Walden Woods Common Area Committee

Year to Date Quarterly Report

September 2001

Bill Furnas: Chairman

Peggy Butler: Secretary

Contents

1 Summary and Recommendations...................................................................................... 4

1.1 1’st Quarter.......................................................................................................... 4

1.2 2’nd Quarter......................................................................................................... 4

1.3 3’rd Quarter.......................................................................................................... 5

1.4 4’th Quarter.......................................................................................................... 5

2 Maintenance................................................................................................................... 5

2.1 1’st Quarter.......................................................................................................... 5

2.1.1 Fire Fuel Abatement.................................................................................. 5

2.1.2 Fire Roads................................................................................................ 5

2.1.3 Trails........................................................................................................ 5

2.1.4 Poison Oak Control.................................................................................... 5

2.1.5 Fences...................................................................................................... 5

2.1.6 Signs......................................................................................................... 5

2.1.7 Creeks...................................................................................................... 6

2.2 2’nd Quarter......................................................................................................... 6

2.2.1 Fire Fuel Abatement.................................................................................. 6

2.2.2 Fire Roads................................................................................................ 6

2.2.3 Trails........................................................................................................ 6

2.2.4 Poison Oak Control.................................................................................... 6

2.2.5 Fences...................................................................................................... 6

2.2.6 Signs......................................................................................................... 6

2.2.7 Creeks...................................................................................................... 6

2.3 3’rd Quarter.......................................................................................................... 6

2.3.1 Fire Fuel Abatement.................................................................................. 6

2.3.2 Fire Roads................................................................................................ 6

2.3.3 Trails........................................................................................................ 6

2.3.4 Poison Oak Control.................................................................................... 6

2.3.5 Fences...................................................................................................... 6

2.3.6 Signs......................................................................................................... 6

2.3.7 Creeks...................................................................................................... 6

2.4 4’th Quarter.......................................................................................................... 6

2.4.1 Fire Fuel Abatement.................................................................................. 6

2.4.2 Fire Roads................................................................................................ 6

2.4.3 Trails........................................................................................................ 6

2.4.4 Poison Oak Control.................................................................................... 6

2.4.5 Fences...................................................................................................... 6

2.4.6 Signs......................................................................................................... 6

2.4.7 Creeks...................................................................................................... 6

3 Improvements................................................................................................................. 6

3.1 1’st Quarter.......................................................................................................... 6

3.2 2’nd Quarter......................................................................................................... 7

3.3 3’rd Quarter.......................................................................................................... 7

3.4 4’th Quarter.......................................................................................................... 7

4 Nuisances....................................................................................................................... 7

4.1 1’st Quarter.......................................................................................................... 7

4.2 2’nd Quarter......................................................................................................... 7

4.3 3’rd Quarter.......................................................................................................... 7

4.4 4’th Quarter.......................................................................................................... 7

5 Miscellaneous................................................................................................................. 7

5.1 1’st Quarter.......................................................................................................... 7

5.2 2’nd Quarter......................................................................................................... 7

5.3 3’rd Quarter.......................................................................................................... 7

5.4 4’th Quarter.......................................................................................................... 8

6 Wildflowers.................................................................................................................... 8

6.1 Natives................................................................................................................. 8

6.1.1 Early March.............................................................................................. 8

6.1.2 Mid April.................................................................................................. 8

6.1.3 Early May................................................................................................. 8

6.1.4 Late May.................................................................................................. 8

6.2 Seeded.................................................................................................................. 8

6.2.1 Early March.............................................................................................. 8

6.2.2 Mid April.................................................................................................. 8

6.2.3 May.......................................................................................................... 8

6.3 Resources............................................................................................................. 9

7 Budget.......................................................................................................................... 10

7.1 1’st Quarter Summary.......................................................................................... 10

7.2 2’nd Quarter Summary......................................................................................... 10

7.3 3’rd Quarter Summary......................................................................................... 10

7.4 4’th Quarter Summary......................................................................................... 11

8 Maps............................................................................................................................ 11

9 Attachments................................................................................................................. 13

9.1 1’st Quarter......................................................................................................... 13

9.1.1 Letter to Priscilla Stepenson, dated April 17, 2001 requesting payment of $233.34 for chipper and clean up work....................................................................................................... 13

