FALL 2000 BVRI NEWSLETTER 

Editor: Bill Webb

NEW BVRI BOARD MEMBERS Three new BVRI Board members were confirmed by the board at the October 15^th meeting. They are Leslie Peterson from Fremont, Jim Blake from Palo Alto and Gary Willard of Belmont. We ‘Welcome’ each of them to the board and look forward to their contributions.

BVRI WEB SITE The BVRI WEB Site is up and running – our address is WWW.BVRI.ORG - we encourage you to bookmark it so you can keep posted on Bear Valley issues/developments. You will find photos of recent events posted on the site as well as links to various BVRI Resources. In addition the site is linked to all of the other Bear Valley WEB Sites so you can easily check on weather conditions, etc. The site contains key topics that you will find informative/helpful.
    Starting with the Winter Newsletter we would like to make the WEB Site our primary distribution method to all BVRI members. In order to accomplish this we need your e-mail address – you can send it via e-mail to BVRI Secretary Katherine Aitken-Young at WWW.BVRI@BVRI.ORG. Members can also mail their e-mail addresses to Katherine via the BVRI PO Box 5145, Bear Valley, CA 95223. BVRI members can also send your comments/ questions on any issues to any board member via the web site at www. bvri@bvri.org or click on the E-Mail Us button on the web site!

BVRI SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM In recognition of the Bear Valley families that provide the many services that help make our BV Homeowners lives more comfortable and enjoyable, the BVRI Board has initiated a Scholarship program to encourage and reward residents who raise and educate their children in Bear Valley. A grant of $1,000 is provided to students who reside in the Bear Valley School area, graduate from BV School and, immediately after graduation from high school, enter a full time academic program at a college, university or accredited trade school. Full details of the program are available on the BVRI WEB Site as well as the bulletin board next to the Post Office. Four Bear Valley students have been awarded BVRI Scholarships this year in support of their continuing education – all four students are currently enrolled in full time academic programs in Community Colleges. Scholarships were awarded to:
* KIRA KRAYK Enrolled @ Cobrillo Community College
* ERIN SIBLEY Enrolled @ Cero Coso Community College
* KAJA CONRAD Enrolled @ Columbia Community College
* JULIA HEATH Enrolled @ Columbia Community College
     We extend our Congratulations to each of these Bear Valley students and wish them every success in their academic pursuits. Contributions to the BVRI Scholarship fund can be made to the BVRI Treasurer Brian Neth @ PO Box 5145, Bear Valley, CA 95223.

BVRI ANNUAL PICNIC Thanks to the great work of Picnic Committee Chairperson Liz Protell, this year’s Annual Homeowners Picnic set a new record with over 200 people in attendance. The raffle also raised over $700 in donations for the Search & Rescue Team in addition there was a private donation of $500. Thanks to all of the volunteers who made this a ‘Best Ever’ event – our Chef’s -- Phil Coffman, Stu Farwell and Shawn Hogan cooked up a great meal! A great time was had by all – we have pictures on the BVRI WEB Site to prove it – click on to www.bvri.org - and see what a good time everyone had at this annual event!!!

BEACH REPORT For 2001 BVRI Board members Terry Woodrow and Liz Protell will co-chair the Beach Committee. The Board approved the funding of $4,000 for a new swim raft for the 2001 Summer Season as well as the disposal of the old raft. The Board also approved the replacement of the BBQ’s and storage locker at the big beach. The BBQ and storage locker replacements will be done via a spring work party by the BVRI Board as well as any interested/skilled homeowner volunteers!

SWIMMING POOL COMMITTEE Following this summer’s initial use of the Lodge Pool by BVRI members, the board has appointed Suzanne Blumenthal-Smith Chairperson of the Pool Committee for next year. Suzanne will coordinate all BVRI pool activities/ marketing plans for the 2001 Summer Season. While this summer’s experiment was a partial success, we did not secure as many participants as expected. We will also need to improve the interface with the Lodge for next year’s program to be a real success.

ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE Chairman Ron Murphy reports: This has been a busy building season in Bear Valley. Plans for eight new homes were approved during the year. Four of the approved homes started construction during the year. One home is on Cub Lane and three are above Avalanche Road, but accessed from a private road off Snowshoe Road. Two homes, started just before the ’99-’00 snow season, remained under construction: one in the new Bear Paw Ridge subdivision and the other in the Granite Vista subdivision.
    Five requests for remodel were approved. Most of the remodels enlarged the home by adding a side wing or adding to the front of the home. Several repaint/stain requests and reroof requests were approved. Numerous requests for tree removal were approved, two were refused.
    One of the homes above Avalanche Road requested and received a height variance of 4 feet due to the slope of the terrain behind it. A home on Quaking Aspen Road undergoing a remodel requested and received a variance into its left-side setback: this side of the home bordered on open space. Another home on Orvis Road requested and received a variance into its side setback for addition of a winter entrance and stairwell; this side of the home was greater than 40-feet from the adjacent home and the adjacent homeowner had no objection.
    Your ARC has two new homes under review at the present time.
    Homeowners in the "new" subdivisions of Bear Valley (tracts 1-7,9) are reminded that any alteration to the exterior of their homes requires ARC approval prior to implementation. (Some exterior changes also require Alpine County Building Department approval.) This includes reroof, repaint/restain, tree removal, landscaping, remodel---anything that changes the exterior appearance of the property.
    Your Architectural Review Committee consists of Ron Murphy (Chair), Terry Woodrow, Robin LaRoy, Clem Soga and Gary Willard. Contact any of them direct with any questions or e-mail through the BVRI WEB Site.

STREET SIGNS, LIGHTING AND ROAD REPAIR The board has helped secure additional lighting for the loading area of the Transportation Center. Thanks to the extra efforts of board member Terry Woodrow, the new light will be placed in the center of the loading area to assist homeowners with night time loading/unloading of their snowmobiles. In addition, BVRI President Bob Schulz has written a letter on behalf of the BVRI Board to Director of Public Works Leonard Turnbeaugh encouraging the replacement of all Street Signs as well as appropriate Roar Repairs. Funding for these projects is now available as the result of increased state funding from timber receipts.

SEWER REPORT The BVRI Board has appointed member Gary Willard as the Board’s representative to the Bear Valley Water District (BVWD) to insure that the homeowners are keep fully informed on the status of the compliance issues with the Regional Water Control Board (RWQCB) and the lifting of restrictions on new sewer connections. From the November 20^TH BVWD Board meeting, Gary reports the BVWD has been complying with the terms of the Cease and Desist Order and have completed the following:

1. Smoke tested all sewer lines in Bear Valley to determine locations of ground water infiltration. Numerous sources of infiltration were located and repaired, including manhole covers, missing clean out caps and broken laterals which were or are being repaired by homeowners. Some more work is needed for manhole covers.

2. BVWD retained Boyle consulting firm to prepare a contingency plan for preventing further illegal waste discharges as required by the Order. After receiving a preliminary plan at a cost of $50,000 the BVWD Board and staff determined that Boyle was not suited to best assist BVWD with the Cease and Desist order. BVWD has retained Eco-Engineering to prepare the various documents required by the Order and they have also hired them as their consulting engineer, replacing Weatherby Engineering. Eco has recently completed an inflow/storage/disposal study as required by the Order. Eco will represent BVWD at the January RWQCB hearing on the review of the Cease and Desist Order.

3. BVWD has preliminarily received approval for obtaining an additional 40 acres from the US Forest Service to add to the discharge spray field. Final approval and documentation is pending. They have also met with the adjacent private property owner to investigate leasing additional land to add to the spray field. This owner may be interested but only for tertiary treated water.

4. BVWD staff has been able to draw down the waste water level in the reservoir to it’s lowest level in 11 years with an available storage capacity of approximately 190 acre feet. In addition, the top of the reservoir has been lined with sandbags to further increase storage capacity should it be needed due to a severe winter. There were no discharge violations this year and given anything but a very sever winter, they should also grt through the coming spring without violations.

5. As required by the Order, BVWD has submitted various documents to the RWQCB. Their staff has verbally indicated the submittals are acceptable but the official state response is not due until November 30.

6. Per the requirements of the Order, BVWD has applied for a NPDES application. This permit would be for the right to discharge through a new modular treatment facility with the treated water discharged into Bloods Creek. This facility would be designed to allow for increased capacity based upon the eventual build-out of Bear Valley to the Master Plan. The increased user fees and hook-up fees approved at the last BVWD meeting are to fund this new facility. Even if approved by the RWQCB, it is anticipated that downstream users would lodge complaints or may even file suit objecting to the waste water discharge. Although the treated water that is discharged would technically be cleaner than the water in the stream, it is not clear how the RWQCB would respond to the complaints/law suits.

7. At the recent BVWD Board meeting, BVWD staff was instructed to send a letter to the RWQCB requesting the removal of the sewer hook-up moratorium. The Board will also request the hook-up moratorium be lifted at the January meeting of the RWQCB. Gary reports the date of this meeting has yet to be set but will be posted on the BVRI WEB Site as soon as it is scheduled.

TENNIS COURTS After reviewing a number of potential sites for tennis courts, a committee headed by Judy Wozniak has started the process of exploring possible use of land adjacent to the par course across from Bear Valley School. A long term lease with the county is one option with BVRI being responsible for maintaining the site. Projected costs are estimated to be in the $100K range. The committee will continue to explore options and report back to the BVRI Board at it’s next meeting.

