Annual Meeting Success!
We had a nice turnout for our annual homeowners meeting on April 21st at the Netarts Fire Station. (And for once, it wasn’t raining buckets!) Some of the open discussion items included adding surveillance cameras near the entry gate, long term rentals, ways that the HOA can be more supportive of owners with homes on the market, and plans to support local non-profit organizations. Long time board member Brian Christopher decided not to run again when his term ended this year, and his seat has been filled by the election of full-time owner Cherie Plaisted to the Board of Directors. President Tim Breaux’s term also ended this year, and he has been reelected to continue for another term. Meeting minutes are available in the Owner’s Only section of this website.
New Parking
I am pleased to announce that we have added an additional parking area at the Manager’s Office to accommodate those who have difficulty with the current pallet walkway/steps that lead to the office. The new parking spot includes an asphalt path that leads right to the office porch – no stairs involved! To access this parking area, come up the office driveway and make a right turn just past the end of the Manager’s garage, pass in front of the garage and turn right again. (Basically, make a large U turn around the garage so that you’re parking on the east side of it.) Please note – we are still working on building up the landscaping on either side of the paved path, so in the meantime, be careful not to step off the edge!
Upcoming Events
Our annual Ice Cream Social is coming up at the end of this month. All Capes owners and their guests are welcome to join us at the Bridge House on Saturday, May 26, 2018 from 2-4 pm for ice cream, fun and frivolity. It’s a great opportunity to get to know your neighbors! Also coming up in the not-too-distant future is our annual Independence Day Weekend BBQ. That will take place at the meadow (where Capes Drive, Capes Loop and Capes Point all come together) on Saturday, July 7, 2018 from Noon until 3pm. The HOA supplies the burgers, dogs (and all the fixins’), soda and water…all you need to bring is a side dish to share (and any “adult beverages” that you might like to drink). If you would like to volunteer to help out with either event, please contact the office.
If you’re ever looking for something to do while visiting The Capes, don’t forget to check out our “Things to do” calendar. We’ve recently added several fun events coming up in May and June from explorenaturetillamookcoast.com like kayaking Netarts Bay and hiking Cape Lookout. If you like to fish, you’ll probably want to register for this year’s Bounty on the Bay fishing tournament, silent auction and dinner.
Did you know?
Everyone’s heard many times that you should change the batteries in your smoke detectors every 6 months, I’m sure…but did you know that you should replace the *entire* smoke detector every 10 years? Yep, that’s right – those things aren’t meant to live forever. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), smoke detectors are only meant to be used for about 10 years from the date of manufacture (NOT the date you installed them!) before replacing them. Check the manufacture date by looking at the back or side of your smoke alarm (yes, I know…easier said than done for some of you town home owners!) and if it says 2008 or earlier, it’s time to trade that baby in for a newer, younger model.
When is the last time you replaced YOUR smoke detectors, hmmmm?
Pickle…what?
Our tennis court will be getting a facelift early this summer (resurfacing) and will emerge from this procedure even better than before as we introduce Pickleball to The Capes! Pickleball is a fun sport that has been gaining popularity around the country over the last few years. Good for all ages and skill levels, it combines elements from tennis, badminton and ping pong. It is played with wood or graphite paddles and a wiffle ball (a plastic ball with holes) using a smaller section of the tennis court and a slightly lowered tennis net. Once it’s up and running, we’ll plan some sort of a workshop for those who are interested in learning the game, and the office will have pickleball paddles and balls available for check-out.
Want to learn more about Pickleball? Visit the USA Pickleball Association’s website: https://www.usapa.org/what-is-pickleball/
Sandmat – BAD!
There’s a ground cover plant that’s been spotted here and there around The Capes called Sandmat. While it is *not* considered a noxious weed, this native plant can be pretty obnoxious. It looks a little like moss on the ground, until you step on it. It’s got seed pods with wicked sharp barbs that can stick into mower tires, the bottoms of your shoes, and Fido’s poor, unsuspecting paws. Our landscape crew is working to eradicate it, but it can sometimes be difficult to spot. If you find any, please try to mark it in some way (so the landscapers can find it on their next visit) and notify the office.
Oceanside Information
In other news, on April 26, 2018, the county Planning Commission voted to grant Tillamook PUD’s petitions for land use approval of the route proposed for the new Tillamook-Oceanside power transmission line. Opponents still have until mid-May to appeal this decision with the Tillamook County Board of Commissioners, but it’s a step in the right direction! The Netarts-Oceanside outage rate is reported to be 3-4 times higher than experienced in other parts of the county, so this second transmission line is definitely needed.
Additionally, the Oceanside Neighborhood Association (ONA) is working on securing grant money to improve the beach entrance at the Oceanside Beach Wayside. Anyone who has been down there knows what an ankle-turner it can be to cross the rocks that frequently pile up at the entrance to the beach – so this is great news! They’ve already received a smaller grant from the Tillamook PUD and find out in mid-May if they will also receive a $15,000 Transient Lodging Tax “facilities grant”.