkways. I included much more topsoil. Labor for all of these things had to be added in.
Q. Do you plan to subcontract any of the work?
A. No.
Q. Do you get a contractors’ discount, and if so, would you consider giving us a break by passing on the discount to us?
A. The cost for what I plan to do for you is not expensive, given all you are going to get. I plan to have an entire crew here every day for six weeks, weather permitting, doing heavy work. It is a fair price.
Q. Our unit looks out on a house with bright blue paint and floodlights at night. We want a visual barrier.
A. We will see to it that you will get fast-growing Leyland cypress trees planted. They can grow four feet a year and will provide a great visual barrier. There will be enough trees for a barrier when we thin out another place where the trees are planted too close together.
Q. What are your plans for the pond area?
A. We can’t remove the bear grass, but we will remove some of the other plants that choke it up. We will go into the pond to remove debris and will clean up branches and dead plants around the pond. We will thin out some of the overgrowth around the pond.
Q. Will individual owners have a chance to comment on what happens to the area around their units?
A. I can be available to the individual homeowners at the time the plans are given to the workers.
(Note: Board members will let homeowners know the dates the crew will be in their area.)
Q. I would like shade trees added outside my house for privacy and shade in the summer.
A. That is not part of the plan. It would take a change order to include that.
Q. Do you plan to put in trellises?
A. No. That would be a change order.
Q. There are some really old trees in back of my property by the fence. I don’t want them removed.
A. We will not remove them.
Q. How will we know what you plan to put where?
A. I can’t get too specific about exact plants until we look at the health and appearance of every single plant at the time it is transplanted. When we determine the plant’s health and its needs, we make our decisions about what should go where.
5. Art Shotwell: Proposed Payment Plan for the Landscaping Project
Art noted that the entire cost of the landscaping project is $31,045.68, or $1108 per unit. All homeowners received either a paper or electronic copy of the proposed budget and payment plan, and another will be distributed with these minutes. The plan includes a $200 one-time payment with a $30 per month increase in dues.
Art pointed out that we could borrow the money from a bank or that John Childs could finance the project, but that would make it even more expensive. With this plan, we could pay Simply Yards out of our reserve account. With the one-time $200 per unit payment, we could add $5600 back into reserves and bring it up to about $15,000.
Art explained that in a year the dues would probably go up by $15 anyway to prepare for covering costs of repainting the units over four years and to account for the small deficit ($500 per year) we have in our insurance account. If the proposal passes, Art plans to apply $25 of the $30 a month to the reserves and the other $5 to the insurance account.
The following questions and answers took place regarding the payment proposal and the budget:
Q. Will the $30 dues increase go away after 30 months, when the landscaping project would be completely paid for?
A. Because the five-year painting project will cost around $69,750, we will need to keep the extra payments coming in. By the year 20ll we will finally have the reserves back to our current level.
Q. Why do we have to repaint so soon? The homes don’t need it.
A. A six to seven-year schedule is recommended for proper maintenance, and we are slipping it to eight years. It has been almost seven years since the first homes were built.
Q. Is siding repair included in the painting costs? Is it a problem if we don’t fix loose siding before that?
A. Siding repair is included. Your particular siding has been examined and is determined not to be a maintenance problem. It rattles, but it won’t let water in.
Q. When was the last dues increase?
A. In 2004. It went from $ 145 to $165. Our dues are currently the lowest of any homeowners’ associations in Anacortes. Another one has $190. We have a very reasonable monthly dues amount.
Q. Because the landscaping project can be considered a capital project, can I pay $1108 up front instead of having my dues increased, so that I can get tax advantages?
A. We’re sorry, but we aren’t set up to have different people pay in different ways. We wanted the most palatable, least burdensome payment plan for the largest number of people. It’s true though, that if you look at the project as a capital project, then it really isn’t an increase in the dues. Consider the increase a special assessment paid for over 30 months.
Q. If the proposal is approved, will the board suspend the $100 per unit allowance for replacing dead plants?
A. Yes.
Q. What is the warranty on the landscaping project?
A. One year on the irrigation system. We cannot guarantee the health of the old plants, but new plants will be replaced up to a year after they are planted.
6 Art Shotwell: Automatic Payment Setup for Monthly Dues
Art encouraged people to set up automatic dues payments with their banks so that the association can count on a steady and predictable flow into the reserve accounts. When setting up automatic payments with banks, payments should be sent to Cedar Springs Homeowners’ Association, P.O. Box 1723, Anacortes, WA 98221.
7. Miscellaneous Questions
A homeowner asked how to change the batteries on the smoke alarms. Don Lapworth explained how to do it and added that if ladders were a problem, Chuck Boyd can be hired to do it.
Someone asked if we could have something done about the dangerous ice. The board will ask around to see what we might do about it. John Childs said that Simply Yards could take care of it for a fee. Another homeowner suggested that we find out if we can get the City of Anacortes to put us higher on their priority list for sanding the streets.
8. Closing Remakrs
Don Lapworth reminded everyone that March 24 is our annual meeting in the Anacortes Library at 10 a.m. He added that when filling out ballots, it isn’t necessary to vote for the bylaws. We will do that at a later date after more revision.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Miller
Postscript: The landscaping proposal passed by a vote of 17 to 5. As of 1/15/2007, two absentee ballots are still outstanding, but since only a simple majority is needed for it to pass, the two ballots would not change the outcome of the vote.
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