Northstar Living Summer 2022

Employee Spotlight 07 Northstar Women's Golf 14 TRWC Watershed Restoration 26

SUMMER 2022

NEWS MAGAZINE OF THE NORTHSTAR PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION

npoa

SUMMER 2022

inside this issue

04 | President’s Perspective 07 | Employee Spotlight 10 | GM Report

07

14 | Northstar Women's Golf Club 16 | Upcoming Summer Events 16 | Tennis News 18 | Liberty Utilities 20 | Northstar Fire Department 22 | Condominium Updates 26 | TRWC - Restoration

14

meetings 2022 dates Meeting details will be sent via Eblast prior to meeting dates. If you are not signed up for electronic communications please contact the NPOA Office for a form: npoa@npoa.info or 530.562.0322.

July 27, 8am NPOA Board of Directors August 30, 9am Design Review Committee September 2, 9am NPOA Board of Directors September 3, 3pm Annual Membership Meeting October 15, 9am NPOA Board of Directors October 25, 9am Design Review Committee

Northstar Bridge Club

Chicago Bridge every Wednesday!

We're a friendly and social group and welcome players at all levels.

Join Us at the npoa Adult center 1:15 - 5pm | $2 Fee cash prizes paid to winners light snacks provided

26

Please RSVP by emailing Astrid Cousins astridwc@aol.com Sign-ups are due by Monday of each week

community comments policy

Northstar Living welcomes your comments that are pertinent to the Northstar community and will publish those comments on a spaceavailable basis. Articles should be addressed to Northstar Living; signed by the author, unless sent electronically; and should include the writer’s name, his or her Northstar address and the telephone number at which the writer can be reached most easily.

Comments not meeting these requirements or containing solicitations, inaccuracies, libelous or incorrect statements, lacking clarity or having no pertinence to the Northstar community or the Association will not be published. Comments must be received by February 1, for spring issue; May 1 for summer, August 1 for fall or November 1 for winter. Comments are accepted in person at the NPOA office, by mail to NPOA, Attn: Community Comments, 2200 North Village Drive, Truckee, CA 96161; by email to sean@npoa.info.

Disclaimer : Readers are advised that the opinions expressed are those of the individual, not of all the association. The original content of these comments has not been edited.

www.npoa.info | SUMMER 2022 | 3

npoa

president’s perspective News Magazine of the Northstar Property Owners Association

The NPOA Recreation Center is in full-

(7) Pickleball Clinics twice a week from July

Summer since the start of the Covid-19

provided by Tahoe Yoga and Wellness,

swing as we embrace our first near-normal

Board Members

pandemic two-plus years ago. We hope

Michael Plishner, President mplishner@npoa.info

activities and that we will be able to avoid

we will be able to continue with many new

Paul Schumacher, Vice President pschumacher@npoa.info

having things spoiled by wildfire smoke

Sue Cordonnier, Secretary-Treasurer scordonnier@npoa.info

Here are some Summer updates:

Jackie Apple, Board Member japple@npoa.info Colette Findley, Board Member cfindley@npoa.info Steve Klei, Board Member sklei@npoa.info Don Schreuder, Board Member dschreuder@npoa.info NPOA Staff Tim Fulton General Manager tim@npoa.info

as happened last August. Fingers crossed.

New Summer Activities: Our Member Activities and Communications

Committee, led by Jackie Apple, and

with members Colette Findley and Paul

receive all of our email communications.

In describing these activities, we need a

add a huge shout-out to our Operations Manager, Sean Cutunilli, who has been leading the staff efforts to plan and

coordinate all these events as well as oversee our Summer seasonal staff.

pandemic, we are happy to announce the

homeowners to get together at our

facilities. As of this publication, some of

these have already occurred and some are still to come, including: (1) a Tennis “Open House” in late June with our excellent

tennis and pickleball programs available

and to encourage new users to learn

For the first time since the start of the

return of the Bear Hut activities for younger kids this Summer. We have four activities

leaders and various activities are available

daily, with the daily program posted by the pool and at the Entry Desk. Swim lessons

Continued on page 6

about and make the most of the wonderful to our community at Northstar; (2) a 4th of July “Ice Cream by the Pool” for kids 17 and younger, with a free ice cream

coupon sponsored by NPOA; (3) a mid-

Greg Aiken Design Review & Community Standards Manager greg@npoa.info

day Poolside Picnic on July 10th for NPOA

Contact NPOA/Northstar Living 2200 North Village Drive Truckee, CA 96161 P| 530.562.0322 F| 530.562.0324 website www.npoa.info

portion of the costs and NPOA subsidizing

members with BBQ, food and drinks

provided by our poolside vendor, Bear

Paw Provisions, with members paying a

the event – a great event for members to

get to know one another; (4) a Tennis and

Pickleball Round Robin Mixer on July 16th

Office Hours (Subject to change) 8am – 4pm, Monday – Saturday

with margaritas and light refreshments, a

Recreation Center Summer Hours (subject to change) 7am – 9pm Daily

players; (5) a Tennis Exhibition Match on

Reservations are no longer required to access the Recreation Center.