9.1.2 Contract to Jim Hiteshew, Public Tree Service for Fire Fuel Abatement work. 13

9.1.3 Map of area for Fire Fuel Abatement work............................................... 13

9.1.4 Letter to Chief Tony Corado, South Placer Fire District, re: Brush chipping program. 13

9.1.5 Front Entrance Design Contest Flyer......................................................... 13

9.1.6 CAC Meeting Notes, Dec. 19, 2000.......................................................... 13

9.1.7 CAC Meeting Notes, Feb. 27, 2001........................................................... 13

9.1.8 CAC Meeting Notes, Apr. 28, 2001.......................................................... 13

9.2 2’nd Quarter........................................................................................................ 13

9.3 3’rd Quarter........................................................................................................ 13

9.3.1 CAC Meeting Notes, July. 28, 2001.......................................................... 13

9.4 4’th Quarter........................................................................................................ 13

1 Summary and Recommendations

This is a year-to-date summary of four quarters worth of Common Area activity.

1.1 1’st Quarter

Well we got a lot of work done:

· Fire Flue Abatement is done: 5 acre area around old Wood Rock:

See attachments 2 and 3

· A significant amount of Poison Oak Control both by contractors and volunteers

· The Fire Roads have been maintained by the volunteers and are good to year’s end

· Work to prevent Creek crossing erosion has paid off

· A prototype for the WWCA boundary posts have been developed

· A sign regarding Equestrian rules have been made

· Significant volunteer progress has been made in the picnic area

· The wildflowers are doing very well

· The chipper finally showed up and chipped the last two years worth of brush!

See attachment 4.

· Published a contest to improve the design of the front entrance: See attachment 5.

I can’t say enough to praise all the volunteer help!

Especially in the last few months, I’ve noticed an increase in the number neighbors that are using the CA.

Recommendations: I’m recommending that we spend $1500 on improvements in 1) The picnic area and 2) The CA easement: See section 6.

· The CAC is recommending a picnic table that seats about ten, is a single piece on concrete weighing 2,600 lbs., and is indestructible. It’s made by Quick Crete and costs about $800. The only issue is: how to move it the last 50 feet to the picnic table slab area. Jack Arnold is investigating this. I expecting to spend no more than $1000 on the picnic table.

· The Board has recommended than CA volunteers expend some effort developing the CA easement. My plan is to have the volunteer group begin this work when the picnic area is under control.

1.2 2’nd Quarter

Accomplishments:

· In May we set the picnic table and benches: Thanks to Jack Arnold, John Whitmer, Denses Holden and myself.

· In late May I finished landscaping around the first foot bridge.

· In May Guy and Victoria Hall formed a 2 man poison oak wrecking crew.

Recommendations: I’m recommending that:

· The volunteer force begin working on the easement now.

Arrangements will need to be made with the County so we can proceed with this work.

· We carve out a couple vernal ponds where the first foot bridge is.

Jim Billings has “agreed” to pilot a Bob Cat to do this work.

· Wild flower seeding

In section 6 I’ve recommended some specific seeds for sowing this fall.

1.3 3’rd Quarter

Accomplishments:

· Adjusted this report to reflect the adjustment of the WWHO fiscal year to match the calendar year and the interim budget: Added $1500 to the Picnic Area line item and $230 to the Easement line item.

· Guy Hall and I developed a detailed map of the CA.

· Poison Oak Abatement: Guy and Victoria Hall continued their eradication. Guy developed a plan and map that I imported into the Common Area Maintenance Plan.

· Yellow Star Thistle Removal: We contracted with a couple neighborhood teens to weed out the existing YST. I say they got about 95% of it: It will be interesting to see what comes back next year.

· Easement: We had four work parties on the easement. We cleared the basic path and staked it.

· I researched the issues regarding making vernal ponds. This is not something we want to do as the permit bureaucracy would be impossible to deal with.

Recommendations: I’m recommending that:

· Constructing vernal ponds is not feasible, however, a couple guys with shovels could carve out a vernal pool and meet the spirit of the law.

· Work on the easement be suspended until next Spring. I budgeted $1000 to spend on the easement next year.

· This Fall we need to do: 1) Wildflower seeding, 2) Culvert maintenance, and 3) Erosion maintenance on the Old Fire Road hill.

1.4 4’th Quarter

2 Maintenance

2.1 1’st Quarter

2.1.1 Fire Fuel Abatement

Performed by Public Tree Service: See attachment 2. I’m very please with their work. I’m looking forward next years bid from them.

Significant volunteer involvement here: Marking off the 5 acres, building a temporary bridge, working with the contractor,…

2.1.2 Fire Roads

Performed by volunteers: saves us $1000 which we will use on improvements.

Technique: Roundup.

Volunteer developed technique for dealing with erosion on “the hill” up the main fire road works! We need to finish this work in the fall.

