From the board room: The SROA planning process
sunriver owners association by Bob Nelson, SROA president Several years ago, SROA leadership identified three critical issues that needed to be addressed. In short, we did not have sufficient reserves to repair and replace our aging infrastructure, our South Pool was obsolete and failing and our amenities needed to be improved as an essential component of our quality of life. Having identified these issues we also realized that we could not address Bob Nelson all three at the same time. A plan was developed (the “three legged stool”) by which we could systematically and methodically address these critical issues. We have steadfastly pursued this plan and are, with each passing year, building adequate reserves for our needs. The completion of SHARC has provided a solution to our aging aquatics facilites. And at the August annual meeting, we were presented with our consultants’ concept of the “Sunriver Infrastructure & Amenities Master Plan.” This master plan is intended to provide us with guidance well into the future regarding our infrastructure and amenities development.
During this time period, we also engaged in a strategic planning process in response to our need for a long-range strategy and related plan that was comprehensive in nature. The result of that effort is SROA’s Vision 2020 strategic plan document which is intended to provide the current SROA Board of Directors and staff, and their successors, with a leadership tool to ensure the continuation and enhancement of our strategic position. Key elements of this plan include our mission, our values and our beliefs. Our mission is compelling and has had real and immediate impact on our direction and decision-making processes. That mission is to maintain Sunriver as a premier residential and resort community, protecting and enhancing its quality of life, natural environment and property values. In pursuing that mission, we are guided by the following core values: • Protecting our natural environment • Enriching our quality of life • Ensuring a safe and secure environment • Protecting our property values
• Ensuring financial soundness and stability • Proactive governance • Supporting volunteerism • Anticipating and planning for the future • Maintaining a premier residential and resort community • Sustaining a close working relationship with our owners We also determined that in accomplishing our mission and adhering to our values, that our actions should be characterized by openness, transparency, data based decision making, active communication and outreach to our owners. It has been in this context that we have identified critical issues, identified practical and measurable outcomes, and developed concrete and realistic plans to achieve them. It was the model we followed in addressing our reserves and SHARC. It is a model we will continue to follow as we plan for the future management and operation of SHARC and as we implement the infrastructure and amenities master plan. In this month’s front page story on SHARC, Bill Peck identifies both strengths and weaknesses identified in our first summer of operations and
SROA Board of Directors: September summary The Sunriver Owners Association Board of Directors held it’s monthly work session on Friday, Sept. 14. Owners forum –Jim Blaisdell requested that 4 feet of the 8-foot-wide pathway around the meadow be plowed in the winter. Blaisdell believes this will encourage pedestrians to stay off the cross-country ski tracks. He said partially plowing the walkway might also reduce the length of time it is locked in ice and unsafe on which to walk, ski or snowshoe. Blaisdell expressed concerns about a noxious weed outbreak on a section of SROA commons that was recently reclaimed from asphalt to meadow. He brought a sample of the plants growing in the reclaimed area. –Ken Shell said he is worried about the direction of the community. He said when he moved to Sunriver in 1980 there were more full-time residents. He doesn’t think SROA should be involved in promoting tourism and believes property values are decreasing. He said there were four or five rental cars in the driveways of the rental houses on his lane. He said his six grandchildren didn’t want to go to SHARC because it was so crowded. –John Holland said the 7 Page 22
a.m. departure of private jets at the Sunriver Airport shakes his house and windows so hard it set off his burglar alarm, which he had to shut off. He said he was circulating a petition among his neighbors to document concerns about noise from the airport. He also expressed concern about trees dying between circles 5 and 7 and attributed it to an infestation of pine needle scale. –John Wiest said if all the proposals for parking in the amenities master plan were developed as currently shown it would amount to an additional 50,000 square feet of asphalt, which he does not believe is in keeping with Sunriver’s natural beauty. He expressed concern that the north tennis court proposal does not show the north pool, and believes that further development of the north tennis courts amounts to commercialization. Wiest requested that every stage of the amenities master plan be discussed in public forums. Board discussion –Harry Hamilton presented the Sunriver Nature Center and Oregon Observatory’s annual report and state of the environment. SNCOO will submit a 2013 contract proposal the
