Ralston Management
41800 Enterprise Circle South, Suite F
Temecula CA 92590, Tel 951-296-9030
Member requests for any action must be a written request sent to Ralston Management.
HOA website: www.ranchoglenoaks.com
Current Address & Phone Numbers
Please make sure that the HOA (Ralston Management) has your current/correct phone numbers, where you can be reached for emergencies, (home and cell) and mailing address to receive HOA documents.
HOA Annual Meeting Rescheduled For JULY
When: July 25, 2010 @ 1 P.M.
Where: Ralston Management
Info for Members
Addressing Erosion Control
Measures In Rural, Dirt Road
Communities
One of our members has contacted Pacific Watershed Associates, Inc (PWA) and requested that the Board bring the rest of the HOA members up to date concerning information about PWA. PWA is a private business located in Northern California that specializes in addressing erosion control measures in rural, dirt road communities. The following is a summary of the BOD’s interaction with PWA, Anza Murrieta Resource Conservation District (AMRCD), and agencies regarding implementation of erosion control measures.
PWA’s Proposal for Addressing Erosion Control Measures
For $5,000 PWA proposed to conduct a 2 day HOA on-site visit to develop a road drainage control pilot plan for one mile of the HOA’s eight miles of roads. The pilot plan would serve as a pilot project along a section of road to be implemented as road maintenance grading is performed. PWA’s
proposal would only fund for the drafting of their pilot plan. It would not cover the costs to implement
the plan. Using PWA’s proposed $5K cost estimate, the BOD
concluded that a comprehensive road drainage erosion control plan
for all of the HOA’s 8 miles of roads would cost close to $50,000.
PWA also mentioned that grants might be available to fund the
project through RCD/NRCS. Earlier this year AMRCD told the HOA
Board that there were no grant funds available. If there were any
grant moneys available the HOA would be required to provide
matching funds. For example, if a grant was given to the HOA for
$50K, then the HOA must provide $50K in matching funds and then continue to maintain the plan proposed by PWA for a period of 10 years in order to satisfy the terms of the grant. The BOD reviewed and considered PWA’s proposal, but did not vote to contract with them. The proposal did not cover an erosion control plan for the entire HOA road system and looked expensive for a return on the HOA’s investment. The BOD also needs at least two other bids, to consider for comparison, before moving forward. An expenditure of this amount would require a Special Assessment approval by 2/3rd majority vote of the members.
Implementing Erosion Control Measures
For the past year and half, the HOA BOD has been working with the AMRCD and the Riverside County Department of Transportation, the Department of Planning, Building and Safety’s County Administrative Center for Environmental Compliance Division and the Department of Code Enforcement. While working with these agencies, the BOD developed our Best Management Practices (BMP) for Stormwater Pollution Prevention (SWPP). As a result, the BOD and the road maintenance committee have implemented a road drainage erosion control plan in accordance with HOA’s BMP. In preparation of winter storms, work had begun by building silting ponds, placing straw bale barriers and rip rap in erosion prone areas, cleaning out culverts, adding cut-outs, and sloping/crowning roads to allow better drainage. The work began in the summer of 2009 and continued throughout the rain downpours of 2009-2010.
The HOA is currently in compliance with county requirements. The County is satisfied with the efforts made with our BMPs. By working with the county agencies and implementing the HOA’s BMPs, we have managed to stay within a reasonable amount of our annual budget for road maintenance and drainage erosion control.
Addressing Ingress/Egress Lawsuit
As you may or may not know, the HOA, along with other non-HOA property owners, are in a Lawsuit with one of the HOA’s neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Gray. The action is over the use of Gray Squirrel Road, between Pampero Way and the northwest side of the HOA. This route has been used as ingress/egress to/from our area long before the HOA was formed, which was in 1982.
Because the HOA is in a legal action, it is imperative that all concerned continue to be civil & respectable to the Grays, while the court ordered injunction for use of the prescriptive easement is in force and until the matter is resolved in court.
In conjunction with the other property owners involved in the lawsuit, the HOA Board is consulting with legal counsel acting in the best interest on behalf of all the HOA members to address safety issues and for the preservation of our current & future property values. As with all legal matters, the Board’s discussions with legal counsel are held during executive session and are subject to attorney client privileged information. As such, the Board can only provide the membership with general information concerning the lawsuit that is heard during public hearings brought before the court and public information recorded with the county courts.
The HOA is working to keep this road open for the safety of our HOA members. Gray Squirrel Road is ingress to the north and west sides of the HOA for fire trucks, ambulances and other emergency vehicles. There are two ways in an out of the HOA and one of them is Gray Squirrel Road.
The following excerpt is from a Press Enterprise article and says it all.
(Fire) “Officials said residents should have an evacuation plan that provides two routes in different directions out of their neighborhood.”
It is fire season again and here is what the Cal Fire Director
and Chief has to say
Fire officials warn Inland residents to prepare for wildfires
10:00 PM PDT on Tuesday, May 4, 2010
By JOHN ASBURY The Press-Enterprise
Special Section: Inland Wildfires
The state fire chief said Tuesday that an extremely
wet winter may stave off tinder dry conditions but
could increase the danger of rich fuels by the end
of the summer.
Cal Fire Director and Chief Del Walters met with
Southern California fire officials in Yucaipa, the scene
of two Inland wildfires last year. Walters used his only
Southern California visit to kick off this week's Wildfire and Arson Awareness Week.
Against the backdrop of suburban homes at the base of grassy hillsides that were threatened by fire last year, fire officials said that residents need to prepare for California's year-round fire season by clearing brush from around their homes and being prepared to evacuate at a moment's notice.
