Board Changes
Tony Ogden has stepped down from his position as board president as he makes preparations to begin an exciting new chapter of his life in Palm Springs. Tony graciously returned to the board to help out last summer when we lost Gene Mitchell unexpectedly, and we wish him all the best in his new home. Board member Roger Bivans has agreed to take on the role of president, and the board will discuss their plans for filling Tony’s vacant seat at their next meeting.
Board Meeting Info
The next monthly board of directors meeting is scheduled for this Saturday, July 20, 2024, starting at 9:30 am. The meeting will take place via Zoom video conferencing, and all homeowners are welcome to attend. A link to the meeting agenda is below:
Meeting agenda: https://www.thecapeshoa.org/restricted-documents/meetings-agendas-and-reports/board-meetings/agendas/2024/Board%20Agenda%202024-07.pdf
As a reminder, there is no board meeting in August, and the September meeting is scheduled for one week earlier than normal, on September 14, 2024. Meetings typically take place on the 3rd Saturday of the month, but September’s meeting will be on the 2nd Saturday in order to accommodate an office closure later in the month.
(Yet Another) Call for Volunteers!
If you’ve got a little extra time on your hands that you’re looking to fill, please consider volunteering for a committee at The Capes. Our volunteer committees help the community reduce the cost of services that may otherwise need to be contracted out and are an excellent opportunity to contribute your knowledge, skills and interests to the community, as well as to meet new friends and neighbors.
Feel free to reach out to the committee of your choice for more information:
- Architectural Review Committee – arc@thecapeshoa.org – The primary function of the ARC is to review and approve new construction of homes, all exterior building requests for remodels/repairs, and any exterior changes on cottages, townhomes and single family homes. All are welcome, and bonus points if you have a background in architecture or building. [Currently down to 4 members, the ARC could use a boost in membership. If you’re interested in helping to preserve the look and feel of The Capes, please consider joining this committee!]
- Bridge House Committee – fun@thecapeshoa.org – Also called the “Fun Committee” the BHC is responsible for the planning and execution of our community social events. Calling all party planners! [If you’ve attended any of these fun events recently and want to make sure they continue, we could use your help. The BHC is down to just 3 members!]
- Budget Committee – budget@thecapeshoa.org – The Budget Committee meets a handful of times between September and November of each year to put together a proposed operating budget for the upcoming year. [If you want to volunteer but don’t have a ton of time to give, this may be the committee for you, since it only meets via email or zoom a couple of times a year. Currently has 6 members.]
- Emergency Preparedness Committee – emergency@thecapeshoa.org – The purpose of the EPC is to help ensure that The Capes and all of its residents are as prepared as can be in the event of an emergency or catastrophic disaster. [Calling all Preppers…I know you’re out there! Membership on the EPC is down to 4.]
- Landscape Committee – landscape@thecapeshoa.org – The LSC reviews view restoration requests, approves new construction landscape plans, and assists homeowners with landscape-related questions and issues. [The LSC currently has 6 members with 2 more pending. Yay!!]
Exciting Summer Developments – The Tract B Project
We are thrilled to update you on the Landscape Committee’s ongoing project this summer: the Tract B Project. This initiative aims to assess proactive management of the landscaping in a portion of the common area known as Tract B, alongside any privately owned landscaping on the west side of lots 15 – 38, 47 – 56, and 69 – 81, ensuring that the ocean and bay views remain unobstructed for all owners. [Tract B is a large common area that encompasses the entire westernmost portion of the community from immediately west of the front-row properties down to the median high tide line, as well as the canyon. See map below. For the purposes of this project, we will be focusing on the area outlined in red.]
Our project began with a survey of the area to clearly delineate the boundaries between private lots and the common area. This crucial step helps us accurately identify landscape ownership.
We have commissioned a geohazard report to guide us in safely managing the trees on the western slope. This report will provide essential insights on how to handle tree removal and maintenance in a way that preserves the safety and stability of the bluff.
While we await the geohazard report, we have reached out to owners in this area for their feedback on their views. This collaboration helps us identify problem areas and determine if they fall within the common area or on private lots.
Next Steps
Once we receive the geohazard report and perform site visits for all owners reporting view issues, our next steps will involve community meetings to discuss ideas and concerns and creating a detailed plan for tree management which will be presented to the board for approval. The tree management plan will outline:
- Tree Maintenance: Indicating trees that are impairing views (or will be in the not-too-distant future) that should be trimmed/height-reduced.
- Tree Removal: Identifying trees that are impairing views but would not survive topping and can be safely removed. Due to the sensitive nature of the area, removal will be done sparingly.
- Replacements: Recommending suitable plants for areas where trees are removed to aid with erosion control and slope retention.
Encouraging Participation
Owners with private landscaping in the targeted area that may need maintenance will be encouraged to participate in the project. This ensures a cohesive approach to maintaining our community’s beautiful and safe landscape. It will also help to reduce costs for homeowners by having their own work done while the tree service is already on-site working on the common area.
We appreciate your continued support and cooperation as we work together to preserve our stunning ocean and bay views. If you have any questions or if trees/landscaping in this area are affecting your view of the ocean or bay, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Landscape Committee at landscape@thecapeshoa.org.
A Note from the Fun Committee!
It’s fun to have fun, and what an amazing Capes picnic we had! Something like 80 people gathered in the meadow on July 6th sharing their salads, drinks, beans, corn bread, side dishes and goodies. An army of volunteers helped to set up and put things away. I wish to thank so many:
- Bert for helping schlep chairs to the Meadow
- Roger & Kenny for helping us set up chairs and tables in the meadow
- Ginny for picking up the cupcakes
- Alan and Arlene for helping set up the tables and chairs and decorations
- Gay for helping both setup and tear down and being a sweetie even though she had a bad wing
- Ken for using his truck and schlepping the grill and table and chairs back to their rightful places
- Andreas, Roger and Kenny for helping Ken!
- Nick and Abby for taking the leftovers [ice cream and cup cakes] – NO WASTE!
- Roger for being our greeter and name tagging everyone
- Jo for staying with me until the very end
- Ron & Sharon for minding the potluck table and keeping it neat.
- Bill, Jan, and Mary for shepherding the trash!
- Big thanks to the Upstairs Bar & Grill for being our caterers, grilling hamburgers & hot dogs
- Thanks to Suzi for organizing the dog parade, prizes and treats …and loaning us the cornhole toss sets and bocce balls
- Thanks to Diann for finding those great cupcakes and cleaning up, including laundering the tablecloths
- Thanks to my husband, John, for cleaning the grill, putting up signs, and schlepping things to and from the meadow
Many people were so impressed by the rainbow jello salad that I asked Arlene for the recipe. You can get the recipes for her Rainbow Finger Gelatin and the (slightly less complicated) Broken Glass Finger Gelatin here: https://www.thecapeshoa.org/document/JELLO_Recipes.pdf
Always a beautiful day when we get together! That’s what I call community. People came and stayed and visited. The party wound down just before 7pm. Bellies were full and friendships renewed. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Thank you all!
Susan Hunter
Board
Chair, The Bridge House Activities Committee