and singles matches, and with light

Cover Photo Olof Carmel of Carmel Gallery "Morning Frost Martis Valley"

and make sure you are signed up to

keep us engaged and to encourage

Sean Cutunilli Operations Manager sean@npoa.info

Advertising Sales CCMedia - Every Impression Matters P| 775.327.4200

August 13th. Watch for Eblast reminders

Return of Some Old Summer Activities:

coming up with new activities to both

tennis pros to start off the Summer season

For up to date information please visit the NPOA website www.npoa.info

every Saturday from July 2nd through

Schumacher has been hard at work

Nancy Barna Administrative Manager nancy@npoa.info

John Forni Maintenance Manager john@npoa.info

7th through August 13th; (8) Yoga Basics,

great opportunity to meet other Northstar July 23rd, with our tennis pros and other local pros battling in mixed doubles

refreshments served, compliments of

NPOA and Northstar Tennis; (6) a “Jazz by the Pool” event on July 30th, on the grass at the Rec Center, with a local jazz duo;

charcuterie plates provided by NPOA and with members bringing their own drinks;

4 | Northstar Living | News Magazine of the Northstar Property Owners Association

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president's perspective continued from page 4 are also available this Summer and can be scheduled through the Entry Desk.

Operations of the Poolside Deli: Full deli operations by Bear Paw

Provisions, which also runs Copper Lane Café and Provisions in the

Village, started Memorial Day weekend and then daily in mid-June.

They will be running a compete operation all Summer through

Labor Day, weather (and smoke) permitting. New for this year is that BPP has obtained a liquor license and is serving cocktails,

wine and beer. Ordering can be done at the deli, or better yet,

through their website menu ordering system which can be found at bearpawprovisions.net.

Return of the Post-Annual Meeting Picnic Dinner: Assuming no

Covid-related changes, we expect to reinstitute the post-meeting picnic dinner on Saturday, September 3rd, provided by Bear Paw

Provisions (BPP). Those who attended the smaller event we did last year after the Annual Meeting will recall what a great job BPP did there and we expect a fabulous picnic dinner which we hope will be well-attended.

Recreation Center Facilities Updates: As you know, last Fall we made some changes to facilities locations, moving most of the gym equipment back into the fitness building, re-opening the

game room in the rear building and moving our meeting and

gathering space up front to the entry building. The reasons for moving the game room to the rear building were several:

(1) Parent Supervision: We believe this is a better location

for having parents readily able to monitor their kids’ activities

there. Our Rec Center rules state clearly that we do not provide

supervision for the game room and that parents are responsible for this; during the day, we permit kids of any age in the game room so long as a parent is also somewhere at the Rec Center

facilities -- in the Winter, this would typically be in the gym or the hot tubs; in the Summer, this would typically be around the pool area. Locating the game room in the rear building puts the kids

closer to where their parents are using the facilities. (2) Noise in

our Office Area: A consistent message from our staff over the years has been that the significant noise level generated from having

the game room in the entry building makes work in the adjacent offices difficult and holding meetings there (particularly during Summer afternoons) almost impossible. Relocating the game

room to the rear building has eliminated this concern. (3) Facilities Utilization: The rear building – when utilized as an “adult center” –

was minimally used and in fact underutilized. Our goal in opening

up the entry building for regular guest use is to reverse this, and in

6 | Northstar Living | News Magazine of the Northstar Property Owners Association

npoa

fact to create a warm and inviting space which will be used by

members as: (a) a meeting space for homeowner groups, board and committee meetings, as well as casual gatherings; (b) work areas for those who want a quiet space to hang out and work inside; and (c) an event space to be used for some increased homeowner activities throughout the year, such as wine/

cheese gatherings, some small musical events and the like, also possibly using the adjacent grassy area out front for some of these in the summertime.

Since the Spring, we have been working with an interior

designer on some modest improvements to make the space more attractive and inviting, and we are starting to move

forward with the initial stages of this, which we anticipate will be

accomplished in 2022 and early 2023. This will include painting, some better lighting, flooring and some new furnishings (what we have now is roughly 25 years old) which will be attractive and flexible. Even in its current form, we have already seen

that people are utilizing this space for quiet work, so we are

encouraged about how we might make it far better utilized in the future. Our current plan is to see how these operational

changes have been working out in practice and to finalize how we will use the spaces by the end of the Summer. This work,

employee spotlight Greetings NPOA! My name is Greg Aiken and I’m your new Design Review and Compliance Manager.

I’m a California native through and through, born and raised in the east bay town of Pleasanton. Since moving to Truckee in 2004, I’ve spent most of that time working at Northstar in real estate development and hospitality for East West Hospitality, Welk Resorts, and The Ritz Carlton.

When outside of the office, I spend my time enjoying all things Truckee/Tahoe with my wife Rachael and our two young children, Liam and Nahla! Like many people that live here, I moved to the area for the snow, but truly fell in love with Tahoe for the indescribable summers. We continue to enjoy the mountains in the wintertime by skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing, but really hit our stride during the summertime as we set sail on Lake Tahoe and break out the mountain bikes, tents, and hiking boots.

