Canvas Cove Newsletter – April 2009
Canvas Cove Homeowners Association (CCHA)
P.O. Box 451, O’Fallon, MO 63366
www.canvascove.org April 4, 20089
2008 Calendar of Events
· March 1, 2009 – Assessments Due
o Annual Assessment $85.00
o Special Assessment $50.00
· May 2, 2009 – Annual Home Owners Association Meeting 1:00 p.m. at Middendorf-Kredell Library on Highway K
· April 25, 2009 – Semi-Annual Subdivision Garage Sale (This event is always the last Saturday in April.)
· October 3, 2009 – Semi-Annual Subdivision Garage Sale (This event is always the first Saturday in October.)
Charity Clothing 314-416-1300 – a non-profit organization that will pick up clothing and household items. If you have additional phone numbers for a charity organization that will pick up household items and clothing, please contact Joan Burke
Notice to Garage Sale Participants: Please be mindful of your neighbor’s property during the sale time. Last year, some visitors parked and/or drove on people’s lawns and damaged sprinkler systems, plants, and grass. If you see a visitor harming your neighbor’s property, please politely ask them to move their vehicle or take their license plate number so your neighbor can recover the costs of the damages.
NEWSLETTER VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – We would greatly appreciate assistance with delivering newsletters, please provide Dee White at 636-379-0741 with your name, phone number and the section of the neighborhood you are able to assist with. This saves over $80 per mailing.
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING
Saturday
May 2, 2009
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Middendoft-Kredell Library
2750 Highway K, O’Fallon, MO
Please note the new place
& weekend date.
Election of Officers & Fiscal Report
Thank You Volunteers!
We are all so busy with kids, work, and family, that it is easy to take for granted that nearly everything accomplished for this subdivision is done by a resident for FREE!
GARDEN CLUB: A big thank you to Donna Harper, Wanda Wiegert, for planting and maintaining our entrance flowers and greenery. VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED to water, pickup litter, etc. please call Donna Harper at 240-8402. Also, thank you to the Flicker’s for taking care of the monument at the corner of Feise Road. The entrances look great!
FLAG: John Milton has taken care of the flag in this subdivision for years. Thanks to John for his continued patriotic service
Note from the Board President,
Joan Burke
The last six months personal matters have made it difficult for me to accomplish as much as I have wanted to on behalf of the Canvas Cove Homeowners Association. I was in an automobile accident last November and although not seriously injured, it precluded me from my normal activities for several months. I apologize that I was not able to prepare a newsletter to send with the Annual Assessments. I am feeling much better and am spending this weekend catching up on some overdue tasks such as this newsletter and updating the website. The computer that I used to create the subdivision website broke early in December and I have finally replaced it. I apologize to those of you that relied on the website for current information. I can’t wait to put the winter of ‘08-‘09 behind me!
Signs
Please, please, PLEASE do not place signs in your yard. This includes: home repair companies, lawn maintenance, political, etc. Signs are strictly prohibited in the covenants. Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU!
Canvas Cove Web Site: www.canvascove.org
A website for our subdivision has been created. The website contains a downloadable copy of the entire covenants. It is a very large file and will take some time to download. I suggest that you print a copy rather than try to read it from the website. Also, we have posted copies of last year’s newsletters. We have included links to local government, movie theaters and major road construction projects in the area. If you have any suggestions please email us or call Joan Burke. (Sorry about the delay in updating the site!)
Only he who has seen better days and lives to see better days again, knows their full value.
-Mark Twain
Boats / RVs / Trailers / Motorcycles
The past two years, the board has been very aggressive in enforcing this covenant. And, I am pleased to say “Thank You!” to the boat and trailer owners. We have seen a great improvement in the compliance of this covenant. Just a reminder: No trailers, boats, RVs in your driveway. It is prohibited by the Covenants. It is understandable that there may be a need to keep your boat, RV, trailer, etc., in your driveway from time to time for a few days; if this situation occurs, please contact a Board member so this issue can be addressed. We are not unreasonable people. If you fail to contact a member, the Board will take action against you to correct the violation. The Board cannot possibly be any more understanding or compromising on this issue. Please be sure to read on for the Board’s position on enforcement of the Covenants.
Enforcement of Covenants
We want to let all residents know that the Board remains committed to diligently enforce the Covenants. We hear from many residents that you want us to keep this subdivision in great shape.
We are a volunteer Board and we give a lot of our time and own resources for the benefit of the Canvas Cove residents. Those that chose to violate the Covenants at the expense of the remaining good people, leave the Board with little choice but to enforce the Covenants.
