Manager’s Messages

Annual Members Meeting & Election - Sunday, June 3, 2018

It is that time of year for the Heron Pointe Annual Members Meeting & Election! This year, we will be electing two directors to serve on the Board for a two-year term.

Soho Taco will be catering the event again this year, so please stop by, grab some delicious tacos, and join us! Food will begin being served at 2:00 P.M., and the election will begin at 3:00 P.M. We look forward to seeing you there!

We need your vote in order to be able to conduct the election!

Please mail your ballot to Action Property Management by May 31^st to help ensure that quorum is met.

If you have lost or misplaced your election materials, please contact Action at (949) 450-0202 or via email to rhart@actionlife.com and another set will be mailed to you.

Thank you for your help in making this year’s election a success!

Landscape Reports

The Association has a contract with Monarch Environmental to perform landscape consulting services. Their purpose is to assist the Association in the oversight of the landscape maintenance company to ensure they are performing per the contract and make recommendations to improve the landscape in the community. Monarch prepares monthly reports that identify areas that need to be addressed and these are available for homeowners to view on the Homeowner Portal at www.vivoportal.com. This is meant to be a useful tool for homeowners so they can see which areas the landscape consultant has identified as needing improvement and what their recommendations are for the area. If you observe an area in the community that you believe needs improvement and see that it has not been identified on a recent report, please notify Rhonda Hart at rhart@actionlife.com and she will relay this to the Board of Directors and landscape representatives. We appreciate everyone’s input in beautifying the community!

Directory System Update

The current directory system has been malfunctioning recently and is unable to be repaired due to its age, as they do not make parts for it anymore. The Board approved a proposal to replace the system at the January 23rd board meeting. We have been advised by WC Friend that the parts for the new system are due in on February 13th, and they anticipate that they will be able to install the new system by the end of the week, weather permitting. The new system should resolve any issues that residents are having with the current system.

Directory Issues

The directory system has been experiencing some issues recently. Residents have reported their code not working intermittently and Management has not been able to program new information. The system is the original system and is very old. Replacement parts are no longer available for it, so repairs are not possible. The Board will be reviewing proposals to replace the directory system at the January 23rd meeting.

Happy Holidays!

The Board of Directors and Action Property Management wish all residents a safe and happy holiday season! Please note that Action Property Management’s office will be closed on Friday, December 22nd, Monday, December 25th, and Monday, January 1st in observance of the holidays. If you need to report an emergency maintenance item, please contact Action at (800) 400-2284 to be routed to an emergency on-call representative that can assist you. Normal office hours are Monday through Friday from 7 AM to 7 PM.

Happy Halloween!

The Association and Action Property Management wish all residents a safe and happy Halloween! To help ensure adults and children have a safe holiday, the American Academy of Pediatrics has compiled a list of Halloween Safety Tips, including do’s and don’ts:

• A responsible adult should accompany young children on the neighborhood rounds
• If your older children are going alone, plan and review a route acceptable to you
• Agree on a specific time children should return home
• Teach your children to never enter a stranger’s home or car
• Instruct children to travel only in familiar, well-lit areas and stick with their friends
• Tell your children not to eat any treats until they return home
• All costumes, wigs and accessories should be fire-resistant
• Avoid masks, which can obstruct vision
• If children are allowed out after dark, fasten reflective tape to their costumes and bags, or give them glow sticks
• When buying Halloween makeup, make sure it is nontoxic and always test it in a small area first
• Remove all makeup before children go to bed to prevent skin and eye irritation
• Children and adults are reminded to put electronic advices down, keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street

Notice of Adoption of Revised Parking Rules and New Parking Patrol Service

At the January 24, 2017 Board of Directors meeting, the Board voted to approve the revised Parking Rules and Regulations that were sent to the community for a 30-day comment period in December 2016. The updated Parking Rules and Regulations were distributed to all homeowners and may also be viewed and downloaded on the VIVO Portal at www.vivoportal.com.