I’m looking forward to becoming more acquainted with all our NPOA homeowners and guests, while continuing to assist in allthings design review and compliance.

which is part of our effort to revitalize the Recreation Center

facilities, is being championed by our Strategic Planning and Visioning Committee, led by Chairman Steve Klei and with members Jackie Apple and Paul Schumacher.

One other thing to point out is that the Main Pool and Kiddie

Pool will close at the end of Labor Day as usual and that we will have a major pool project going on thereafter in September, involving the replastering of the Main Pool, Kiddie Pool and

Twirl Spa, including replacement of tile and trims. While this

work is underway, the Lap Pool and the Gym will remain open, but the area will be an active “construction site,” so be aware that appearance and access will not be what you are used

to. The weeks immediately after we close these facilities for

the season is really the only opportunity with enough time to complete the needed repair work.

Early Work on the 2023 Budget: The Budget Committee, led

by our Treasurer and CFO Sue Cordonnier, and with members Colette Findley and myself, has already started work on the

2023 budget. This work will continue throughout the Summer and conclude with the annual budget review by the Board

in October. Several things are already clear, which we want

homeowners to know as we move forward: First, some of our costs are significantly increasing. Examples of these include: (1) our annual property insurance, which increased by 180%

You pick the story Liberty provides the power Liberty offers many great ways to conserve electricity and help the environment. Here are just a few of our energy saving tips: Turn off ceiling fans when you leave the room.

Fans cool down people by creating a wind chill effect and do not cool down the room itself.

Unplug appliances and electronics when not in use or use the switch on a power strip to cut all power to the appliance. Many appliances continue to draw a small amount of power when they are switched off.

By replacing your five most frequently used light fixtures or the bulbs in them with ENERGY STAR certified lights, you can save $70 a year in energy costs. (Source: www.energy.gov)

in 2022 over 2021, and our insurance brokers advise that

Continued on page 8 www.npoa.info | SUMMER 2022 | 7

president's perspective continued from page 7 additional increases are expected next year due to the wildfire

probably also need to be more conservative than we have been

have increased by nearly 100% this year over past years and are

More on all this as we approach the end of the Summer and as we

risks in the Tahoe region; (2) our costs for pool and spa chemicals expected to increase again next year; (3) our utility costs have

increased by nearly 50% since the beginning of 2022, resulting from the very significant increases in natural gas costs. Second,

we are now fully staffed. Over the past two years, we added Sean Cutunilli as our Operations Manager and significantly upgraded

the position now occupied by Greg Aiken (more on Greg below).

In both 2021 and 2022 we were in hiring mode, and had positions open for part of the year, thus reducing our annual employee

costs; 2023 will be the first year in which we are paying for a full

complement of staff for a full year. We have also had to increase staff salaries and wages for our hourly personnel to remain

competitive and we expect that to continue into 2023. Third,

we are finding that the costs for doing almost any kind of repair work on our facilities have gone up significantly in the last year.

This impacts both our operating expenses for routine repairs and also the amounts which were expected in our reserve studies for

many longer-term replacement components for our facilities (pool

heaters are just one recent example). We are currently reviewing all the elements of our reserves, and while we are quite well covered for the immediate upcoming years, we will likely have to increase our annual reserve contributions to keep things well reserved for

the future. Finally, there are the unknowns which impact our non-

in projecting guest fee income when we do the 2023 budget. prepare the final Budget for 2023 in the Fall.

Welcome to a New NPOA Staff Member: For close to two years,

we have been looking for the “right person” to oversee our Design Review activities and coordinate the oversight of compliance

with our community rules and standards. In May, we hired Greg

Aiken, as our Design Review and Community Standards Manager.

Greg will be working with GM Tim Fulton to streamline our

processes in these areas and work directly with homeowners

on their remodeling and improvement projects, the number of which have been skyrocketing in the last few years. Greg has a

significant construction background and will also assist us with

projects we are doing ourselves in-house and in the coordination with professionals and vendors who work for us in our own

design, repair and construction work. Please call on Greg if you

have plans for a project on or around your home, as he can help you through the process and give you guidance on our Design Review Guidelines. Many smaller reviews are handled in-house

by staff without involving our professionals on the Design Review

Committee, and for those that do require DRC approval, Greg will

be the initial interface to make sure that any plans submitted to the DRC are complete and ready for their review.

member income, primarily our “guest fees,” which have become a significant source of extra income to run our business in the past few years. Last Summer, we had a large shortfall in guest

fee income when August turned Tahoe into a smokey, unhealthy and largely uninhabited zone. We are, of course, hoping this

will not repeat itself this year, but we shall see. If it does, then we

Mike Plishner, Board President

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8 | Northstar Living | News Magazine of the Northstar Property Owners Association

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npoa

general manager's report Summer Operations

of summer programming and hiring the lifeguards and activity

NPOA Recreation Center for another fun, relaxing, and beautiful

the addition of Greg Aiken to our administrative team as our new

The NPOA team was hard at work this spring preparing the

experience for the 2022 summer season. Many updates were

addressed in the President’s Perspective article, but I have a few additional updates along with some courtesy reminders for the summer season.

staff for the summer season. And I am also very excited about

Design Review and Community Standards Manager. Greg has

been involved with construction and facilities management in the Truckee area for well over a decade and he is a great addition to our team!

