Woodmoor Improvement Association, Jan. 30, Feb. 1 and 23 – Annual meeting, reorganization, and signage

Woodmoor Improvement Association, Jan. 30, Feb. 1 and 23 – Annual meeting, reorganization, and signage

• Annual meeting
• Board reorganization
• Woodmoor area developments
• South Woodmoor Preserve signs
• Board highlights

By Jackie Burhans

The Woodmoor Improvement Association (WIA) board met on Jan. 30 for its annual meeting to elect new board members, review 2022 accomplishments, state 2023 goals, and recognize good neighbors. The board met on Feb. 1 to certify the election, reorganize its positions, and approve operational procedures. Finally, the board held its regular meeting on Feb. 23 to hear a request for trail names for the South Woodmoor Preserve open space.

President Brian Bush implored residents to store their trash cans after pickup and reminded them that open fires are prohibited and are subject to a $5,000 fine.

Annual meeting

Bush opened the Jan. 30 meeting, inviting the audience to ask questions as he presented. The presentation is available on the WIA website at http://bit.ly/wia-2023-annual. After conducting the pledge of allegiance, Bush recorded the required proof of notice for the meeting, confirmed the quorum, and reviewed the rules of conduct for the meeting.

At the time of the meeting, four people had submitted nomination forms, residents could vote at the annual meeting, and ballots were scheduled for counting the following week.

Bush reviewed the mission of WIA to perform covenant and architectural control, maintain and improve common areas, and provide public safety. He also noted that WIA monitors issues in surrounding areas that may affect its residents.

Noting that board positions are unpaid, he introduced the 2022 board members and WIA staff. The WIA dues for 2023 have increased by $8 to $283 annually after considering the impact of inflation on salaries and the cost of improvements. The top three income sources were dues, new construction fees, and rentals. Top expenses other than payroll were common area improvements, maintenance, and forestry. Bush commended the WIA and WPS staff for holding expenses under budget. He noted that insurance was becoming more expensive, and if it continued to increase or was denied, WIA might have to close Toboggan Hill or drain the remaining ponds.

Woodmoor Public Safety (WPS) services include immediate officer response, vacation checks, crime prevention, traffic control, 24/7 patrols, and interagency support and communication. In 2022, WPS had 12,000 on-duty hours, drove 72,200 miles, completed 12.556 vacation checks, responded to 945 calls for service, and more. WPS received $20,602 in donations for vacation checks. Bush noted that, despite concerns about the recovery center on Woodmoor Drive, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office reported patient calls, parking complaints, and a few welfare checks, but “nothing of too much concern.”

Bush reviewed the 2022 highlights:

• Modest improvements to The Barn, including adding a small roof, refinishing the floors, and purchasing new tables.
• Continuing support for the Safe Routes to School trail. The county prohibited using Lake Woodmoor Drive in front of the spillway, so the D38 school district got another grant to build a bridge.
• Managing the $245,000 matching grant for wildfire mitigation to facilitate the creation of a defensible corridor.
• Four chipping days over two weekends that were free to residents.
• Acceptance of the 65-acre South Woodmoor Preserve from the Woodmoor Open Space Committee LLC (WOSC). WIA will mow, mitigate, and spray for noxious weeds, upgrade two trails, and, eventually, add benches and pet waste stations, and raptor poles after resident input.

For 2023 goals, Bush highlighted:

• Managing the final year of the fire mitigation grant.
• Developing trails and enforcing community standards.
• Administering covenants and design standards for the new Cloverleaf development of 131 homes.
• Proactively managing the reserve fund so that future needs are planned and funded.
• Continuing to digitize WIA files.
• Scheduling two chipping weekends in June or July; they will be free to residents.

Top covenant violations include trailers on property more than 72 hours and barking or aggressive animals. Many issues are resolved with a friendly email or phone call without requiring hearings or fines. There was a total of 304 violations, which was down from 425 the previous year. Top architectural projects were repainting and deck replacement, with 634 total projects (down from 762), of which 98.2% were approved by the Architectural Control Committee or office staff.

Good neighbor award nominations were awarded to three couples: Peter and Carol Clark, Charles and Shirley Cooke, and Louis and Sue Plants. The couples were recognized for their kindness and compassion in looking after their neighbors and helping them with yard work, snow removal, and food deliveries. Each couple received a $75 Home Depot gift card.

The meeting ended with a round of questions and answers on topics, short-term rentals (STRs), increased crime, updates on developments near The Cove townhomes, water availability, and the level of Woodmoor Lake. Bush replied that Woodmoor covenants cannot prohibit STRs, but WIA does regulate them as a home business. Public Safety Director Brad Gleason said crime trends have increased in the county, but Woodmoor has seen only minor increases in thefts from open garages and vehicles. Bush noted that the latest plans for North Bay included 30 single-family homes, and he had not seen any update on Waterside. Bush said, as the current president of Woodmoor Water and Sanitation Department (WWSD), it had enough water for a total build-out of 7,000 units, currently from wells but later from the Woodmoor Ranch. He confirmed that the developments on either side of Jackson Creek Parkway would be served by WWSD, which had increased tap fees and charges a premium for high-density development. Woodmoor Lake, owned by WWSD, had to be drained for some infrastructure development and will be refilled to its normal level by next year.