2.1.3 Trails

Volunteers have done a great job blazing the foot trails.

2.1.4 Poison Oak Control

See summary.

2.1.5 Fences

See summary.

2.1.6 Signs

See summary.

2.1.7 Creeks

Volunteers have build and place one of the five footbridges that will span various creeks.

Culverts over existing creeks have weathered the winter well.

2.2 2’nd Quarter

2.2.1 Fire Fuel Abatement

2.2.2 Fire Roads

2.2.3 Trails

2.2.4 Poison Oak Control

Guy and Victoria have formed a poison oak two man death squad.

2.2.5 Fences

2.2.6 Signs

We have not put up the horse sign yet.

2.2.7 Creeks

2.3 3’rd Quarter

2.3.1 Fire Fuel Abatement

2.3.2 Fire Roads

2.3.3 Trails

I had some more DG and top soil delivered.

2.3.4 Poison Oak Control

Guy and Victoria have continued their poison oak two man death squad.

We spent about $470 for a couple teens ( Thomas Hall and Matt Gillum ) to weed out the YST.

2.3.5 Fences

2.3.6 Signs

We have not put up the horse sign yet.

2.3.7 Creeks

2.4 4’th Quarter

2.4.1 Fire Fuel Abatement

2.4.2 Fire Roads

2.4.3 Trails

2.4.4 Poison Oak Control

2.4.5 Fences

2.4.6 Signs

2.4.7 Creeks

3 Improvements

3.1 1’st Quarter

Picnic Area: This area is looking good! We are ready to drop down a picnic table!

Wild Flowers: are doing well.

CA Easement: none.

3.2 2’nd Quarter

Picnic Area: This area is looking good! We dropped down a picnic table and continued work on the footpaths.

Wild Flowers: are doing well: The real beauty is gone by mid May, but a few on the summer flowers are showing nicely: Especially the Coreopsis: a 3-4 foot tall flower with medium size yellow daisy-like blooms.

CA Easement: none.

3.3 3’rd Quarter

CA Easement: Four work parties. Good progress on defining exactly where the footpath will be located. Work suspended until next Spring.

3.4 4’th Quarter

4 Nuisances

4.1 1’st Quarter

Over all, this year has been a great improvement over previous years. I feel that the reason is: We are taking an interest in the CA and have an active presents, which has been noticed by the trouble-makers.

Nuisance Activity:

· Broken Bottles and junk behind lots 52 & 103.11 occurring ever 2 months or so

4.2 2’nd Quarter

Nuisance Activity:

· Minimal junk behind lots 52 & 103.11.

4.3 3’rd Quarter

Nuisance Activity:

· Broken Bottles and junk behind lots 52 & 103.11 occurring ever 2 months or so. Jason Lopsinger was caught breaking glass. I talked to John, who said “thanks” and that he would have Jason clean up some of the remaining glass in the area.

4.4 4’th Quarter

5 Miscellaneous

5.1 1’st Quarter

South Placer Water and Sewage has contacted me as CA chairman to see about gaining access into the CA. They need to be able to perform maintenance on the sewage system. Their contact is our own Louis Perron 624-7742.

5.2 2’nd Quarter

5.3 3’rd Quarter

5.4 4’th Quarter

6 Wildflowers

This section describes the wildflowers found in the common area.

6.1 Natives

This section describes the seasonal presentation of the native wildflowers in the common area.

6.1.1 Early March

Indian Paint Brush: Small green-gray bush with red paintbrush like flowers: Blooms through mid-May.

Monkey Flower: Medium sized dark green bush with an orange flower: Blooms through June.

6.1.2 Mid April

Blue Brodiea: Flower with a single stalk and a deep blue, puffy bloom: Blooms through mid-May

Yellow Brodiea: Flower with a yellow bloom that includes tan strips: Blooms through mid-May.

Sundial Lupine: (Lupinus perennis) Large and small lupine with Blue-Purple blosoms: Blooms through mid-May.

6.1.3 Early May

Elder Berry Vine: Leaves begin re-appearing in early March with a yellow-green bloom in early May: Blooms through May.

Vetch: A crawling semi-vine with purple flowers. Blooms through May.

Styrax Californica?: A scraggly looking tall bush with white flowers. Blooms through June.

6.1.4 Late May

Brodiaen Elegans:

6.2 Seeded

This section describes the seasonal presentation of wildflower seeding by the common area volunteers. Also discussed here is the efficacy of various seeds.