Summer Staffing: As you have experienced the past couple

Recreation Center Access: For our members and their immediate

community, there continues to be a lack of staffing and reduced

your member card when visiting the Rec Center. We also ask that

of years, even more than normal in our growing mountain

hours of operation for many local businesses. We are fortunate

to have some wonderful, committed staff for this summer season.

We have multiple returning lifeguards and have hired a few

new lifeguards. With the reopening of the Bear Hut, we are very excited to have five exceptional activity staff members available at different times throughout the summer season. Guillaume

returned as our Director of Tennis & Pickleball, and has recruited some great pros and pro shop staff members. Our team looks forward to providing many positive, memorable experiences

for the 2022 summer season. Many thanks to our Operations

Manager Sean Cutunilli, who was actively involved with all aspects

family members on their access list, please remember bring in you convey to your rental guests to bring in one of the guest

access cards and that each guest will pay an $8 per person guest fee to use the facility. On a daily basis we have many short-term

rental guests who show up at the recreation center with no guest card, no rental confirmation information to identify where they

are staying, no idea what address they are staying at or even the name of a condominium complex. So again, please be sure to provide information for your guests if you would like for them to have access to the Recreation Center. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

10 | Northstar Living | News Magazine of the Northstar Property Owners Association

Continued on page 12

general manager's report continued from page 10 RV & Boat Storage: The NPOA CC&R’s Section 8.09 Parking and

for the purposes of loading and unloading. If you or your guests

vehicles allowed and prohibited which include trailers, campers

seasons, please contact Northstar Public Safety at 530-562-2259

vehicles. Campers, recreation vehicles, boats, and trailers may be

Main Pool, Kiddie Pool, Twirl Spa Plastering Project: Keep in mind

Vehicle Restrictions addresses restrictions on the size and type of

are in need of storage for RVs, boats, etc. during the non-winter

and recreation vehicles, commercial vehicles and inoperable

to make arrangements.

kept upon a lot or parked along the street only for brief periods

that the Main Pool, Kiddie Pool, and Twirl Spa will be replastered

this fall. The water will be drained in these amenities immediately following Labor Day Weekend. The demo of the existing plaster is a very loud and dusty process with removed materials being

dropped from the Main Pool deck into a dumpster in the parking area adjacent to the Pickleball courts. Once the demo process

is complete, new plaster will be installed along with a new swim CSL# 845400

A QUALITY DRIVEN FULL SERVICE LANDSCAPE

lane, wall target, and trim tile. The entire demo, plastering, and

tiling process is expected to take a minimum of 30 days, assuming that there is no structural issues that are discovered in the shallow end of the Main Pool. It then takes a minimum of 30 days for the new plaster to cure before it is available for use.

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12 | Northstar Living | News Magazine of the Northstar Property Owners Association

Tim Fulton, General Manager

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northstar women's golf club

This year Northstar is going to offer

women’s swing classes on Wednesday afternoons. The instructor is Mark

Pavano, new to Northstar, but not new to

instructing. There will be two sessions, full swing and short game. Each session will

last between 30 - 45 minutes and the cost will be $50 for both or $30 each.

Tuesday is game day with tee times

starting around 8:30am. Depending

on course conditions we play through Cindy Denhem, Sandy Campion, Astrid Cousins & Ruta Rudisill

Our beautiful spring weather meant an

earlier start to golf season this year. With the course clear of our big December

snow fall and April surprises, the course is looking better than it has in years,

and the Northstar Women’s Golf Club

is out enjoying being back on the links.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of

NWGC. While we are not as large as we were in past years, we still have big fun.

We have added two new members this

year, Sheree Rife and Ruta Rudisill and are always looking to add new members, and

this year we plan to bring back games to

October. Membership in the Northstar

Women’s Golf Club automatically enrolls you in the Golf Handicap Information

make things more interesting.

Network (GHIN), a service offered by the

The club welcomes players of all levels.

which tracks scores and ranks handicaps.

Many of us continue to work on getting over the challenging creek canyon on

Hole 11, without going into those pesky trees on the right. There is something

about that creek that seems to draw your ball into the abyss! A supportive group

we celebrate our accomplishments and

improvements together. Maybe this is the year to conquer Hole 11!

USGA to golf associations worldwide, The club championship is scheduled for August 23 and 24 and members can participate for prizes as long as

they have played at least two Tuesdays

during the year. If you would like to join us for the year, or jump in on a Tuesday

to get a feel for the club, Contact Marian at sidebcorp@aol.com or Carol at pawlakcarol@gmail.com.