All residents need to be aware of Article IV.12, which is very powerful. This article allows the Board to assess $500 per month if a violation is not remedied. Please do not put us in the position to have to send out letters and issue fines against our neighbors. However, each of us agreed to abide by the Covenants when we bought a home in Canvas Cove. The Covenants are the primary means available to us as a community to ensure that our neighborhood remains aesthetically pleasing and to retain our property values.
PROPERTY IMPROVEMENTS
Please be sure that when making changes or improvements to your property you follow the Covenants and City Ordinances. For certain improvements (fences, pools, sheds, garages, additions, change of grade.) a plan must be submitted to the Architectural Committee of the Board. The plan should include a drawing of your property to include the specific location in relation to surrounding structures, measurements, specifications and materials of proposed structures, etc. Please contact Mike Moorhouse at 240-3639 to make arrangements to drop off the proposal. If you are unable to reach Mike, contact any member of the Board. Also, you can visit the subdivision website for instructions on submitting your request. The link is:
http://www.canvascove.org/My_Homepage_Files/Page7.htmlt
Maintenance of and Improvements
to Common Ground
As you probably will remember, last October each residence was mailed a ballot to vote on whether to increase the annual assessment or to pay a special assessment to pay for maintenance on the common ground.
The results are as follows:
Votes for $50 Assessment: 92
Votes for increasing Assessment: 69
Undecided: 2
Total votes received: 163
The special assessment will only be used for the maintenance and repair of the common ground. We hope to make substantial progress on this project this year.
Additional projects planned:
§ Improvements/Maintenance to Highway N Entrance
o Remove dead evergreen tree and replace it with a different species
o Replace mulch in center island with decorative rock
§ Add new mulch to the center island at the cul-de-sac on Picasso
§ Repaint Entrance Signs and have them reinforced
Thank You - Canvas Cove Homeowners
Thank you for the pride you take in being good neighbors and homeowners. The past year, most our residents really worked hard on the care and maintenance of their properties and rest assured, your hard work is appreciated and noticed! Thank you for a great year. Being members of the Board, we have the fantastic opportunity to meet many of you and we are grateful to have such nice neighbors.
Spring is Finally Here!
It is time again to tackle the challenge of annual maintenance on our homes. We have had all winter to watch Home and Garden TV and make notes on what we want to do and spring is finally here. The Board once again asks that we all step back and take a good look at the general appearance of our homes and property.
We encourage each of you to step back from the curb and take a look at your property with a critical eye. If you think that your fence needs some paint or stain – your neighbor’s are probably thinking the same thing. Let’s do our best to provide need care and maintenance to our homes.
Let’s all make our “To-Do” and “Honey-Do’ lists and get things done. Thank you all for your willingness to go that extra step to maintain your home. Let’s all strive to keep our subdivision in the best condition so that Canvas Cove continues to be one of the most desired neighborhoods in our area.
Legal Notice
We would like to thank those of you that have taken the time to help the Association with maintenance of the common grounds including mowing and cutting down overgrowth. On behalf of your neighbors, we would like to thank you and let you know we truly appreciate your efforts in maintaining our property. This newsletter is a legal notice to all residents that the Canvas Cove Homeowners Association retains ownership of all common grounds in the subdivision despite any voluntary maintenance provided to the Association. If you have planted or constructed anything on the common ground, or on property owned by the Canvas Cove Homeowners Association please be advised that those plantings and construction are the property of the Association.
Also, if you have engaged in any landscaping on common ground such as flower beds or gardens, the Board appreciates your efforts, but any future plantings must be approved by the Board, Article VII.1.(w).
CCHA Contact Information
Board of Directors
Please feel free to contact any member of the Board if you have any comments, concerns, etc.
Email:
Joan Burke, President: 240-0840
Dee White, Vice President: 379-0741
Judy Fierce, Treasurer: 240-1148
Peggy Moorhouse, Secretary: 240-3639
Fran Ehrenreich, Member at Large: 978-0293
Dardenne Prairie Ward 2 Alderman
Bob Menichino: Phone: (314) 803-8439
Email:
City of Dardenne Prairie: (636) 561-1718
Trash & Yard Waste Receptacles
Keep Out of Sight is RIGHT!!!
Trash can, garbage can, dust bin, rubbish can, recycle bin, yard waste can/cart/bin, and any other word you would like to use to identify a receptacle that one places items that are being discarded in – should not be stored where they can be seen from the road. Letters are going out this week to those residences that are in violation by storing trash cans or yard waste cans in a manner that is visible from the road. If the homeowner fails to cure this violation of the Covenants, a $500.00 fine will be assessed. Honestly, the Board has sent letters to the same residences repeatedly and it is beyond ridiculous at this point! Exhale . . .
a b a b
“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in, forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day, you shall begin it well and serenely. . .”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson