Friday, March 21, 2014

Desert Landscaping

Desert Landscaping
                                                                         


The landscaping renovation of Village Two is being planned.  Here’s what you may expect:
1…The grassy areas in the front of all the buildings will be removed and converted to desert granite,       similar to the existing rock
2…Grassy areas behind and between buildings will remain in most cases.
3…While each cul-de-sac will have its own individual look, each cul-de-sac will receive updating -
  •        Existing trees will remain if they do not present a safety or maintenance issue
  •     Existing bushes will be trimmed to remove the old/dated wood, or removed and replaced
  •     Each cul-de-sac will receive four new trees such as desert museum, desert willow, or acacia
  •     Each cul-de sac will receive 30 – 40 new flowering bushes and cacti
  •     Each cul-de-sac will receive decorative boulders
  •     The areas under the stairways will be renovated with additional granite


While most of us enjoy the grassy look, we must understand that we live in the desert, and it only makes good sense to conserve our water which will become increasingly a scarce resource.   
  •     Water is constantly flowing into the streets and parking areas
  •     Water on sidewalks causes unsafe conditions
  •     Water on buildings causes deterioration of stucco, paint, and infrastructure
  •     Water on cars and windows causes calcium buildup
  •     New trees, flowering bushes, and cacti will all be drought tolerant
  •     Scottsdale offers a rebate to communities that convert to desert landscaping  (xeriscape)
  •     Villages 3, 4,and 5 have already converted


For     More information on the benefits of  xeriscape, please consider the following resources:
·         http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/Water/Conservation/HOA
 

Questions???     Call Management (National Property Services) at 480-443-5566
                                               ……and as always, thanks for your support and cooperation!



Notes - Annual HOA meeting

There was NOT a quorum at the Village 2 annual HOA meeting on Saturday, March 1, 2014.  Therefore, the following information must be considered notes of the meeting and not formal minutes that will require approval.  The notes should, however, be accurate.  

Village Two Condominiums HOA
http://village2homeowners.blogspot.com
2014 Annual Homeowners Meeting Saturday March 1, 2014 at 10:15 AM
Mustang Library 10101 N. 90th St. Scottsdale, AZ 85258

Board Members Present - Ken Salt, Karen Larson, Mike Currence, and Betty Johnson
Board Members Absent – None
Management Present - Ashley Hammer for National Property Services
Homeowners Present – Various Homeowners

       I.            Call To Order – The 2014 Annual Homeowners was called to order at 10:30 am by Ken Salt.
    II.            Certification of Quorum – A quorum consisting of 83 votes was not achieved at this annual meeting per Ashley. The current Board Members will continue in their respective positions.
 III.            Introductions – The following attendees were introduced to the homeowners:
Board Treasurer Karen Larson
Board Secretary Betty Johnson
Board Member at Large Mike Currence
Board President Ken
Community Manager Ashley Hammer
Recording Secretary Jennifer Harris
 IV.            Election of Officers – There was no election since no quorum was achieved.
    V.            Approval of Minutes – The 2013 Annual Meeting minutes were reviewed.  Patricia Myers noted that her last name was misspelled.
 VI.            2013 Financial Review – Ken Salt stated that there were no red flags in the completed 2012 compilation. For 2013 there will be a formal audit. Ken also noted that the Reserve Study was updated in May of 2013. Copies of financial reports and the reserve study are available to homeowners via the NPS office.
VII.            Community Updates – The following updates were provided to the homeowners:
·         The Board encouraged more homeowners to participate on the Board of Directors. Interested members can contact NPS or attend any regular Board of Directors meeting for more information.
·         No decrease in assessments is planned.
·         Desert denizens like javelina, rats, gophers, snakes, owls, and coyotes are part of our environment. Gophers are being addressed by all Villages via the VRA. Village Two is aggressively responding to issues with rats and pigeons. If pigeons are seen roosting please contact management and do not feed them. Do not store any food in outside storage areas.
·         Landscaping of the front entrances to each cul-de-sac is planned beginning with 9115. Ken explained that the landscaping conversion is being planned to reduce water usage and runoff. Existing grass areas in the front of the buildings only will be converted to desert xeriscaping per Ken. Some residents expressed concern regarding the reduction of grassy common areas and the Board encouraged them to attend the next Board of Directors meeting to share their input on the project. Tree trimming and palm tree trimming is being completed per existing schedules.
·         Ken reminded residents to report short term rental activity to NPS and/or the Maricopa County Assessor.
·         A list of approved paint and stain colors for front doors are available through NPS along with free front door paint upon request.
·         The Board is working on drafting an emergency plan for fires and random acts. Ken encouraged residents to contact 911 in the event of an emergency. The Board also encouraged residents to fill out the emergency contact form.
·         Recycling is not available at this time per Board. However ample recycling is available across Via Linda near the police station.
·         Asphalt maintenance is scheduled per Ken and will be paid for out of the reserve funds. The Board is currently looking for a consultant to assist with the project.
·         The vacant lot at San Victor & 91st Street is currently being planned as a town home complex per Patricia Myers. Patricia gave details of the occupancy plans and noted that the project is set to begin in April 2014.
VIII.            VRA Updates – VRA Representative Mike Currence provided the following updates regarding the Villages Recreation Association:
·         VRA manages the pools, tennis courts, and grassy common areas. Pool refurbishing has been completed and a new pool maintenance contractor has been selected.
·         Tennis courts currently are not being addressed by the VRA but Mike acknowledged that both courts A & B are in need of in depth maintenance.
·         Villages 1 & 3 carry the most voting weight with 26% and 27% of the total votes respectively; together they carry a combined voting power of 53% and can conduct VRA business together because they have the majority vote. Currently Villages 1 & 3 are in favor of dissolution of the VRA. Village 2 Representatives Mike Currence and Ken Salt continue to represent the desires of all Village 2 members at the VRA monthly Board of Directors meetings. The next VRA meeting will be held on March 11, 2014 at 6 pm, location to be announced.
 IX.            Open Session – The following topics of discussion were presented by some of the homeowners in attendance:
·         Thanks were given to the Board of Directors for their time and dedication.
·         It was suggested that any landscaping changes regarding grass removal should be done by consensus of the ownership.
·         Noise from trash pickup at the nearby medical office complex was discussed and the Board suggested that residents contact the City of Scottsdale to have any noise ordinance concerns addressed.
    X.            Calendar – The next Village Two Annual Homeowners meeting is tentatively scheduled for the first Saturday of March 2015.
 XI.            Adjournment – There being no further business to discuss the Annual Homeowners meeting was motioned to adjourn at 12:00 pm by Patricia Myers. The motion was seconded by John Dahl and carried unanimously.

Respectfully Submitted,
Jennifer Harris
Recording Secretary