Bruce Caverly, Chair of the Common Property, Forestry, and Wildlife Committee presented the committee’s quarterly report at the June 16, 2021 Board Meeting.
2020-2021 Urban Deer Hunt Survey
This year the committee decided they wanted to obtain more detailed information from the hunters so the committee developed a 10 question survey. The survey was sent to three hundred hunters and 166 hunters responded. “We got a lot of information on some issues, some problems and a lot of compliments,” stated Caverly.
The hunters expressed appreciation for the homeowners’ assistance in locating areas and making sure the hunters were okay.
Areas of concern that the POA needs to address are:
- About 60% of the hunters come from the east side of the state and they would like to see the east gate opened at 4:30 a.m. Is it possible to change the gate hours for that one day?
- Three or four rules were questioned by the hunters. This will be addressed at the next committee meeting.
Update on Goose Management Program
Caverly stated, “as you know, we have been addling eggs here in the Village for geese and that is to control the goose population. Today I can tell you that we have probably 200-250 geese in the Village at various lakes and golf courses. However, we have seen a marked decrease in the number of goslings around. The last number that I had, and it is not completed, was less than 30 goslings on all the lakes and on the golf courses….Remember three years ago we had over 100 goslings on just hole numbers 9 and 10 on Balboa Golf Course.”
Serenidad Subdivision – New Sign And Culvert Clean Out
The neighborhood requested the area be upgraded and the culvert repaired. The culvert is a 100 year flood plane culvert going under the road. Bruce worked with Janet Rowe, Chair of the Architectural Control Committee. The area is completed.
Common Property Violation – Reata Way
There was a bridge between private property and common property with chairs and a table located by the lake. Kayaks were stored by the lake on common property.
The property owners had a Class I Permit to clean up the common property but they cleaned it down to the bare ground. Now there is dirt and silt runoff going into the lake during heavy rains.
The area is being reseeded by the Public Works Department. The owners have been asked to remove items from the common property.
Two Class II Permits To Cut Trees On Common Property to Improve Views
Two Class II Permits to cut trees to improve views were issued to:
- Busquede Lane at Pizzaro Way – one medium tree and four small 3″ trees. This was new construction.
- Binefar Way – 8 pine trees on a very steep slope to enhance the view to the south. This did not affect anyone else.
Coronado Neighborhood Signage – Old, Damaged and Outdated Information
This sign was the original Cooper sign that is falling apart. The information on the sign is not appropriate for today. They are working with Public Works to design a sign that incorporates the neighborhood, Coronado Golf Course and Casa De Carta.
Working with Two State Licensed Foresters on Committee
There are two licensed state foresters on the committee. The committee is currently working with Jason Temple, Director of Public Services and Todd Noles, Manager of Common Property, Forest and Wildlife to develop a RFQ to hire an outside consultant to help us understand better how to manage the forest.
Over the past 10 to 12 years, $1.2 million was contributed to the POA by harvesting trees. The Chair said, “trees have value. They are valuable when they are standing. They have no value to us or the Village when they fall on the ground. We’d like to make use of trees and selectively cut old-growth pines.”
By Cheryl Dowden, June 17, 2021
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Tom Blakeman
06/17/2021 — 5:39 pm
What I’d like to know is what’s going to happen when we have another dry spell for a month or so and some yahoo throws a cigarette butt out onto the roadside somewhere and this whole place lights up?
John M Szczepaniak
06/17/2021 — 10:31 pm
From my viewpoint, I see the forest surrounding us as totally out of control and like Tom indicated, a dry spell could turn it into another California-like fire storm with as little as a cigarette butt tossed out a car window. Weeds and fast growing pine trees sprout up almost as fast as you can cut them down. I have seen the power company do an incomplete job of removing growth under the power lines on Barcelona but that is not untypical of many other areas in the Village. I realize this is very costly to do but I do think more needs to be done for our safety and not least of all for the general appearance of the Village. I think we do need to get the power companies to be more diligent in protecting their lines by clearing brush on a more regular basis.