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14 | Northstar Living | News Magazine of the Northstar Property Owners Association

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npoa

upcoming summer events

tennis news

Yoga Basics provided by Tahoe Yoga & Wellness

Your 2022 Summer Northstar Tennis Pros

Every Saturday from July 2 - August 13, 9:30am - NPOA Entrance

Monika Magusiak

Building. Guided by the experienced staff at Tahoe Yoga &

Monika was born in Bydgoszcz,

Wellness, Yoga Basics is a foundational practice where alignment

Poland and came to the United States

and awareness of the body, mind, and breath are emphasized.

to play for the University of Nevada,

Great for beginners and those interested in a slower pace and

Reno in 2013. Monika started getting

detailed instruction. Join us Saturday mornings this Summer!

Jazz by the Pool

July 30, 4:30 - 7pm - NPOA Recreation Center

Come enjoy a fun and relaxing session of Jazz poolside, provided by the Carolyn Dolan Duo! Charcuterie plates will be provided for attendees.

Pickleball Camps hosted by NextPointPickleball

coaching experience while spending summers in Europe. She coached

in Barcelona in 2014 and at the Rafa Nadal Academy in 2015.

After graduating from UNR with a degree in psychology, Monika became a graduate assistant coach for North Park University in

Chicago where she obtained her Master’s degree in Counseling

psychology. In the near future, she would like to become a sports psychologist and help players both on and off the court.

Megan Marsot

September 6 - 8

This is Megan’s fourth season now

NextPointPickleball will be hosting a pickleball camp during the

at Northstar! She grew up playing

month of September after our Main Pool Closes. Each camp will

competitive tennis in Iowa and was a

consist of 32 players, and NPOA members will have first access

4-time state tournament qualifier. She

for booking into the camps. A communication was sent out with sign-up method for NPOA Members.

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played tennis for Quincy University

while getting a Bachelor’s degree in

Business Marketing. Megan has been professionally certified through the Professional Tennis Registry since 2007 and has

experience teaching throughout the United States including Maine, Florida, and New York.

Monika Stanikova

Monika was born in the city of Trencin, Slovakia, where she first began her



tennis journey. During her collegiate career, she was able to reach the #2

spot in the nation in division II. From

then on, Monika has coached all over

the world, including at the Rafael Nadal academy in 2018. Before receiving her degree from the Academy of Arts, Monika was a

3-time Slovakian champion, and an ITA All-American player. She

is currently the assistant coach at UNR, while pursuing a Master’s degree.

Guillaume Tonelli

Guillaume returns as our Tennis &

Pickleball director for the 6th straight year, and has been instructing at

Northstar for the last 14 years. He is

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teaching new techniques for both tennis

and fitness to improve your game while also providing a fun and

enjoyable atmosphere. When not up in Northstar, Guillaume is the Head Coach of the Women’s Tennis team at UNR, where he will be entering into his 12th season this upcoming summer.

16 | Northstar Living | News Magazine of the Northstar Property Owners Association

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Liberty Utilities Wildfire Mitigation

• Installed 3.75 miles of covered conductor (insulated overhead

summers, smoke smothers our beautiful outdoor playground for

• Replaced approximately 350 poles

Wildfires are a part of the reality of living in California. Many days, weeks, or even months.

Numerous natural causes may result in the ignition of wildfires.

Although Liberty has no control over Mother Nature, we have

implemented a Wildfire Mitigation Plan to reduce the risk of an electrical infrastructure-ignited wildfire.

Liberty updates its Wildfire Mitigation Plan annually and provides progress reports to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on a regular basis. “Hardening and upgrading

infrastructure and continuing our robust vegetation management practices helps reduce the need for Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS),” explains Eliot Jones, Sr. Manager of Wildfire Prevention.

A PSPS is used as a last resort to turn off electricity when fire weather conditions pose an elevated risk.

“The wildfire mitigation plan and infrastructure improvements are a process, “Jones states. “It can’t all happen overnight,

but we have made significant progress and continue to invest appropriate resources in the program.” In 2021 alone, Liberty

wire)

• Replaced over 850 expulsion fuses

• Removed approximately 40 tree attachments • Installed two automatic reclosers

• Removed over 2,100 tons of biomass as a part of our

vegetation management and fuel management program

In light of another below-average snowpack and continued

drought conditions, we will likely face another severe fire season and elevated potential for PSPS events throughout the summer

and fall. Should fire conditions warrant a PSPS, Liberty wants you to know what to expect so you can be better prepared.

No single factor drives a PSPS. A combination of factors reaching or exceeding set thresholds may determine whether a PSPS will be initiated. Some of these factors include:

• Low Humidity Levels – Potential fuels are more likely to ignite when there is a lower amount of water vapor in the air.

• Forecast Sustained Winds and Gusts – High winds can result in several factors that may cause a fire to ignite. Sustained winds

can also cause a fire to spread and even throw embers into the air, creating additional fires.

• Dry Fuel Conditions – Trees and other vegetation act as fuel for wildfires, and fuels with low moisture levels ignite easily and allow fire to spread rapidly.

• Red Flag Warnings – The National Weather Service issues these warnings to alert of the onset, or possible onset, of critical

weather or dry conditions that may lead to swift increases in wildfire activity.

How Will We Know if a PSPS is Activated?

Advance notification is critical in any PSPS scenario, and

Liberty will attempt to alert customers, public safety partners, the community, and others at the earliest opportunity. When possible, Liberty will directly notify customers of a PSPS

approximately 48 hours before power is shut off, 24 hours

before power is shut off, just before power is shut off, during the PSPS, and once power has safely been restored. We strongly encourage customers to call Liberty at 1-800-782-2506 to confirm or update their contact information.

If you have a friend or loved one with access and functional

needs, help them update their contact information, and consider

adding yourself as a secondary contact. Customers with medical equipment that relies on electricity may be eligible for the

18 | Northstar Living | News Magazine of the Northstar Property Owners Association

medical baseline allowance, and those enrolled may also receive priority PSPS information. Call 1.800.782.2506 to see if you qualify.

In addition to direct PSPS notifications and updates, Liberty will post outage updates on our website, www.libertyutilities.com, as well as on Facebook (@LibertyUtilitiesLT) and Twitter (@LibertyUtil_CA).

How do I Prepare?

Once you have confirmed your contact information is current, PSPS preparation is not much different from any other power outage preparation. Here are some tips:

• Plan for medical needs that may be impacted by a power shutoff, including medications that need refrigeration or

devices that require power. Be sure to register any medical-

• Store non-perishable foods and water to support your family and pets for a minimum of 48 hours.

• Keep a full tank of gas or a fully charged battery for your

vehicle, as gas and charging stations may be affected by a power outage.

• Keep cash available, as ATMs and credit card machines may be unavailable during a power outage.

• Be sure phones and other critical electronic devices are

charged and consider investing in a backup battery or power source, potentially one that can recharge with solar.

Liberty prioritizes the safety of our customers and communities, and we are taking action to reduce the risk of wildfire in our

beautiful region. To learn more about our wildfire mitigation plan, visit LibertyUtilities.com.

related energy needs at 1-800-782-2506.

• Create an emergency kit, including flashlights, batteries,

first aid supplies and maps of the local area. For additional emergency kit necessities, consult Ready.gov.

Eliot Jones is a certified utility arborist, the Sr. Manger of Wildfire Prevention for Liberty Utilities and led the Vegetation Management department for 3 years.

www.npoa.info | SUMMER 2022 | 19

npoa

fire department 2022 Northstar Fire Department Measure U Project Season

Summer is upon us and your tax dollars for Measure U are

already at work to help mitigate the impacts of wildfire to the community of Northstar.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Measure U, Wildfire Prevention Parcel Tax, here is a brief background.

On June 28, 2021, the Northstar Community Services District Board of Directors placed Measure U, a wildfire prevention

parcel tax measure, on the November 2, 2021, ballot to ensure that the Northstar Fire Department can fully implement the

• Maintaining and adding firebreaks where needed to prevent the spread of wildfire

• Providing homeowners with easy and inexpensive disposal

options for pine needles and green waste, including Green Waste Dumpster rental rebates and five annual curbside pickup events

• Providing matching funds to large parcel owners for fire prevention compliance work

For this project season you will see your tax dollars complete the following:

• Five curbside pick-up sessions for the residential properties

Community Wildfire Prevention Plan (CWPP). The measure will

and two pick-ups for the condominium associations. Four of

stable, dedicated source of local funding for wildfire prevention

up date is as follows:

cost up to $219 per parcel, per year for 10 years, to provide a efforts, including:

• Removing dry brush, dead trees and fire hazards, to reduce wildfire risk and promote forest and watershed health

• Providing vegetation management around neighborhoods and critical infrastructure

• Improving evacuation routes

the five sessions have been completed. The remaining pickSingle-family residential/condominium association curbside pick-up

• Monday, August 1st, 2022 * (Includes condominium associations)

• Forest fuels reduction enhancing a 300’ fuel break from residential structures and evacuation routes.

20 | Northstar Living | News Magazine of the Northstar Property Owners Association

The map depicts the project areas to be

Legend 2022-23 Priority Treatment Area(s) Ski Lift(s) TMT Trail(s) NCSD Boundary U.S. Highway 267

2022-23 Measure U Project Area(s)

treated this summer by the Northstar

Fire Department and its contractors. The areas chosen, have been identified as a high priority area for treatment due to fuel loading, forest stand density, tree mortality and to provide evacuation

A (U.S. Highway 267) To Truckee, CA

route safety.

If one of the treatment areas is near your property, expect to see crews

working between July 1st and October 1st. The intention of this work will not

only mitigate hazardous forest fuels but also help to restore our forests back

No

e rthstar Driv

,C ach

to its historical state, which in turn will

e sB

promote forest diversity, wildlife habitat, R oa d

reduce tree mortality.

