Capes News – December 2024

This is it, Capers, the last newsletter of 2024! There’s a lot of information to get to, so buckle up!

Tillamook Food Bank & WEBS

Our donation drive has just a few more days to go. So far we’ve raised $5,900 for the Oregon Food Bank Tillamook County and $3,450 for the Friends of Netarts Bay WEBS, which is awesome! If you’ve been intending to donate to one (or both!) of these local organizations and just haven’t gotten around to it yet, now’s your chance. Everything you need to know about this donation drive can be found here:

https://www.thecapeshoa.org/capes-news-november-2024/#donations

Gutter Cleaning Reminder

I am still taking names for a group gutter cleaning from Rich Home Services, so let me know if you’d like to get on the list. Townhomes are $150 each, and if they’ve done your single family home previously, they will match the same price as last time. If you’re a new single family home customer, Tony Rich is happy to provide you with an estimate. To make things easier, I am collecting the payments for Tony, so you’ll need to make your check out to Rich Home Services and mail it to The Capes HOA, 605 Capes Drive, Tillamook, OR 97141 (or drop it off at the office.)

2025 Operating Budget and New Dues

The Board of Directors has voted to approve the 2025 operating budget after making one small adjustment to what was sent out to homeowners previously. After receiving community input, they elected not to move forward with cardboard recycling, and that proposed expense was removed from the budget. The board also voted to approve the addition of a part-time position to the management staff.

As a result, starting on January 1, 2025, monthly dues will be as follows:

• Townhomes: $316 (a $26 per month increase)
• Single Family Homes: $193 (a $32 per month increase)
• Cottages: $193 (a $32 per month increase)
• Undeveloped Lots: $177 (a $31 per month increase)

If you use your bank’s autopay system, please make sure to update the amount that is being paid AFTER your December payment has been sent. [Hint – this is usually more successful if you delete the current payment entirely and just set up a new one. If you just change the dollar amount on your current recurring transaction, it tends to revert to the old amount after one month.] If you aren’t sure if you’ve paid for December yet or not, feel free to ask me!

The approved budget document has been uploaded to the Library section of the owner portal along with two additional documents giving more context to the board’s decision to add a second employee to the management staff. You can view all documents by logging in to the portal and selecting “Library” from the Community menu, then selecting the “Finance” folder.

ARC Proposed Lighting Updates

The ARC has been working on a revised amendment to the current ARC guidelines regarding exterior lighting that will be presented to the board for review and approval in January. This proposal is designed to align with best practices in communities across the western United States, particularly those that prioritize environmental stewardship, dark sky preservation, and cohesive neighborhood aesthetics. Additionally, it reflects many of the principles found in Oceanside’s lighting regulations, ensuring that The Capes remains at the forefront of sustainable and community-friendly lighting practices.

The proposed amendment has been uploaded to the Library section of the owner portal for homeowners to review. After logging into the portal, select “Library” from the Community menu, then select the Architecture folder. Feedback or questions about the proposed amendment can be emailed to arc@thecapeshoa.org.

Save the Dates…

For those of you who like to be prepared, the 2025 board meeting schedule is below. All meetings are on the 3rd Saturday of the month EXCEPT for the April board meeting and annual homeowner meeting. Easter falls on the 3rd weekend in April in 2025, so the board meeting and annual meeting have been moved to the 4th Saturday in April. As always, the board does not meet in August or December.