Alimur Park Homeowners Association Newletter

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Newsletter November - 2003

Alimur Park Homeowners Association
Upcoming Meeting Schedule 2003 - 2004
Meetings Are 7:00 pm at the Clubhouse on the
First Monday of Every Month

Come meet your neighbors and share what’s on your mind. Past topics included buying the park, park maintenance, upping the amps, skateboard noise and cat poop. See you there!

Meeting Dates

November 3rd - Monday at 7:00pm
December 1st - Monday at 7:00pm
January 5th - Monday at 7:00pm
February 2nd - Monday at 7:00pm
March 1st - Monday at 7:00pm
April 5th - Monday at 7:00pm
May 3rd - Monday at 7:00pm
June 7th - Monday at 7:00pm
July 5th - Monday at 7:00pm
August 2nd - Monday at 7:00pm
September 6th - Monday at 7:00pm
October 4th - Monday at 7:00pm
November 1st - Monday at 7:00pm
December 6th - Monday at 7:00pm

Newsletter November - 2002

“The Skateboard Problem” By Clay Butler
President of The Alimur Park Homeowners Association

Last October 16th, Bill and Helen (our park managers) organized a meeting at the clubhouse to discuss the "skateboard problem". The meeting was well attended by the skateboarders and their parents as well as the residents who are upset with the noise and damage they claim the skateboarders have been causing. The skateboarders, all park residents between the ages of 7 and 15 showed a genuine concern to modify their behavior. A common complaint among the skateboarders was that residents, upset at the noise they were creating, would not confront them personally and instead complain to Bill and Helen. They felt that they were not given a chance to modify their behavior at the time. They also feel that they tend to get blamed for ALL the damage in the park and have become scapegoats. The residents that have been filing complaints responded that they did not feel safe confronting the skateboarders or that the skateboarders were disrespectful and unresponsive.

Naturally, I was curious to find out what all the fuss was about and asked the skateboarders to come by my house the next day and skate by my window. I told them not to hold back, to make as much noise as possible, and to do all the tricks they would normally do. They came by about 3:00 the next day and began skateboarding right outside my living room window which was open as was our patio door. My couch is directly below the living room window and I was watching the television that was across the room. My ears were about eight feet from the action. Quite honestly, I hardly noticed the noise. Now I would be the last one to say that the noise was pleasant, but it was hardly the life disrupting racket that I had been led to believe. I had no problem following my favorite show as well as maintaining a conversation with my partner while the skateboarders were in full force just outside my open window. Now, I understand that everyone has different sound tolerances and that someone else may have found the experience piercing or deafening. As for myself, having skateboarders practice for an hour or so every day outside my window would acceptable.

At the end of the meeting we came to a general consensus.

1. Skateboarding in the Park is a privilege. Rude or disrespectful behavior is not appropriate. Residents' complaints about the noise must be taken seriously by the skateboarders. The skateboarders are not to debate the value and of a resident’s complaint and instead listen and work towards a satisfactory solution.

2. It would be best to work out a skateboarding compromise among the residents rather than impose a blanket ban which would punish a few at the expense of the many responsible skateboarders.

3. If skateboarders are bothering you, please go out and confront them personally. They will not retaliate or intimidate you. If this does not work then talk to their parents. If this also fails, then it would be appropriate to call Bill and Helen to intervene.

Thanks for your time,

Clay Butler
Space #66 , Phone 477-9029
President of The Alimur Park Homeowners Association

Newsletter August - 2002

GSMOL-SPONSORED BILL TO IMPROVE ENFORCEMENT IS SIGNED INTO LAW. On July 10, 2002 Governor Gray Davis signed into law GSMOL-sponsored AB 2382 by Assemblymember Ellen Corbett, which will take effect on January 1, 2003. The bill significantly increases the number of enforcement agencies that can bring abatement actions against park owners and managers when they permit nuisances to develop in mobilehome parks.

Santa Cruz City Council will continue to battle Manufactured Home Communities over the City's rent control ordinance. De Anza Estates mobilehome park is owned by MHC, a Chicago-based company that owns many parks in California. MHC sued the City, attacking the rent control ordinance citing denial of fair return on their investment in De Anza. Dozens of cities in California are being pressured to drop rent control ordinances by numerous lawsuits filed by park owners and large companies that own mobilehome parks.

The City of Watsonville is considering empowering mobilehome owners by changing its rent control ordinance to allow them to recover attorneys fees if a dispute goes to arbitration. According to a local daily newspaper, residents chalked up more than $17,000 in legal fees to knock down a $170 per month rent increase bid by park owners.

MOLES VS. GOPHERS - How to tell which ones you have.

Moles eat insects. They don't eat plants but may cause damage and uprooting to sod and plants in their quest for insects to eat.

Moles have short, velvet-like fur that varies in color from gray to brown. A fully grown mole is 4 to 6 1/2 inches long. Moles live alone, but burrow systems of several moles may connect. Moles may burrow as fast as one foot per minute near the surface.

Moles have a voracious appetite and can eat 70 to 100 percent of their weight daily. Raised ridges are made by moles while searching for food. Small mounds are created when moles burrow deep or tunnel under solid objects such as tree roots or sidewalks.

Things that will not stop a mole are castor oil, ultrasound devices, poisons and smoke bombs. Traps can work in theory but are awkward to use. What will work is going after the mole with a knife and small shovel.

Gophers eat plants. Gophers are well-suited for life underground. They have small eyes, small external ears, powerful forequarters, and long claws on their forefeet. Gophers have large paired incisor teeth. Their lips actually close behind the incisors, so they can use their teeth for digging without getting soil in their mouth.

Gopher mounds are somewhat fan-shaped (like a crater), as opposed to molehills that are usually smaller and more nearly cone-shaped.

Gophers usually live alone. During most of the year, only one adult occupies a burrow system. The burrow system of a single gopher may range over several hundred feet and result in numerous mounds.

The best way to protect your garden from a gopher is to line the garden bed from top to bottom with golpher wire. This will also keep out moles. Poisons also work well.

Thanks for your time,

Clay Butler
Space #66 , Phone 477-9029
President of The Alimur Park Homeowners Association