Message From BVHA President Be Safe, Not Sorry

PO Box 986 Watsonville CA 95077 ◆ [email protected] ◆ Phone: 831 457-6646 (msg only)
April 2015
Message From BVHA President
Bay Village is taking an aggressive approach with Age Violations. Most issues are becoming resolved or legal
action is being taken. This will keep us in compliance with the Federal and State requirements.
Your Homeowners Association appreciates homeowners who step up and report any age violations. Any
additional information that can be added will help to support your complaint. All complaints are kept
confidential.
We live in a very safe place in this town of Watsonville and we want to keep it this way. The reason why we have
such a safe neighborhood is because of all the homeowners!
BOARD MEMBERS
I would urge neighbors to watch out for any suspicious activity with
Ray Montoya, President
the summer coming around. It is always good to watch out for our
Betty Fiorilla, Vice-President
neighbors. Please call our City Police Dept. about any activity that could
Josephine Seymour, Treasurer
violate the law.
Jan Vyeda, Secretary
JoAnna Rottke, Editor
We urge homeowners to attend our monthly meetings, they are posted
Steve Hawkes
on our Bay Village website.
Sarah Cartwright
Emil Yappert
I want to thank everyone for making our Bay Village safe!
John Kegebein
Your BVHA President,
If you would like to be part of your
Ray Montoya
Homeowners Association Board,
please go to the web site and download
the application form.
You are also encouraged to attend the
monthly meetings.
BOARD MEETINGS
Third Tuesday of each month
7:00-8:30
YWCA 350 East Beach St.
April 21
May 19
June 16
Be Safe, Not Sorry
Police recently arrested some youths who had been burglarizing cars in
Bay Village. They had broken into several cars on Spruce Circle, Bridge
St., and Tuttle Ave.
Many of us park in our driveways.
Be sure your car is locked and any
valuables are stowed out of sight.
Don’t make your car an easy target.
Call the Police immediately if you see
any suspicious activity, such as people
looking into cars or yards.
Treasurer’s Report
Thank you all for sending in your 2014 Assessment. The 2015
assessment notices will go out on the 1st of July and will be due by the
15th of August.
There are four homes still outstanding and are being referred to the
Attorney for liens. The total due may go up as high as $300.00 due to the
Attorney fees and court costs being added. So if you feel that you are on
this list please email me immediately at [email protected]. I
will get back to you as soon as possible.
I have created invoices for those that need proof of payment. Feel free to
use the above email address.
Thank you,
Josephine Seymour, Treasurer
Spring is Here - Be Water Wise
As California enters the fourth year of a drought, water restrictions are
being made mandatory. The City of Watsonville gets its water from the
aquifer and that aquifer is under siege from saltwater intrusion due to
overpumping. While agencies figure out solutions, don’t forget that water
is precious and we should all do our part not to waste it.
Rain barrels collect water even from our
summer fog. You can collect water in a
bucket as your shower or kitchen faucet
warms up. As you think about new plants
in your garden, consider their water
needs and go for drought-tolerant plants.
Take the City up on its offer of a rebate
for replacing your thirsty lawn.
Status of Complaints
In February, five complaints were sent to our attorney for legal action
and we’re happy to report that two have been resolved quickly. One
resulted in the eviction of underage tenants, so we’d like to remind
homeowners and property managers that residents need to be at least
55 years old. There are exceptions for certain “qualified permanent
residents” and these can be found in the CC&Rs.
We still have three active cases requiring more research before they can
be deemed resolved or be handed to the attorney. Complainants can help
by supplying documentation. Remember that many homeowners have
children or grandchildren visit on a regular basis. As long as they are
not living in the house or violating the 60-day limit, this should not be a
complaint.
City Delays Decision
About Medians
Those of us who attended the
meeting on Feb. 19 regarding the
Bridge Street medians voted on
two options presented by the City.
The rather small turnout of just
over 40 people was disappointing
considering the hundreds of
homeowners in the area.