week of Sept. 17. –Scott McBride and Marv Lang of the Bend Fort Rock Ranger District of the Deschutes National Forest updated the Sunriver to Lava Lands pathway project. The 5.5-mile pathway would connect Sunriver to Benham East Day Use Area and the Lava Lands Visitors Center via an 8-foot-wide paved pathway constructed along a series of existing dirt roads. Construction was delayed from this year to next due to installation of railroad crossing arms and efforts to preserve old-growth trees. The forest service is analyzing comments as it prepares an environmental analysis of the project. A final decision is expected in December with construction set to take place in summer 2013. –Discussed SHARC use levels. Despite numerous days this summer when more than 3,000 people visited the aquatic facility, the official 5,000-person occupancy limit was never approached. Vehicle parking was a problem and ideas about increasing parking and improving traffic flow were considered. (See story page 1). –Discussed the Infrastructure and Amenities Master Plan. Staff recommends a 60-day comment period for owners to www.sunriverowners.org
shares statistics regarding our visitors and revenues. While staff was able to resolve many user concerns in a timely manner and we documented owner and visitor comments regarding their experiences at SHARC, we hope to garner much more information when an online survey of SHARC users is launched this month. We will then have the tools to engage in a detailed and comprehensive analysis of our most recent “season of learning” as we plan for the future. We are also embarking on the lengthy and involved process of examining what our consultants provided as a “from 30,000 feet” overview of potential amenity and infrastructure improvements with the goal of identifying desired improvements, cost estimates and priorities. As with our planning for SHARC, there will be many opportunities for owner input all along the way. We are really in the “planning to plan” stage of exploring the opportunities offered through this infrastructure and amenities master plan. We look forward to the continued involvement of Sunriver property owners as, ultimately, it’s your community and these will be your decisions. Thank you for your continued support.
review the plan as presented at the annual meeting. The plan is posted on the SROA website under the News and Notices menu item. Owners are asked to view the plan from the 30,000-foot level and not worry about minutiae. The plan needs to be adopted before various segments of the plan can be prioritized and costs estimated. (See story page 1.) Regular SROA board meeting The SROA Board of Directors meeting was held Saturday, Sept. 15, 2012. Board members present: Bob Nelson, Bob Wrightson, Chris Christensen, Richard Wharton, Roger Smith, Patti Klascius, David Jendro, Pat Hensley and Greg Froomer. Staff present: Bill Peck, Susan Berger. Treasurer’s report As of Aug. 31, 2012 (unaudited/estimated) Revenues................. $5,749,304 Expenses................... 3,901,303 Income (loss)............ 1,848,001 Depreciation................ 416,961 Interfund transfers..(1,591,529) Surplus (deficit)........... 673,433 Owners forum –Al Webb noted an increase of bicyclists on roads where they shouldn’t be and that there needed to be reminders that
cyclists must ride on pathways. –Marcia Francis asked why owners couldn’t launch kayaks at the marina site. It was explained that the marina is resort property. –Nancy Icenogle was concerned with overcrowding at SHARC, and that her guests couldn’t get in. She also noted that 20 passes were not enough for her family and questioned the appropriateness of rental property access to SHARC. –Eileen Katz asked about adding rubber mats in SHARC’s locker rooms as the floors get slippery when wet. –Jim Adams thanked the board for SHARC and its successes, but asked that there be an “owners only” time set aside at SHARC. “We shouldn’t have to wait for the summer rush to leave and until mid-September to use the facility.” Association operations Administration: All departments working on their 2013 budgets. Held the first annual meeting at SHARC to a record crowd. Analyzing SHARC data and statistics to begin planning and budgeting for 2013. Accounting: Beginning process of tracking SHARC assessments collected for placement in designated bank accounts. Staff is cross training to cover Turn to Summary, page 23
SUNRIVER SCENE • OCTOBER 2012