We will be painting the light poles on July 28-29. Please mind the wet paint!
Saturday, July 17, 2021
Friday, July 16, 2021
Message from the President:
Fellow homeowners,
Your board has been steadily working on implementing gradual improvements throughout Mendocino to enhance our property values. Some of the projects have been in the pipeline for some time now and if you've been wondering what is causing the delay - here's a quick update:
Night lights at the entrance to Pacifica Place
Unlike Monterey Place with its entrance monument, Pacifica Place lacks a focal point at the entrance. Due to limited space, the board decided to install night lights under the palm trees on both sides of the entrance. Unfortunately, the post-COVID-19 market is very tight, with a large number of delayed projects chasing a limited number of vendors. We have contacted 7 licensed contractors with good ratings, got initial responses from 6, appointments with 2, and a proposal from one.
During the onboarding / due diligence phase the selected contractor failed to provide required paperwork and reneged on the scheduled date to start the work.
Given the tight market conditions throughout San Diego, the board decided to put the project on hold until vendor availability improves to the point where we will be able to obtain competitive bids from several qualified vendors.
Parkway along Garden View Rd
Over the years, the succulents and city planted trees in the parkway (the green strip between the road and sidewalk) have deteriorated to the point where a complete redo is required. The parkway is city property that Mendocino is required to maintain, so any improvements/changes require city approval. The board has obtained a preliminary approval and commitment from the city to replace the scraggly trees but has not finalized the overall design.
We believe that beautification projects should be equitably split between Monterey Place and Pacifica Place. Since the entrance monument at Monterey Place received a substantial facelift several years ago, we felt it was Pacifica Place's turn for an upgrade. To create a focal point at the Pacifica Place entrance, we have upgraded parkways on both sides of the entrance and were working on installing the nightlights until we hit a snag - please see above.
We will proceed with the Garden View Rd parkway project once the beautification of the Pacifica Place entrance is completed.
Slav
Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Saturday, February 6, 2021
Free mulch on Pacifica Place
Grab it while you can. Excellent source of nutrients and a great groundcover that helps soil to retain water.
Sunday, January 17, 2021
Grass Reseeding Update
The re-seeding will begin in 2 weeks - the landscaper is still waiting for all the tree leafs to fall from the trees, because they cannot rake or blow the lawn areas for 3 weeks following the top seeding, and we do not want the leafs to suffocate the new grass shoots as they come up.
Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Grass Rejuvenation
The grass is turning yellow throughout Mendocino due to the dry
weather and the fact that our lawns are about 30-40% summer grass (Bermuda,
Saint Augustine, Kikuyu) that goes dormant in winter.
Sunday, November 1, 2020
President's Report
(November 2019 - October 2020)
Fellow homeowners,
This has been a challenging year for all. We hope all is well with you and yours. COVID-19 has presented some never experienced management challenges, making onsite inspections and in-person meetings difficult. We have dismissed three (x3) landscaping contractors due to their inability to (1) deal with our growing irrigation challenges and (2) provide quality landscaping services. Our 23 year old irrigation system is failing. When a valve goes bad, it either leaks or goes dry, i.e. water losses go undetected for days and weeks while dry spots get noticed only after grass has turned brown.
To address the irrigation challenges, the board authorized the necessary expenditure from the reserves and devised a 4-point plan with the current landscaper:
1) stem water losses;
2) restore damaged/failed irrigation to ALL areas by
repairing/replacing failed valves, broken irrigation lines and sprinkler heads;
3) optimize the watering by upgrading sprinkler heads and
fine-tuning the watering schedule;
4) rejuvenate the grass.
The above (#1) has been substantially completed and the landscaper is currently working on#2. Later in the year we will be re-seeding/re-sodding the grass throughout Mendocino (# 3 and # 4).
Thanks to the fully funded reserves, the HOA has sufficient resources to address the irrigation issues.
Through the work of the Architectural Committee, we've been able to encourage a record number of homeowners to repaint their houses or perform minor exterior repairs. Many homeowners were simply unaware of things needing attention and were thankful to the AC for pointing them out.
We have approved three front yard makeover looks for purchase by homeowners from our landscaper:
- Mediterranean
- California Native
- Beach Succulents
The HOA provides basic landscaping services, such as weekly maintenance and annual tree trimming but homeowners who desire to upgrade their front yard looks can now do so by purchasing turnkey makeovers from the landscaper, which include old plant removal, irrigation modification, soil amendment, new plants and ground cover, and decorative rocks.
Several homeowners have taken advantage of the program to move their side fences forward to gain more private yard space provided they upgrade them to vinyl.
We have been working with the city of Encinitas to upgrade the parkway along Garden View Rd.
By working with the City of Encinitas, the owner of 1135 MP (a non-Mendocino home) agreed to comply with the city municipal code, to fix the concrete sound wall and improve landscaping on the corner of Via Cantebria and Garden View Rd.
The board has relentlessly pursued those owners who fall behind on their HOA dues, and will continue to implement an aggressive collection policy by utilizing all means at our disposal, including foreclosure.
Our reserves are 100%+ funded; our dues are some of the lowest; and all projects have been completed on time and on or under the budget.
Going forward, we will:
1 Continue to work on irrigation to conserve water and
improve efficiency;
2) Continue incremental landscape upgrades with maximum
visual impact;
3) Encourage more homeowners to do more with their front
yards;
4) Work with the city to upgrade the parkway along Garden
View Rd to enhance Mendocino's visual appeal;
5) Maintain a healthy balance between our reserves and
property improvements.
Thursday, October 8, 2020
Mendocino at Encinitas Ranch HOA
Agenda & Meeting Notice
Wednesday, October 14, 6:00 PM via ZOOM
Please check with MMS for sign in instructions
Call to Order 6:00 PM
Approve Minutes/Financials (Chris)
Management Report / Project Status Update (Chris/Slav)
- Garden View HOA; Garden View upgrade; Park Encinitas; irrigation
Treasury
- delinquencies (Chris)
- reserve study (Slav)
- 2021 budget (Slav)
Landscape Committee Report (Slav)
- return of the red stake? (Nancy)
- landscaping proposals
New Business (Slav)
-clean up light poles, mail boxes, signs
- wrought iron fence on MP
- paint light poles
- replace 2 electric meter boxes
- south trail benderboard + DG
Open Forum - time permitting
Executive Session Hearings - closed to Membership (Nancy) 8:00 PM
Adjournment
Owners are welcome and encouraged to attend
Questions? Please contact Mills Property Management at: 760.978.9609
Thursday, September 17, 2020
Dry Plant Material on the Slope
Several homeowners have expressed concern about dry vegetation on the slope. Several years ago, before a major slope clearing, the board conducted a visual inspection with an Encinitas fire marshal who assured us that none of coastal Encinitas is in a fire prone zone, and while dry plant material should be routinely removed as part of the regular landscape maintenance, it does not constitute a fire hazard.
The board monitors the situation and periodically removes dry plant materials for aesthetic reasons throughout Mendocino. Unfortunately, the situation is made worse by:
a) COVID-19 restrictions;
b) frequent irrigation breaks.
Our new landscaper has informed us that several lateral lines on the slope had been broken and valves shut off. Once the repairs are completed, the board will consider the appropriate steps to rejuvenate the area.
Thursday, August 6, 2020
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