Board reorganization

At the Feb. 1 meeting, the board provided certified election results, which re-elected three members. The board re-instated and reorganized to the following roles:

• Brian Bush, President
• Peter Bille, Vice President
• Connie Brown, Treasurer, re-elected
• Steve Cutler, Common Areas
• Rick DePaiva, Secretary and Community Outreach, re-elected
• Brad Gleason, Public Safety, re-elected
• Ed Miller, Architectural Control
• Per Suhr, Covenant Control
• Cindy Thrush, Forestry

Woodmoor area developments

As a member of the Northern El Paso County Coalition of Community Associations (NEPCO), WIA monitors new developments in the area and comments where appropriate. The board submitted comments opposing the back entrance/exit from the proposed Caliber apartments near Palmer Ridge High School. The proposal has since been withdrawn. The board submitted additional comments opposing the routine use of the back entrance onto South Park by the Brookmoor development. WIA has been working with The Heights property owners association (POA) to monitor the Monument Ridge East development. Finally, WIA weighed in on the new El Paso Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) traffic ordinance, but the BOCC passed the ordinance as proposed.

South Woodmoor Preserve signs

At the regular Feb. 23 meeting, the board heard from resident Tish Norman, president of WOSC LLC, about its request to name trails in the South Woodmoor Preserve (SWP). Noting that WOSC had been instrumental in preserving and donating the land, she presented the results of a survey by the members of WOSC on finishing unimproved social trails, naming connector trails, and concerns about bench, pet waste stand, and raptor pole placements. She said she had sent the 17-page document, including free-form comments, to Bush, who said he would share it with the rest of the board.

Norman said she had been told by the Architectural Control Committee (ACC) that WIA would not name the trails but was not given a reason. She said WOSC was not asking for trail signs but wanted to put the names on the approved map stands. Her concern was for safety, she said, noting that Emergency Medical Services (EMS) would have difficulty finding someone on the intermingled trails. Gleason noted that a 911 system would show the nearest house and that naming the trail would have no bearing on EMS being able to find someone.

Bush thanked Norman for her presentation and said the board would consider the comments from the survey. He explained that no other trail in WIA has a name and that the request included proposed trails that might never become trails. The board has 200 acres to shepherd with a finite budget, he noted, and had already undertaken significant work in the SWP in the eight months it has owned it. Thrush expressed her concern that this had been proposed and rejected four times and suggested that residents could add names to trail apps if they wished. She felt the board should put the issue to bed. Resident Jennifer Davis was not in favor of trail naming and thought designating them on apps was a good idea; she also thanked the board for its clarification on EMS responses.

Board highlights

• The board appointed Bush, Bille, Brown, and DePaiva as authorized signers on its financial accounts.
• The board voted unanimously to meet on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. following a 6 p.m. executive session. The November and December meetings will be moved earlier due to the holidays.
• The board also set its covenant hearing dates and appointed committee members.
• The board authorized the ACC administrator to approve certain projects, handle compliance fee refunds up to $500, and handle routine change orders for all projects.
• The board authorized the director of forestry to review and approve tree removal requests and Firewise lot evaluations and appoint Forestry Committee members.
• Gleason noted that most red flag warning days, which indicate increased fire danger, occur in March through July and asked residents to check local media and the sheriff’s website for fire bans before using outdoor grills.
  

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The WIA Board of Directors usually meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of each month in The Barn at 1691 Woodmoor Drive, Monument. The next meeting will be on March 22.

The WIA calendar can be found at www.woodmoor.org/wia-calendar/. WIA board meeting minutes can be found at www.woodmoor.org/meeting-minutes/ once approved and posted.

Jackie Burhans can be reached at jackieburhans@ocn.me.

Other Woodmoor Improvement Association articles

• Woodmoor Improvement Association, May 28 – Board announces fire education (6/7/2025)
• Woodmoor Improvement Association, April 23 – Resident sparks Firewise® discussion (5/3/2025)
• Woodmoor Improvement Association, Feb. 26 and March 26 – Board addresses residents’ concerns (4/5/2025)
• Woodmoor Improvement Association, Jan. 27 and 29 – Annual meeting and reorganization (3/1/2025)
• Woodmoor Improvement Association, Dec. 18 – Board confirms opposition to Buc-ee’s (1/4/2025)
• Woodmoor Improvement Association, Nov. 20 – Board hears resident request for letter on Buc-ee’s (12/5/2024)
• Woodmoor Improvement Association, Oct. 23 – Board approves budget, dues increase (11/2/2024)
• Woodmoor Improvement Association, Sept. 25 – Board seeks community support for wildfire mitigation grant (10/5/2024)
• Woodmoor Improvement Association, Aug 28 – Change to prairie dog elimination causes delay (9/7/2024)
• Woodmoor Improvement Association, July 24 – Board confirms plans to eradicate prairie dogs (8/3/2024)