Half of the state's 20 largest wildfires have occurred in the past four years, Walters said. Despite a wet winter this year, most of the state remains threatened, he said.
Moisture levels have returned to about average levels through most of the state and are predicted to remain there through August, when conditions may dry out.
"Wildfires have long plagued our state and impacted lives in an emergency," Walters said.
Last winter's rains and late spring storms may have increased moisture that helps prevent fires, but they have also led to a spurt in growth of heavy brush and grassy fuels along the Inland hillsides, and even at the base of mountains in the deserts.
Under the Fire Department's "Ready, Set, Go" plan, residents should clear a 100-foot radius around the homes and use ignition resistant building materials when possible.
Officials said residents should have an evacuation plan that provides two routes in different directions out of their neighborhood. Residents should be prepared to evacuate even before orders are formally declared if they feel threatened.
Inland Cal Fire stations are ramping up in preparation of fire season and have deployed two air tankers to Hemet and rehired the summer's seasonal firefighters. Cal Fire has hired 3,000 seasonal firefighters statewide.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently issued an executive order to add a fourth man to every engine crew in the state. Riverside and San Bernardino counties have not yet called for additional firefighters but have activated two air tankers deployed to Hemet-Ryan Airport. Two other tankers are stationed in Ramona in San Diego County.
Cal Fire has retrofitted 17 aircraft with locator technology to be tracked by dispatch. The rest of its fleet of 53 airplanes and helicopters will be completed by June, Walters said.
Keeping up with BOD actions
The board wants to keep our members informed of what the board and committees have been discussing and working on during the first quarter.
1. Meeting with HOA attorney in April and May to discuss Gray Squirrel “prescriptive rights” road closure action, by property owner.
2. The Board transferred money from the reserve fund into operating expenses for legal expenses.
3. Environmental issues:
The BOD asked Code Enforcement for assistance in identifying and resolving “Violations” from the county for Storm Water Pollutants entering the watershed. Code Enforcement referred the Board to agencies within the county to assist us in mitigating runoff and road problems. On May 19, the BOD met with the Riverside County Department of Transportation, Department of Planning, Building and Safety, the County Administrative Center for Environmental Compliance and the Department of Code Enforcement. This was a very productive meeting addressing both concerns of the county and of the RGO HOA BOD, and letting the Board know that the HOA is currently in compliance with county requirements but needs to continue to be proactive. The County Officials also said that they were satisfied with the current efforts and the results made with our Best Management Practices Program.
Get Healthy with Family Gardening
Planning a garden this spring? Your harvest may be a bumper crop, from the eatable to the beautiful, of better health for your whole family. Kids love to plant, water, watch the growing process, harvesting and spending time with Mom and Dad. Make sure they have a good experience by mixing seeding with plants already started from your nursery. Here are four more reasons why.
1. Gardening gives a dose of nature. Spending time outside yields a bushel of health benefits, including exposure to fresh air and sunlight (the best source around for vitamin D), as well as all the mental and emotional bonuses that derive from communing with nature.
2. Gardening is a great workout. Gardening tasks provide plenty of exercise, from digging, to hoeing, to toting water. Inspire little helpers by turning garden work into play. For example, challenge your kids to a weeding contest by see who can collect the most within an allotted time. Make sure they know a weed from your garden plants.
3. It adds nutrition to your diet and makes healthy eating fun. Even selective eaters find it hard to resist the fun of nibbling something straight off the plant. Tempt them with these pick-and-eat favorites:
Tomatoes: Who knew getting your vitamin C could be so tasty? One medium tomato delivers a healthy dose of vitamins C and A. Try Sun Gold cherry tomatoes for their sunny orange color, sweet-tart flavor and high yield.
Cucumbers: The king of crunch. These are great in salads or pickled.
Bell Peppers: You'll get vitamin C, a ton of nutrients and great taste.
Lettuce and Spinach: These are the basic requirements for a great salad.
Nasturtiums: Both the colorful blooms and nifty lily pad-shaped leaves are
edible. Toss them in your salad for a peppery bite.
4. Gardening boosts your mood. A study in the journal of Evolutionary Psychology found just receiving flowers made people feel better - and helped improve memory.
Weed Control
We know that you have heard this before but now is the time to mow. Due to the heavy winter rains this year, every thing is growing like WEEDS. As the weather gets warmer, the green of spring is now turning to the brown of summer as the weeds dry up. It is time for clearing weeds and brush from your property. The HOA properties are right in the middle of an extreme fire hazard area. The fire department recommends mowing properties and clearing of any dried brush/leaves/pine needles from under trees. They don’t recommend extensive grading or scraping because it promotes erosion problems when it rains, as the plant roots are gone. The county considers “scraping” the same as grading and requires a permit. Clear your brush at least 100 - 200 feet around buildings as per Riverside County Ordinance. If you do scrape your property you are required to reseed to stop erosion.
Dangerous Invasive Plant Species
Invasive Species "jump the fence" when seed, root or
stem fragments spread to our natural areas. Once
established in our natural areas, these plants grow so fast
that they crowd out native vegetation.
Dodder is a potentially invasive leafless parasitic vine
typically orange, red or yellow in color, thread or string-
like that twines over other plants, infecting non-woody
plants or small shrubs. Native dodders are found in
wildland areas or crops in hot, dry desert climates or at
Each dodder branch obtains its nutrients from the host and, after a short time, will kill the host plant. Growing stems branch and attach to new host stems. One plant can cover 10-15 ft.
Useful methods to decrease infestations and prevent the spread of dodder include hand cultivation, spraying with roundup, close mowing. Use a pre-emergence to stop seeds from sprouting. For more information contact your nursery. Dodder can be seen throughout the HOA.
