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Promoting Positive Reflection On The Community
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Summer 2009
Bill Sears, Webmaster e-mail address btsears38@hotmail.com
Linda Jacoby, Editor
Promoting Positive Reflection on the Folsom Bluffs Community
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Architectural Committee Report
By
Linda Jacoby
The main goal of the Architectural Committee this year was to recommend a new and updated look for our community. This was primarily accomplished by selecting a new “Village Color Scheme”. The committee met with a Painting color expert and picked three colors which have been approved by the Board of Directors. These colors can be viewed on the Folsom Bluffs Website. See attachments at the bottom of any page.
As homeowners are now responsible for the siding on their homes, it was also suggested that the current T 1-11 could be replaced by Hardie Board, which is not only rot resistant, but also fire resistant, and has a life span of approximately 30 years.
It was also recommended that the current lights on the front of the homes be replaced with a new bronze fixture. The Board of Directors also approved the replacement of the light fixtures on the side of the homes, by the side garage door. These fixtures are being replaced starting June 10th through June 12th ( please remember to turn off your electricity before the contractor arrives).
In addition the committee felt that individual homeowners should be given more choices for window replacements, for example flat windows in the kitchen or French doors in place of sliding doors and more choices of lighting fixtures for the own patios areas. These suggestions have also been approved by the Board of Directors.
All of the improvements are detailed in the Architectural Rules and Regulations. Please do not forget that all Architectural changes must be submitted to Riverside Management and must be approved by the Architectural Committee and the Board of Directors prior to the start of any work.
We feel, with these changes we will bring a new and fresh look to Folsom Bluffs.
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Protecting our property
By
Linda Conroy
As I am sure everyone is aware, we at Folsom Bluffs have a considerable Wildfire problem. We are surrounded on all sides by either State of Federal Property which prohibits us from having a 100 foot fire break around our homes.
Over the past year I have had numerous meetings with the Folsom Fire Department, Brian Mullhollen from BLM, a Company using Goats and a Consulting company, concerning a Fire Mitigation Program for Folsom Bluffs.
We have approx 4 acres owned by the HOA and within a week or so we will have approx 400 goats on our property from a company called Goat Central, along with a guard dog. The goats will be munching their way through the vegetation on the east and west on our property, and also on the BLM land east of our property line.
BLM has agreed to give Folsom Bluffs Owners Association a variance to proceed with a Fire Break up to 100 feet on to BLM property to the east from the Olive Orchard to down behind the pool area. BLM will also be using Americorps to do hand clearing on the BLM land and this has already started. There may also be the availability of CDC crews, again on the BLM land, later in the year, perhaps November. BLM has also advised that there are special funds available for ecological use ( goats would apply ) and as we are using goats, they will be funding $800 towards the cost of the goats.
I also met with Ryan and Karina Bellanca who own a consulting company called Bella Wildfire Services and Biomass Solutions. Both Ryan and Karina are trained Foresters and have worked as firefighters for Cal Fire.
We need permission to go onto state parks land in the Olive Orchard to the north and to the west of our property in the canyon, in order to clear the brush and limb the trees for a 100 foot fire break. Apparently one of the best ways to accomplish our goal is to have a CCWP ( Community Conservation Wildfire Protection Plan ) This Plan, and the grant writing process for this type of work is rather extensive.
Ryan & Karina are currently working on a project with Walden Woods ( a community with very similar problems to Folsom Bluffs ie, adjacent to Federal and State Property ) and have been successful in obtaining a $60,000 grant. The best part of the Walden Woods project ( from our point of view ) is that they received permission to go on to State Parks Land due to a plan written by Ryan and Karina.
Ryan and Karina made a presentation to our Board of Directors and the Board voted to hire them to proceed with the Wildfire Protection Plan, the grant writing and, when we hopefully receive the grant, to manage to project. FBOA must contribute 10% of any grant we receive, ie $10,000 for a $100,000 grant, either in kind or actual physical work. Each person’s time is worth $12.50 per hour and attendance at meetings is counted towards our 10%. If / when we receive the grant money, this will be used to continue using goats on an annual basis, hand clearing brush and trees, and chipping, on the State Property and enclosing the underneath of the units in the canyon with siding. The enclosure of the space under the units has been recommended by the Fire Department as the open area would act as a chimney in the event of a fire.
Within a few weeks our property will have had the brush and weeds cleared, the trees will be limbed up approx 8 – 10 feet - goats can accomplish this as they can reach that high on their hind legs, and the BLM land will have been cleared with a 100 ft. fire break. Hopefully, by this time next year, we will have been able to extend the 100 ft fire break clearance to the State property to the north and west of our property line with the help of the grant and enclose the base of the units in the canyon.
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