BVRI SUMMER 2000 NEWSLETTER

Editor: Jack Shuck

BVRI WEBSITE. BVRI is establishing a website for BVRI information that will be up and running around June 25th. Please check it out at: www.bvri.org

BVRI JULY 4TH WEEKEND PICNIC. The annual BVRI picnic will be held on Sunday, July 2nd at Noon at the Bear Lake main beach. Adult tickets are $10 (including a raffle ticket) and children’s tickets (under age 12) are $5. Please join your Bear Valley neighbors for an afternoon of great food and fellowship.

BVRI GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING. The annual meeting of BVRI members will be held on July 3rd at 9:30 A.M. in the Perry Walther Community Building. Please try to attend.

ELECTION OF BVRI OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS. At the April 15, 2000 meeting of the BVRI, the following directors were elected as officers of BVRI: President - Bob Schulz, Vice-President - Eric Jung, Secretary - John Korn and Treasurer - Bryian Neth. The membership elected five new members to the board: Suzanne Blumenthal, Bob Maxfield, Brian Neth, Bill Webb, and Katherine Aitken-Young. Liz Protell was elected for a second term.

BEAR VALLEY MUSIC FESTIVAL. Don’t forget the free Children’s Concert at 10:00 AM on Saturday, August 5 followed by the Teddy Bear Picnic (11:00 AM). The Bear Valley Home Tour is also on Saturday, Aug. 5 at 1:00 P.M. The tour includes five or six beautiful Bear Valley homes with refreshments at the last one; the cost is $15 and the proceeds benefit the Festival. The Festival needs donations of home and condominium lodging for musicians beginning July 30 and ending August 13. Donations of lodging for all or any part of that period would be very gratefully accepted. The Festival has a particular need to house 21 musicians from the Reno Jazz Orchestra for one night - August 4. Please stop by the new Festival office and gift shop on the ground floor of the commercial arcade near the General Store.  For more information, check the Festival web site at www.bearvalleymusic.org. or call (800) 458-1618.

ANNUAL BEAR VALLEY CLEANUP. The annual cleanup is scheduled for July 1 and 2 (Sat. and Sun.). The dumpsters will be in Parking Lot C (in back of the Base Camp Lodge). The dumpsters are to be used by Bear Valley residents only and are for large items such as furniture. No refrigerators or freezers. No household garbage, hazardous waste materisals, construction debris or construction site clearing debris, tires, rocks or dirt. There will be no burn pile this summer.

BEAR VALLEY BEARS. Four bears, including a cub, were trapped and killed by the California Dept. of Fish and Game last summer. The destruction of these bears was triggered by complaints from a resident about bears getting into food or garbage at the condominium dumpsters. These unfortunate four bears were captured in a trap located about 150 yards from Highway 4; it is not known if the destroyed bears were the offending bears. Contrary to what was related to concerned residents when the bears were trapped, the Dept. of Fish and Game does not relocate trapped bears - - it takes them to the dump and kills them.

There is evidence of bears in Bear Valley this Spring. Also, it was noted that garbage bags were left outside the main dumpsters after the Memorial Day weekend. PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE GARBAGE OR RECYCLABLES OUTSIDE THE DUMPSTERS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. ALL DUMPSTERS SHOULD HAVE BEAR- PROOFPROOF LOCKING MECHANISMS AND BE LOCKED AFTER USE. If the dumpsters are full, please take your garbage/recyclables home or drop them off at the collection site in Avery.

Under existing Alpine County ordinances, there is a $500 fine for leaving garbage and/or recyclables outside the dumpsters. The Board of Supervisors is now working on a more stringent ordinance which could also impose a $500 or greater fine for anyone who leaves food, food containers or garbage outside his or her home or business in Bear Valley.

The Fish and Game Dept. describes bear attractants as pet foods and anything smelly or edible, especially garbage and advises to never feed or approach a bear and to keep BBQ grills clean. Please don’t entice the bears to their death by leaving food, garbage or food containers outside your home or business or outside the dumpsters.

In order to avoid any problems with bears and to avoid extermination of bears in Bear Valley, it is imperative that everybody in your household and guests be aware of and observe the precautions printed on the next page. You may wish to put the page on your bulletin board or other prominent place in your house or business so everybody will be aware of the problem. 

Do not leave garbage outside your home or business; keep it inside until you take it to the dumpsters or, if your garbage is collected, until the morning of the day of collection.

Do not leave food, including pet food, coolers or food containers outside.

Wash your BBQ grill after use or take it inside.

Do not leave food, garbage, coolers or food containers in your car; even if it is in the trunk of your car, a bear can get at it through the back seat.

Keep doors and accessible windows closed when no one is home.

Carefully close and latch the doors of the dumpsters after use. If the dumpsters are full, take your garbage and recyclables home with you until after a dumpster pickup. Do not leave your garbage or recyclables outside the dumpsters.

COMMUNITY BEACH BARBECUE. The community beach barbecue with musicians from the Bear Valley Music Festival will be on Tuesday, August 1 at 5:30 at Bear Lake. Meet our musicians, have a good meal, roast marshmallows around a bonfire, and sing along with the group. The cost is $10. Tickets are limited so buy your tickets in advance at the Festival office.

MEMBERSHIP IN BVRI. There will be no BVRI membership cards issued this year. A roster of members (and co-owners of properties) will be maintained at the beach and other locations where proof of membership is required.

BVRI EMAIL ADDRESSES PLEASE. BVRI is seeking the email addresses of BVRI members in order to facilitate rapid and economical communication with the community. If you are a member (including co-owners of property) and have an email address, please send a message stating your email address, name and lot or condo number to: bvri@bvri.org. If you have previously submitted an email address that has changed, please send a message relating such information. The email addresses will be used solely for BVRI business and not released to any outside entity.

CC&R COMPLIANCE. If you have any complaints regarding compliance with the Covenants, Conditions and Requirements applicable to the Bear Valley Tract Subdivision, please send them to: BVRI Compliance Committee at P.O. Box 5145, Bear Valley, CA 95223 or email them to bvri@bvri.org. There is no requirement that complaints be signed or otherwise identify the person questioning compliance with the CC&Rs.

PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. In order to assure the safety of residents walking in Bear Valley, please adhere to the 15 MPH speed limit. There is no rush and no deadline worth injuring or killing residents enjoying a walk in our beautiful valley.

BVRI BOARD OF DIRECTORS. BVRI is looking for a few good men and women 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 (650) 964-4743.

BEAR VALLEY LODGE POOL. The Bear Valley Lodge has invited members of BVRI to be swimming pool guests this summer. The cost will be $50 for family privileges (direct family members only) and $5 per guest of a paying family. Fees will be paid directly to the Bear Valley Lodge. The Lodge will provide information regarding use of the pool. The pool will be available from July 1 to Sept. 4, Thursday to Monday from 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. Use of the pool is contingent upon resolution of certain issues, including the hiring of a qualified lifeguard by the Lodge. If you are a qualified lifeguard interested in working for the Lodge, call Georgia Blaylock at (209) 753-2327). For details, check the BVRI website at www.bvri.org.

FIRE SAFETY AND BEAUTIFICATION. We live in and visit Bear Valley because it is a uniquely beautiful and natural place. We need to do all we can to keep it as natural and safe as possible. Please inspect your home and surrounding property to determine if improvements can be made to make the setting natural and safe. Some suggestions:

Clean up fallen trees and debris. In addition to aesthetic considerations, fallen trees and debris represent a fire danger to the entire community - - with so many unoccupied homes, a fire can get a roaring head start before being reported. In general, all needles and leaves must be cleared from the roof, there must be a screen on the chimney outlet, all dead or dying wood adjacent to or overhanging any building must be removed, any limb within 10 feet of the chimney outlet must be removed, all dead limbs on trees must be removed to 6 feet from the ground and your property must be cleared of flammable material to 30 feet from the building or to the property line, whichever is closer. Consult with the Bear Valley Fire Department with questions regarding fire safety; notify the fire department of combustible debris you observe on common areas or forest service land that may be a threat to the community. For more information regarding smoke detectors, fireplace flue and ashes, fire extinguishers, and other fire safety issues, see the BVRI website at www.bvri.org and carefully review a pending mailing from the Bear Valley Fire Chief and BVRI.

Let’s all enjoy the beautiful Bear Valley nights without intrusion of artificial lighting. Please shield your outdoor lighting and consider reduced wattage lights to avoid projection of light from your property onto adjoining properties, streets, etc. (CC&R requirement)

Store your snowmobiles out of sight or cover them with natural colored cover.

Remember not to park campers/RVs, boats, trailers, large trucks, detached camper tops, etc. within the residential area (CC & R requirement).

Pick up papers and other debris as you walk around the community.

Consider sowing native wild flowers around your property in the fall.