6.2.1 Early March

Toadflax: (Linaria macrocana) Flower with small multi-colored blooms that look like miniature snapdragons. Does very well re-seeding itself: Plant in sun: A very good dollar value as $30-40 worth will seed ½ acre. Recommendation: We should seed ½ to 1 acre of toadflax each year. Blooms through mid-May.

Sundial Lupine: (Lupinus perennis) We’ve seeded this, but I can’t tell how well the seeds do because of the native sundials.

California Poppy: (Eschscholzia californica) All the golden poppies in the common area are seeded. So far the poppy has NOT re-seeded very well? Blooms through May.

6.2.2 Mid April

Golden Lupine: (Lupinus densiflorus) A large lupine with a golden yellow flower. We had marginal luck with this seed. Blooms through May.

Scarlet Flax: (Lnum grandiflorum) Small single stemmed with a single red flower that closes when the sun goes down. We’ve had marginal luck with this seed. Blooms through May.

Chinese Houses: (Collinsia heterophylla) Medium sized, single stemmed with stacked flowers of white and lavender blooms: Blooms through mid-May. Recommendation: This seed is one of the few that does well in the shade: So we should seed some next year. Re-seeding: ability is unknown ( 1’st year ).

6.2.3 May

Coreopsis: (Coreopsis lanceolata) A 3-4 foot tall flower with medium size yellow daisy-like blooms begins showing in mid-May. There are both native and seeded verities in the Common Area. Recommendation: This seed is one of the few that does well in partial shade: So we should seed some next year.

Clarkia: I noticed this flower in a few places along the road-side on the way to work. It’s tall (3-4 feet) with a very showy pink-orange flower that does very well in the full sun. Recommendation: Locate some seeds and try them out next year.

Cosmos: (Cosmos bipinnatus) White, pink and red. This seed did not do well?

Blanketflower: (Gaillardia aristata) Red and yellow. This seed did not do well?

Blazing Star: (Mentzelia lindleyi) Large yellow. This seed did pretty well: We’ll seed some more next year.

6.3 Resources

Native plant experts:

Seth at Sierra Nursery:

Jeannie at Bushnells Nursery:

Debby Flowers at Sierra College:

7 Budget

Budget amount are expressed in round dollar amounts, i.e. no cents. Budget targets are as specified in the WWHA Common Area Maintenance Plan, Sept. 2000

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 TOTAL BDGET %/BDGET

Fire Fuel Abatement 4667 0000 0000 0000 4667 5000 93%

Fire Roads 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 1000 000

Trails 0000 0000 266 0000 266 500 53%

Poison Oak Control 933 166 468 0000 1567 1500 104%

Fences 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 200 000

Signs 0000 53 0000 0000 53 50 106%

Creeks 436 0000 0000 0000 436 500 87%

Picnic Area 0000 1447 0000 0000 1447 1500 96%

CA Easement 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 230 000

TOTALS 6036 1666 734 0000 8,436 10,530 80%

7.1 1’st Quarter Summary

We spent about 70% of our budget but we’ve also accomplished the lion’s shared of the maintenance.

We have about $2997 left to spent ( 8800 – 6036 + 233 ). The +$233 comes from monies due from Priscilla Stephenson: See attachment 1.

I plan to divert about $1500 for improvements to the Picnic Area and CA Easement. The rational for this is: The volunteers, by doing the FireRoads and some of the Poison Oak Control, have freed up about $1500.

A rough sketch of the expenditures through the rest of the year:

· Improvements $1500

· Wildflower seeds $400

· Footbridges $300

· Decomposed Granite: $250

That would leave about $400 for contingencies.

7.2 2’nd Quarter Summary

We spent $1600 this quarter, leaving use with about $1000 left for the rest of the year.

A rough sketch of the expenditures through the rest of the year:

· Wildflower seeds $400

· Tractor work for vernal pond $400

That would leave us with $200 for contingencies.

7.3 3’rd Quarter Summary

When the WWHOA books were closed and re-opened so the fiscal and calendar years will match, the Board found a little extra money for the CA. I’ve undated the budget to show this.

We spent $734 this quarter: $266 on DG and top soil and $468 on Yellow Start Thistle removal.

All I see us spend this Fall is:

· Wildflower seeds $700

7.4 4’th Quarter Summary

8 Maps

Guy Hall and I have developed a “layered” map of the common area that can be maintained with Adobe Photo Shop.

We have layers for:

· creeks

· fire roads

· footpaths

· granite outcrops

· flora

· poison oak abatement areas

The following is a map that shows the creeks, fire roads and footpaths: