NORTHSTAR HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION
Minutes of Special Meeting on July 5, 2005
Northstar Home
The meeting was called to order by the President, Annie Lewis Garda, in the Garda home at 5:15 pm. It was attended by Pam and Michael Grimme (Lot 4), Susan Ruebush and Mike Kelly (Lot 5) David VanDenburgh (Lot 6), Annie Lewis and Bob Garda (Lot 7), Bill Truxes (Lot 8), and Eric Hermann (Lot 10). The president held proxies for Richard Hetherington and Teresa Ulrey (Lot 1) and Ivy and Dick Trippeer (Lots 2 and 3).
Most in attendance were new property owners, so we took some time for introductions.
The minutes of the last annual meeting on December 30, 2004 were approved as mailed.
Bob Garda, chairman of the Architectural Review Committee (ARC), reported the following:
- Consultation with an attorney about our covenants indicates that interior improvements do not have to be approved by the committee. However, any changes to the exterior (including painting) do have to be approved by the Architectural Review Committee.
- The plans for the Kelly residence (Lot 5) were approved by the ARC. Final approval of the project awaits receipt of plans for the retaining wall below the house. With the agreement of the ARC, Mike will submit these later. He felt he could better determine how the wall should be constructed when the house is further along.
- Bill Kaufman (Lot 1) had requested that the ARC approve a paint swatch he had put on the garage. As the sole member of the committee at the time, Bob checked the paint color then notified Bill that the paint color was approved provided both sides of the home were to be painted. He asked if the dumpster indicated exterior improvements were being made and reminded Bill that any such improvements must be approved by the ARC. Bill replied that both sides of the house were to be painted and that the dumpster was full of refuse collected from the property and that no exterior improvements had been made. Bill Truxes disagreed and said that considerable work had been done to the exterior in the back. Bob was asked to check on this once again.
- David VanDenburgh (Lot 6) had indicated he would be submitting plans to the ARC to add a room over his garage and re-work the roof line.
The Grimmes (Lot 4) indicated they plan to re-paint their home in the same color and this was approved by the association.
Apparently the letter which had been filed with the county on January 4, 1999, indicating the illegal re-subdivision of Lot 1 was not brought to the attention of the new owners. Annie Lewis and Bob found that the letter is still attached to that property in the county records and she will send a copy to the new owners.
Those in attendance could see that the upper part of the Northstar road is in a precarious position. Excavation of the Kelly home and leaks in the city water system lead to considerable erosion and damage. Mike Kelly reported that the road is now safe, even for trucks. The builder expects construction to be far enough along by the end of September that he can return the road to its original condition. He will repair the temporary patches he has made and install a rolled curb. The dirt area around the fire hydrant is the responsibility of the city. Bill Truxes indicated there is still water leaking from a pipe that goes to the VanDenburgh home and that the city is coming back to repair it.
Mike Kelly reported that their excavations had shown that the dirt on their property and under the road is actually topsoil. Apparently, the dirt excavated from the first two homes built was dumped in that area to make it flat enough for a road. Then the road was built on the flattest part. The result is that the road is not only two feet over the Kelly property line, but is also built on soft soil. Bill Truxes said he had engineer’s reports indicating otherwise. He will send these reports to Mike Kelly. Mike has had preliminary discussions with an engineer regarding the road and suggested that we hire him to give us options for improving the road. Discussion pointed out that we are now a subdivision of multi-million dollar homes and we should have infrastructure which at least supports safety vehicles. David VanDenburgh moved, and Mike Kelly seconded, a motion to spend up to $1,000 for an engineer to give us options for road improvement. The motion passed without dissent.
Currently, Bob Garda is the only member of the Architectural Review Committee. Mike Grimme moved, and Bill Truxes seconded, a motion that David Larcher and David VanDenburgh be elected to the other two positions. Because they have potential conflicts of interest, the motion included electing Mike Kelly to be an alternate to serve when interest conflicts occur. The motion passed without dissent.
It was moved by Eric Hermann, and seconded by Bob Garda, that Mike Kelly be elected to replace Dick Trippeer on the Governing Board. The motion was passed without dissent.
The Sweeney’s proposed Treasure Hill project (adjacent to the south side of Northstar) and its implications for all of us were discussed. All of us will be affected by the traffic problems its density will create and by the blasting necessary for a 400 car underground garage as well as up to four stories of other underground buildings. Those on Lowell will be affected by the construction vehicles which will be routed up Lowell. Those of us on the south end will have a seven story building less than 200 feet away. The next Planning Commission meeting to discuss the project will be July 13th. Those in town are urged to attend. If you would like to be on a neighborhood e-mail list to receive notification of meetings and other updates, please let Annie Lewis know.
Dues for 2006 were discussed and there was a recommendation to raise them from $600 to $720, the maximum raise allowed.
Annie Lewis said she would be polling association members in November about their plans for being in town late December-early January in order to set the annual meeting date when the most people can attend.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:15pm.
Annie Lewis Garda,
Secretary
NORTHSTAR HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
GOVERNING BOARD
SPECIAL MEETING
July 5, 2005
Minutes
Immediately after the Association meeting was adjourned, the three members of the Governing Board (Annie Lewis Garda, Eric Hermann, and Mike Kelly) met and took the following actions unanimously:
- Mike Grimme was elected Vice President of the Association.
- Dues for 2006 were set at $720 per lot.
The meeting was adjourned.
Annie Lewis Garda,
Secretary