Andover Glen Gazette June/July 2005
“Communication is the key to a strong community”
June – July 2005, volume 3, issue 4
New Colorado Law Affects Andover Glen
By Barbara Harrington
In 1992 the State of Colorado enacted the Colorado Common Interest Ownership
Act, known as CCIOA (pronounced Kiowa) which provided direction for newly formed
or to-be formed homeowner associations and had very few applications to existing
HOAs like Andover Glen. However it did provide older associations like ours with
authority to create and adopt rules and procedures to clarify existing Covenants
and By-laws without having to create amendments to change the original
documents.
Earlier this month a new law went into effect, known as SB100, which added many
new sections and amendments to the existing CCIOA law. The new law applies to
old associations as well as new. In some cases provisions of the new law
supercede existing HOA Covenants. In other sections existing HOAs will be
required to create new rules and regulations for their communities.
A few of the new sections are effective immediately while the bulk of the law
becomes effective January 1, 2006. For example the law establishes a maximum
percentage of homeowner votes in the affirmative required to change a Covenant
or By-law at 67% which supercedes the 75% stated in our Covenants. Another
section in effect now allows homeowners to display political signs on their
property during election periods. However, the association will determine the
number, size, display location and display period.
We are fortunate that we have many of the new requirements already in place,
such as the availability of the Covenants, By-laws, Articles of Incorporation,
meeting minutes, and Gazette on our website:
www.neighborhoodlink.com/aurora/andoverglen
We already use many of the required procedures; we need to have them written
into documents that can be posted to our website. And we already communicate
important matters to you through the Gazette. Because of the volume of changes
the legal firm we do business with, Orten & Hindman, will be conducting classes
to help HOA representatives understand what actions need to be taken to meet the
requirements of the new law. Ron Adams, Norm Arlt and Bob Meyer have attended a
class in June and will report to the Board at the next meeting. Other Board
members may attend other sessions. As your elected representatives your Board
will be quite busy establishing rules and procedures which we do not currently
have. They may be calling on you for help. There is a lot of work to be done
including communicating the new rules and procedures to you homeowners, so stay
tuned. ~
Covenant Enforcement Policy Update
By Barbara Harrington
As reported to you previously, the AG Board has been working with our attorneys
to create a Covenant Enforcement Policy. Since our initial report a new state
law (see article on previous page) has been enacted which makes an enforcement
policy mandatory for all associations. The Board is now working on creating
policies that address other issues as well as covenant enforcement and
anticipates issuing a complete package of the new rules and procedures including
the Covenant Enforcement Policy later in the year. In the interim, the Board
still seeks to improve the administration of our association in ways that best
serve our neighbors. Until the new policy is issued we are requesting the
following procedures be followed regarding Covenant complaints.
1. All complaints are to be communicated to the Board through a written letter
stating what Covenant is being broken, which property is in error, date and time
of the infraction as needed, your name, address, phone number, and signature.
2. For the time being, please send or bring your letters to the board President.
Andover Glen HOA
c/o Barbara Harrington
4803 S. Crystal St.
Aurora, CO 80015
3. Upon receipt of two complaints from two different homeowners about the same
property, the Board will then contact the homeowner of the property in question.
If the property you are concerned about is in violation with an Aurora City
Code, please contact Access Aurora at 303-739-7000. You must provide them with
the address of the property. The Board will not respond to Code violations.
Thanks for your cooperation during this time of transition. Our covenants will
serve us all better as a result. ~
A Sure Sign of Summer
By Barbara Harrington
Well, it’s that time of year! Snowmobiles have gone to storage and the boats,
jet-skis, and campers have made their summer appearance.
As friends and neighbors we all understand that a boat, camper or travel-trailer
may be parked in your driveway for a short period of time while it is being
loaded for your summer excursions. We also know that it will be there on your
return for a short period while you unload and clean it before it’s returned to
an off-site storage.
So let’s all stay friends and neighbors and give your recreational vehicle
owning friends time to complete the process. And those of you who own the items
be considerate of those around you and don’t over-stay the vehicle’s welcome.
Remember our Covenants state that any trailer, camper, mobile home or other
recreational vehicle may not be parked on any residential site unless totally
screened from all street and property lines. However, your Board would like
everyone to enjoy a more stress-free summer season so a brief visit of any of
your recreational vehicles to your driveway will not likely cause a problem –
just remember they can’t stay. Your Board would also like to remind everyone
that the Aurora City Code is a bit more limiting in that it also doesn’t allow
recreational vehicles to be parked on the street. The City has personnel who
patrol the neighborhoods for code violations. Thanks for your consideration and
enjoy a wonderful summer.
Trash Reminder
Just a quick reminder about putting out your trash for pickup - Aurora City Code
states “Trash containers may not be placed in the front yard prior to 5 p.m. the
night before pickup and must be removed within 12 hours of pickup.” Some have
been seen sitting out several days before pickup in Andover Glen. Let’s all do
our part to keep Andover Glen looking great! Thanks!
Spiffy update…
By Bob Meyer
Your "Spiff" action committee made another sweep through the neighborhood this
past week, and concluded that next month's judging will be really hard. Two
massive dumpsters have been filled with over seventy cubic yards of overgrown
landscaping, and it shows!
