The following is the latest in a series of monthly messages from the RVR Master Association Board, called “A View From The Board.” The messages summarize recent Board decisions and discussions and are designed to bring RVR homeowners up to date on issues important to the community.
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Dear RVR Homeowners, Fall is quickly approaching. Temperatures are dropping, bringing snow to the nearby mountains. Leaves are beginning to change colors. After a summer of outdoor activities around the Ranch House, we’re finally able to move inside the Ranch House – on a limited basis.
This month’s “View From the Board” will highlight some important activities at RVR, and show some of our efforts to plan for a bright future in our community.
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Gym Reopens for Fall and Winter. After being closed since mid-March to protect the health and safety of members, staff, and community – the Ranch House gym is again open for business. Our fitness facilities are now open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., with breaks for cleaning and disinfecting from 10 am to 11 am, and 2 pm to 3 pm. On weekends, the gym is open from 8 am to 6 pm. Members can use the workout equipment by reservation only, in one-hour time blocks. You may make reservations two days in advance. A reminder: you must wear a mask the entire time you’re in the facility, including while working out. These guidelines are governed by our business safety plan. Opening the workout facilities brings us a step closer to somewhat normal operation.
Board to Review Vehicle Parking Regulations. Based on community feedback in recent years, we’ve learned that enforcing our governing documents is very important to RVR homeowners. We receive more complaints about vehicle parking and storage than any other issue. The Third Amendment to our Master Declaration (Covenants) has language that defines allowed (and not allowed) parking in public streets and on individual lots. As the RVR Governing Documents Committee has noted, the section on Vehicle Parking and Storage is poorly written and in need of interpretation. The Board is working with RVR management to interpret and define, for example, what is meant by “campers” or “recreational vehicles” as being non-permitted vehicles. We hope to have this issue resolved over the next few months.
RVR as a Construction Boom Town: As you heard at this summer’s Annual Meeting, new home construction at RVR is booming. We’re in the home stretch of building out the community; roughly 20 percent of the RVR remains unbuilt. During normal times, the Ranch House is a busy place that sometimes is bursting at the seams. So the Board is in the early stages of chartering a Strategic Planning Committee to look at how we will manage the Ranch House and its adjacent facilities – such as tennis and swimming – when the community is fully built out. Look for more on this committee in the upcoming months.
Home Improvements Reminder: As we’ve said many times in these monthly messages, and in RVR’s Friday newsletters, any work done outside your house needs to be submitted to RVR General Manager Sterling Page. A conversation with Sterling will help you understand whether you’ll need to submit a formal plan to the Design Review Committee (DRC). Home improvements that you’ll want to discuss with Sterling include removing dead trees, planting new trees, patio enhancements – and erecting permanent play equipment, statues, or any type of structure. Sterling can sign off on simple things quickly, easily, and on his own. More complex improvements on your lot will require you to submit a plan to the DRC. If you have questions about this process, please contact Sterling or Design Review Committee Manager Kendra, Ford. Following this process will save you, our Management team, and our Board unnecessary headaches.
Board Amends Temporary Sign Variance: At a special meeting held on Sept. 9, the Board amended the Political Sign Posting temporary variance that was originally approved on July 29. The amendment to the temporary variance changes the end date of the variance period from Nov. 30, 2020, to Nov. 10, 2020. This means that all political signs within RVR may remain, but must be taken down no later than Nov. 10. When the Board approved the original variance, it reserved the right to modify or revoke it if we became aware of significant homeowner dissatisfaction. We received a number of responses over the past month, which prompted the Sept. 9 special meeting, and ultimately the decision to amend the variance. We thank the homeowners who thoughtfully sent us their thoughts on this issue, which prompted the difficult dialog that followed.
2021 Budget Process Begins: Work on the RVR Master Association 2021 Budget gets underway this month. The Board, especially Treasurer Todd Richmond, is beginning a dialog with our Management team on next year’s budget. Homeowners will have a number of opportunities between now and the budget ratification vote in December to review the numbers and provide input. One important change this year is using modern technology to ratify the budget; just as we had balloting by e-mail for this summer’s Board election, so too will homeowners vote by e-mail on the budget in December. This process improvement saves time, money, and is environmentally friendly.
Board Member Gary Harada Resigns: RVRMA Executive Board member Gary Harada has resigned, effective immediately. Gary found himself with insufficient time to adequately fulfill his responsibilities to all of the organizations to which he’s committed. As a result, he decided to step off the RVR Board late last week. Gary joined the Board in 2018. He has chaired the Landscape Committee for the past two years. Gary’s Board term expires in June 2022. We will soon begin the process of seeking a new Board member to fill the remainder of Gary’s term. We thank Gary for his service to the RVR community and wish him and Lori well in the future.
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If you have feedback on these items or any others, please share it with Community Services Manager Kendra Ford (csm@rvrcommunity.com). She’ll pass your comments along to the Board, or respond to you directly. Our next Board meeting is Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 5:30 pm. The meeting will be held via Zoom. You will receive an agenda for that meeting, as you always do, no later than the weekend before the meeting. The agenda will include directions for homeowners interested in Zooming into the meeting. Hope to “see” you there.
On behalf of your volunteer RVRMA Board,
Cathy Cooney & Gary Lesser
Board Co-Presidents