The City began the meeting by
announcing that, due to a funding
shortfall, no major re-landscaping
project would take place. The
estimate to replace all of the grass
is $200,000, while replacing and
upgrading the irrigation system is
$7000. A modern system would
deliver water more slowly and
eliminate the problem of overspray
into the road. While this would not
save as much water as replacing
the turf with climate-appropriate
plants, it would cut the current
water usage. The new system
would also adapt more easily to a
drip system if and when plants are
installed.
The majority of those present voted
to replace the irrigation system
now and move to drought-tolerant
plants when funding (possibly
through State grants) can be
secured, defeating the other option
of simply keeping the grass.
If you have any further questions
about the project or the
meeting, please contact Nancy
Lockwood at nancy.lockwood@
cityofwatsonville.org or at 7683103.
City Update from Mayor Nancy Bilicich
The Watsonville City Council and City Staff have been addressing several issues in the community. Some of the
concerns you have expressed are discussed below.
One issue has been to have consistent street sweeping throughout the community. Signs have been posted in
District 2 and part of 7, on Beach Street, Center, Beck, etc. This is Phase 1. More areas and phases should be
implemented in time, until there is street sweeping throughout the City and in a consistent manner.
Another issue is panhandling at local shopping centers. It is my hope to have an ordinance implemented that
will address this issue so you will no longer be asked for money when you go shopping and/or leave the bank.
I have heard this complaint throughout the community and the Planning Commission will hear the issue first.
Food Trucks have been seen parked in various locations throughout the town without proper permits and
licenses. After a discussion at a recent City Council meeting, truck vendors have been sent a letter stating the
requirements to do business in Watsonville and should obtain proper licenses soon. The issue of food carts
and various flower vendors should also be addressed. In this way, our stores will not have the competition
of intermittent businesses taking store business away, especially on specific holidays like Valentine’s Day and
Mother’s Day. Only a specific number of permits will be issued for these events.
Street parking is excessive throughout the City, especially residential areas and is another challenge the
Council may undertake. We have heard your concerns about not being able to see when you leave your
driveway and your problem of finding parking near your home when family and friends come to visit.
We are in the process of seeking a new City Manager to replace Carlos Palacios who took a position at the
County level after 22 years of service. There are public meetings taking place to gather what qualities you
would like to see in the new leader of the City.
Thank you to those who have participated in the Bridge Street Median Project. The City will come back with
some alternatives in the near future. Governor Brown has stated that he wants no watering on medians due to
the drought. At the next meeting, we will need to see how the City will address the Governor’s request.
The Capitol Corridor train is being expanded! The train currently goes from San Jose to Sacramento several
times a day. The plan is to expand the train service to Gilroy and Salinas with a special stop at the Pajaro
station! This project is projected to be completed by 2018. This should enhance transportation for those of you
who would like to venture to many cities between Watsonville and Sacramento. All aboard!
La Quinta, a new hotel, is being planned across from St. Patrick’s Church. The hotel will provide rooms for
more people to visit our community. The project is composed of three stores of rooms and the first floor will be
parking. The new 4 story building will enhance tourism in Watsonville.
A new downtown renovation project has been started next to the old Gottchalk’s Building on Main Street,
with commercial buildings on the bottom and marketable apartments upstairs. The plans even show a
swimming pool on the second floor. This project replaces the temporary grass area that has been vacant since
the 1989 earthquake.
I am proud to serve as your Mayor and Council Representative.If you have questions and /or concerns, please
call me at (831) 786-9734.
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Survey of Yards Being Done
We would like to thank those of you who have cleaned up and beautified your yards. Some have taken alot of
time and effort to make their houses and gardens look good.
We will soon be making a survey of those homes whose yards are in need of some mowing, trimming and
weeding. Those owners will be hearing from us. If you are unable to do yardwork, due to health problems,
please let us know. We will work with you to make your homes look better.
Another problem we are seeing is that people are leaving their garbage cans out in the front of their house
where they can be seen by their neighbors and people driving by. This is against our by-laws. Please put them
behind your fence! Thank You.
Welcome Sign Idea Scrapped
Although the Board last year approved the purchase of a sign to be installed on Bridge Street saying “Welcome
to Bay Village,” at the March meeting the Board decided to scrap the idea. The sign’s escalating costs, along
with permitting and installation problems were the reason.