Yards and exteriors reveal lots of excellent work, as a drive through our
neighborhood will prove. Judging for "best overall, most improved, best use of
drought-tolerant plants, and best use of color" will be difficult. In fact, I am
now trying to renew some of our advertising, so that more prizes will be
available. Judging will be for the exterior, front and sides, but in case of a
tie---your hard-pressed committee may just have to peek over the fence and see
what is happing in the back yard.
Please don't let this spell of hot weather get you down. Our yards and plants
will pop right back as soon as it cools off a bit. Thanks for all your efforts
to make Andover Glen the best she can be! ~
Property, Pride, and Profit
By Royal Shields
I have come top the conclusion after thirty-three years as a real estate broker,
that a buyer’s first impression is the principal reason they select a community
to live. They either accept or reject a subdivision through what they see and
feel when they first drive into the area. They notice the pride of ownership,
reflected in the crispness of the yards, or the placement of annuals and
perennials scattered through the landscaping designs. They comment on how the
streets are free from mechanical eyesores, yards free from untrimmed vegetation
and weeds. Roofs needing repair and exteriors needing paint are also noticed.
They want to feel that when their friends visit, they too, will comment on how
exceptional the area looks.
The pride of ownership is simply our investment in the decision we made when we
purchased our home and it will come back to us many times over.
I simply ask that you stand in front of your home: Try to look at your property
as any purchaser would and determine what it would take to make you want to buy
it, at a price that would reap the profit you so richly deserve! ~
In the Big Time Now
By Bob Meyer
“A lot of people are going to wake up one day and finally realize they don’t
live in a small town anymore.” So says Bob Cantwell, Director of Colorado Bureau
of Investigation, on crime in the suburbs.
“Once upon a time”, we could leave doors and cars unlocked and just go about our
business secure in the reality that it was ok—everyone else did it. No longer.
We must take every precaution and still, stuff happens. Trust us, we see the
monthly crime reports.
Neighborhood Watch Person of the Month
We have reports of groups of teens skulking around parked cars at night. Our
“Person of the Month” saw such a group and took action that possibly prevented a
crime. The group was peeking and poking at a couple of street-side cars, looking
for an easy score. Our intrepid resident confronted said group and demanded they
“leave those cars alone and exit the area”. (Or else the police would be on
their way!)
A crime was probably prevented. Our resident, a retired United States Air Force
Bird Colonel, did what he thought was warranted under the circumstances. What
was right for him might not quite fit everyone. Another thought would be to go
ahead and phone police, report a crime in progress, and flick the porch light on
and off to let the miscreants know they were being observed. Shouts from an
upstairs window might also work. Got a camera? Take a couple of flash shots from
a safe place. It is very hard to argue with evidence like that. Be ready to
report how many there were, ages, what wearing, and other details that may be
helpful to police.
Perhaps the word will get out and such persons will “liberate goods” somewhere
else—where neighbors are less attentive. We can only hope.
Your Neighborhood Watch Block Captains should have been around with an
informational flyer. They may also sign you up for an email notification if you
desire. Stay Alert! ~
Next Meeting reminder:
The next AG board meeting is open to all AG Association members will be held at
Shalom Park on Wednesday, July 27th at 7 p.m.
Neighbor to Neighbor
Services and stuff for sale, cheap!
Baby Sitting: Red Cross Certified Babysitter!
Great rates. Responsible 10th Grader living right here in Andover Glen. Call
Elizabeth Melton 303-910-3096.
Baby Sitting: Red Cross Certified, 14 yr. Old
Morgan McCoy, 303-248-6213.
Baby Sitting: Experienced. Loves Kids, Very fair rates. Brandy Helfer,
303-248-6213.
Baby Sitting: Experienced, Red Cross Certified, 8th Grade, neighborhood
Babysitter. Loves Kids! Kristin Guerra, 303-766-0464.
Baby Sitting& Odd Jobs: Red Cross Certified, 6th Grade, neighborhood Babysitter.
Will also do odd jobs like house sitting, dog sitting, watering plants. Very
Responsible. Shannon Guerra, 303-766-0464.
Baby Sitting: Red Cross Certified, thoughtful and loves kids. Call Sophia,
303-693-9356.
Tutoring: Experienced Tutor available to help your child advance in academics.
All subjects grades 2-6. Hourly fee. Call Elizabeth Melton, 303-910-3096.
House Cleaning: Brandy and Morgan will do housework & odd jobs. 303-248-6213.
Tennis Lessons: Experienced Tennis Instructor living in AG. Group Rates
Available. Cari Merrill, 303-699-0454.
To place an add in this section, contact Randy Simpson at 303-693-0546, or
rgatess@yahoo.com
Andover Glen Homeowner’s Association Board Members
President: Barbara Harrington 693-0868
Vice President: Dave Kline 720-870-6697
Secretary: Randy Simpson 693-0546
Treasurer: Jan Guerra 766-0464
Preservation: Ron Adams 248-6213
Grounds: Norm Arlt 766-7344
Social: Curt Krall 400-9652
Welcoming: Cindy Wagner 693-8729
Neighborhood Watch: Bob Meyer 690-6927