K To

ing

improve water infiltration/storage and

lan ds V ie w

For more questions regarding the Measure U program, please visit the following

gh

links or contact Forester Joe Barron at

Hi

Drive

the following: Office 530.562.1212 x2, sta r

jbarron@northstarcsd.org No r th

Measure U Initiative www.northstarcsd. org/wildfirepreventionmeasure Curbside Pick-Up Guidelines

www.northstarcsd.org/Yard-Debris-andDefensible-Space-Recycling

±

Northstar Community Services District / Northstar Fire Department Fuels Management 2022-23 Measure U Priority Project Area(s) 1:20,972 Maxar 0.1 0.05 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 Miles

June, 2022

www.npoa.info | SUMMER 2022 | 21

Condominium Updates Aspen Grove

Aspen Grove has been a very busy

sponsored by the Landscape & Aesthetic

number of projects and looking

10am - 3pm. Last year, we had a large

year and beyond. New signage and

participate in this fun event. Kids, teens,

trash (i.e. old rugs and window

It is amazing how these two major

and welcome. The main purpose of this

home décor items, etc.) then there is no

appreciation among AG homeowners

to keeping our community safe from

and guests to deposit their trash until

natural surroundings of Northstar’s

cones and pine needles and picking up

must pay the trash company a fee for

decks to help keep our community safe

filling a dumpster with non-household

• The Gold Bend dumpsters are emptied once a week – Friday morning (twice a

community. We are finishing up a

Committee on Saturday, July 16 from

forward to engaging in new ones this

and enthusiastic group of homeowners

an entire dumpster with non-household

paver pathways are 99% complete.

families of all ages are encouraged

coverings, broken vacuum cleaners,

upgrades have raised awareness and

event is to continue to be committed

room in the dumpster for other owners

who live and enjoy the beauty and

ongoing threats of wildfires. Raking pine

the following Friday. In this case, we

neighborhood in the woods.

debris around the property and under

an additional pick-up. By irresponsibly

With a lot of work and persistence on

and clean will be our major priority.

trash, other homeowners are paying

Gold Bend

behavior is inconsiderate and un-

the part of the Board of Directors and several opportunities for homeowner

input and open discussion, Aspen Grove

will become one of the first communities in Northstar to install gates. Gates will

be installed at both the Silver Strike and Aspen Grove entrances. This, of course, will help solve the ongoing issue of

Despite previous communications about

proper trash disposal, we continue to see improper use of the dumpsters in Gold

Bend. We need the cooperation of every homeowner to tackle this problem.

unauthorized vehicles parking in our

Below is some information to help you

containers for their own personal use

is important in our community:

lots and individuals using our dumpster who are not residents of Aspen Grove.

Construction of the gate system should

understand why proper trash management • Bears naturally fear people, but when they have easy access to food / trash

begin sometime by mid summer.

(i.e. via unlatched dumpsters, trash left

The Landscape & Aesthetic Committee

dumpsters) it has been observed that

has been working hard for the past

several months entertaining possible landscape ideas that would enhance

and beautify our existing common areas.

We are presently in discussion with a

landscape company who has proposed several options. This is a project that could be staged over several years.

We are in the very early stages of

considering the scope and sequence of such a project.

outside of dumpsters or overflowing

their behavior changes. In these cases,

bears are no longer cautious and fearful around people and this may result in a bear threatening human safety. If that

happens, the bear will likely be captured and killed by the US Fish & Wildlife

Service. We all must act responsibly to

protect the local bears and keep them alive and wild.

• We have seen an uptick of bear activity

in the area this summer. If you see a bear

Monument signs are still being pursued.

in the neighborhood, do not approach it

process that simply requires action by

condo or safely make your way inside. If

This has been a long and frustrating

– they are wild animals. Stay inside your

the county in order to move forward.

the bear has gotten into the dumpster,

Finally, our fourth annual Aspen

They are equipped to chase away bears.

Grove Work Party was scheduled and

call Northstar security at 530.562.2259.

22 | Northstar Living | News Magazine of the Northstar Property Owners Association

week during peak times). If an owner fills

for that junk to be hauled away – this neighborly.

Dumpsters are for household trash only (i.e. the everyday trash that you place in the trash bin in your condo). The trash company determines the number of

allotted dumpsters in Gold Bend based on expected gallons of trash generated per household per week (32 gallons, or 2.5 trash bags). Placing any other items

in the dumpster are above and beyond the expected capacity and thus, create overflowing dumpsters.

If you have non-household garbage, it

is your responsibility to haul it away. The proper location for dumping any items other than household garbage is the

Eastern Regional Landfill located at 900

Cabin Creek Rd, Truckee. In addition, there are several stores in Truckee that accept donations of home goods and the local trash company, TTSD, also has a service available to pick up items.

• When unbroken down cardboard boxes are placed in the dumpsters, they take

up valuable space which, in turn, leaves no room for household trash. When

dumpsters are filled with boxes, our

community must once again pay the

trash company a fee for an additional pick-up. The NPOA dumpster site on

Northstar Drive has several dumpsters

dedicated to the disposal of cardboard

boxes – this is the proper location to get rid of all cardboard boxes.

The below trash guidelines are very

straightforward. In order to keep the trash issue under control, we need everyone to comply with them:

• Place your trash bags inside the containers and secure the lid.

• If the dumpster closest to your unit is

full, either find another dumpster in the complex to deposit your trash or take it to the trash site on Northstar Drive.

• Do not put large household items

(small furniture or appliances, used

sporting gear, etc.) in the dumpster. The dumpsters are for household trash only (i.e. the everyday trash you place in the trash bin in your condo).