COUNTY SUPERVISOR VACANCY Due to the recent resignation of Tom Ward, Bear Valley currently does not have a County Supervisor. Three people have applied to the governor’s office requesting to be appointed to the vacancy – Phil Davis, Mark Silverstone and Terry Woodrow. While the BVRI Board remains neutral on who fills this vacancy, it is important that we secure a new Supervisor for Bear Valley ASAP. The last time there was a Supervisor resignation it took the Governor 11 months to fill the vacancy – this is to long a time for Bear Valley to not have a County Supervisor! All homeowners are encouraged to contact Governor Gray Davis’s Office and request a prompt appointment to fill this important vacancy. You can write a letter asking the Governor to act quickly, write to: Michael Yamaki, Appointment Secretary, Office of the Governor, State Capitol, Sacramento, CA. 95814

CHILD CARE COUNCIL VACANCY There is currently is a vacancy on the Local Child Care Development Council, the purpose of the council is to "provide a forum for the indentification of local priorities for child care and the development of policies to meet the needs identified within those priorities while connecting with existing program strategies and building upon existing local collaboratives when possible to provide a unified integrated system of service foe child and families". The commission’s activities are funded through the state Department of Education and appointments are made by either the Alpine County Board of Supervisors or Superintendent of Schools. In the past the Bear Valley representatives were able to fund a much needed after school recreation/study program in Bear Valley. The group meets once a month and attendance by the Baer Valley member can be via phone conferencing. Anyone interested in filling the position should contact Juilana Harris @ 530-694-9118.

BVRI MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION EXCHANGE To insure we have an accurate BVRI Membership mailing list, the board has approved the sharing of public information – lot number, mailing address, ownership and home address – with the local real estate firms located in Bear Valley. This decision was made based on legal counsel’s advice that if the Board deemed it in the best interest of the membership it could be done. Through this effort, we expect to significantly reduce the current home owner mailing list error rate from double digits to below 2%. For privacy protection, this information exchange will not include phone numbers or email addresses. The consensus of the Board was to resume the exchanges, as long as members were allowed the right in the future to disapprove BVRI’s giving out their addresses.

BVRI BOARD OF DIRECTORS BVRI is looking for a few good women and men to serve on the board. If you are interested in serving on the BVRI Board of Directors, please contact Bill Webb at wdbillwebb@aol.com or call 650-964-4743.

BV MASTER PLAN REVIEW The next BVRI Board Meeting is scheduled for Saturday January 20^TH @ 4:00PM in the County Services Building. An in-depth review of the Bear Valley Master plan will be presented to the BVRI Board to insure all members are familiar with the various elements of the plan. Additional meeting topics will include beach improvements, dues and the CC&R Compliance Committee. All BVRI Members are welcome to attend this informative meeting.

SNOWMOBILING IN THE VILLAGE It’s time for everyone to think about safe snowmobile use throughout the Village for this coming winter. The sheriff would like everyone to make sure all persons in the household, especially guests, are familiar with the rules of snowmobile operation. The sheriff recommends you post the following (legally binding) rules in a prominent place in your Bear Valley home.

The speed limit throughout the Village is 20 miles per hour except at the groomed roadway on BV & Quaking Aspen Rd where it’s posted at 15 mph. Drive slowly and cautiously when encountering pedestrians, skiers and other snowmobiles on the Village roads.

Snowmobile travel in the Village is allowed only on the groomed roads.

Snowmobile travel is not allowed between the hours of 10:00PM and 6:00AM except for travel to residence or business. Snowmobiling on Bear Valley roads is for transportation, not recreation.

Snowmobile travel on a common area is not allowed except to gain access to residence or business.

Snowmobile travel is not allowed on private property, including private roads, without owner’s consent.

All snowmobiles must be properly registered. Current registration sticker must be visible on right side of snowmobile.

All snowmobiles must be equipped with operating headlight, tail light and break light. Modified exhaust systems are not allowed.

The only allowable attachment to a snowmobile is a trailer specifically designed for a snowmobile. The towing of toboggans, skiers, snowboarders, sleds, saucers, etc is not allowed.

Snowmobiles must not be parked on the groomed portion of roads.

Shut off your snowmobile when not moving to reduce air pollution.

Snowmobile safety will be a priority of the Sheriff’s Department this season. The Sheriff’s Department will be actively patrolling all Bear Valley roads this season to ensure snowmobile safety. Be forewarned! The Sheriff’s Department has announced that citations will be issued to violators this season. Questions regarding Snowmobile operation in the Village should be directed to the Sheriff’s Office.

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