The purpose of the revision was two-fold: (1) to amend the rules to allow homeowners to park on the street, as the current rules only permit guests to park on the street, and (2) to limit the time a vehicle could be parked on the street in the same spot to 72 hours. The Association has had recent incidents where vehicles have been abandoned on the community streets, and without a rule in place limiting the amount of time a vehicle can be parked in the same spot on the street, it is difficult for the Association to take any action to remove the vehicle. Furthermore, ensuring that vehicles are moved every 72 hours will help to ensure that all residents have equal access to street parking and help to prevent “stored” vehicles from accumulating dirt, cobwebs, and debris, which is unsightly and detracts from the appearance of the neighborhood.\

The new Parking Rules and Regulations are now in effect, and the Association has contracted with Patrol Masters to perform regular inspections of the community to patrol for parking violations beginning March 1, 2017. The inspections will be performed by patrol officers in marked vehicles and will also help to create a security presence in the community. The officer will monitor the community for parking violations and will issue citations to vehicles in violation of the Parking Rules. Failure to comply with the citations will result in the vehicle being towed from the property at the owner’s expense.

The Board of Directors greatly appreciates all residents’ compliance with the Parking Rules and Regulations. Should you have any questions about the Parking Rules or the parking patrol enforcement, please contact Senior Manager of Community Services Rhonda Hart at (949) 450-0202, or via email to rhart@actionlife.com.

Landscape Renovation Project

The Board is aware that many homeowners are unhappy with the current state of the landscape in some areas and has decided to undertake a communitywide renovation project to address these areas. The areas included will be the front entrance, Heron Pointe Drive (the main corridor), the traffic circles at the end of each cul-de-sac, and the planters along Seal Beach Blvd. The Board is planning on converting all of the parkways to turf (rather than have the ornamental grasses in some areas) and converting the area in between 967 and 979 Heron Circle into a small park. The Board has retained Monarch Environmental to do the design of these areas and is in the process of fine-tuning the renderings. The scope of work will then be put out to bid, and the Board will be reviewing the proposals at the January 24th meeting. All interested homeowners are strongly encouraged to attend the meeting to ask questions and participate in the process.

New Signage at Entrance

You may have noticed some new signage at the entrance to the community recently. There used to be a large white sign in the center median for Gum Grove Park. The Association had a traffic study conducted in 2015, and the consultant concluded that the sign’s located was a safety hazard, as it blocks the visibility of drivers trying to turn left into the Gum Grove Park parking lot. Since this signage is regulated by the Coastal Commission, the Association had to obtain approval from them to relocate the signage. The approval process took 9 months, but the Coastal Commission ultimately approved the Association’s request. The large white sign was completely removed, and a brand new black sign with the same verbiage and dimensions was placed at the corner of the driveway to the Gum Grove Park parking lot. A “Coastal Access” sign was placed on the stacked stone directory monument to comply with Coastal Commission requirements.

Furthermore, the Association has fabricated and installed custom monogram lettering with a rust colored heron in the empty space above the arbor between the two vehicle gates. The Board felt that this area was very focal and that by adding this element, has helped to improve the aesthetic of the entrance to the community. The Board would like to give a special thank you to former Board President Mark Rohling, who came up with the concept for the design. We hope you all enjoy the new improved signage at Heron Pointe!

Bioswale Maintenance Project Completed

The maintenance of the Bioswale, located in the back of the property, has been completed. This was a large undertaking, as the area had been neglected for years and had fallen out of compliance. Although the Association does not technically own the Bioswale area, they are legally required to maintain it under the CC&Rs. Compliance is regulated by the Coastal Commission, and also by the Orange County Fire Authority, as it is considered part of a fuel modification zone. The area is now in compliance, and will be closely monitored by the Association’s landscape company, Bemus Landscape, and landscape consultant, Monarch Environmental, to ensure it stays in compliance. Routine maintenance of this area is now included as part of Bemus’ maintenance contract to ensure it is maintained properly going forward. The project was estimated to cost $33,000.00, which was budgeted for in the Association’s reserves. However, the project ultimately came in at $10,000.00 UNDER budget, which is great news! The Board would like to give a special thank you to Monarch Environmental and J.E.S. Engineering Services, who were able to get the area in compliance and save the Association a substantial amount of money!