• Do not leave large items, bags of trash or recycling next to the dumpster.

• Instruct your contractor to haul away any construction debris. Dumpsters are not

to be used for construction trash of any kind.

• Use the recycle bins at the trash site

on Northstar Drive for all bottles, cans, paper and cardboard boxes. Do not place unbroken down boxes in the

Gold Bend dumpsters, as they take up valuable space.

It’s important that you communicate this information to your guests, cleaning

services and management company

representatives. Please do your part to

help eliminate overflowing trash and keep our community beautiful.

Indian Hills

Indian Hills Summer Returns!

We all expected that this summer we

would be returning to normal, and now

we are realizing there may not be a normal anymore! Add in more covid variants, the

price of gas, impact of drought, and rising

interest rates and normal is nowhere to be found!

The safety upgrade project of replacing back decks will be done this Summer,

even with supply chain challenges. Initial discussion of upgrading the front entry

ways to match the back decks is starting

so we can learn how much such a project might cost.

We will be working aggressively to meet

our defensible space requirements ahead Continued on page 24

www.npoa.info | SUMMER 2022 | 23

Condominium Updates Continued from page 23 of our original schedule. We are also launching a landscaping

committee to help beautify the areas around our condos that have been cleared.

On the finance side of things, The Ski Trails Board’s replacement fund is fully funded., meaning that we have all the operating

capital we expect to need to do regular maintenance, upkeep, and

We appreciate the efforts of NPOA to assist the condo associations in educating the Northstar community that the dumpsters in the Condo areas are for the exclusive use of condos and not single family homes.

replacement activities.

For example, the scheduled replacement of washers and dryers is

underway! This is important because there’s nothing worse than the dryer breaking when you have a load of wet clothes coming out of

Summer in Indian Hills and Northstar continues to be the place to be to enjoy the Tahoe lifestyle.

the dryer. The next-most annoying thing to that is when someone

else’s clothes are left too long in either of these machines. So please be courteous to your neighbors and remove your clothes from the machines promptly at each stage.

Ski Trails We’re back!

Another aspect of upkeep and maintenance is the exterior painting

Yes, the Ski Trails Condo association updates have been absent

The Board is now evaluating whether a 4-year cycle is adequate to

from recent issues of Northstar Living magazine, but we’re back with news on recent accomplishments, upcoming plans, and points of consideration for our homeowners.

of our buildings. In the past, that has been done on a 3-year cycle. keep the same high-quality appearance and protection from the

elements that a 3-year cycle does...at a cost reduction of 33%. This

would significant if it worked, but we’ll have to see what comes out

First is a hot topic on the minds of many: the Placer County Short Term Rental (STR) policy and related permit requirements. This

policy the number of STR permits that will be available county-wide at 3,900. The good news is that owners with existing STR permits will not be subject to this limit. However, resale of a unit would

require the new owner to apply for a permit, and that will be subject to the cap. If there is no room under the limit, those applicants will

be added to the waiting list. For those reasons, the Ski Trails Board

worked with the other Northstar associations to draft a letter objecting to the policy, but it is in operation

of the analysis.

Lastly, the Board has successfully negotiated with Spectrum to

provide 400mb internet to all of our condo units. This is very fast and a great example of how the Board uses your HOA dues to provide high- quality and cost-effective services such as cable, internet, and water.

In the next issue, we’ll have a detailed update on the deliberations

about a new parking permit system here at Ski Trails. So please stay tuned for that!

now. To see summary of the STR requirement, scan this QR Code.

HOME IS WHERE YOU BELONG AND THE BIG LIFE CONNECTIONS PROGRAM HELPS YOU DO JUST THAT! Meet New Friends • Engage Volunteer • Be a Truckee Local!

BELONG

Learn more at: Truckee.com/BigLifeConnections.

Nicole Dreon Photography

24 | Northstar Living | News Magazine of the Northstar Property Owners Association

Truckee River Watershed Council

2017

2022

Restoration: Big & Complex Projects Require Sophisticated Partners The Truckee River Watershed Council’s restoration projects are big and complex and require partnerships with private

and public landowners and managers of all sorts. Some of the

largest include CA State Parks, Town of Truckee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Forest Service. We’ve collaborated to design and implement 25 large-scale, multi-million-dollar projects. Since 2016, we’ve restored 760 acres of degraded meadows and forests and 50 miles of dirt roads and stream banks.

One example is our Truckee Meadows Project (2017 to 2018) which restored 30 acres near downtown Truckee between

the Rodeo Grounds and Brockway Road. The project was a

collaboration with Truckee Donner Land Trust, Town of Truckee, Truckee Tahoe Airport District, Truckee Donner Public Utility

District, Tahoe Truckee Sanitation Agency, and Truckee Recreation and Parks District.

To get the science right, we hire specialized partners like hydrologists, botanists, geologists and contractors for

environmental design, surveying, field reconnaissance, and modeling, to name a few. Lead by our highly skilled and

experienced team of restoration project directors, we hold formal

sip, shop & enjoy autumn in truckee

partner meetings at key milestones where we review field data,

finalize the design, and carry out landscape transformation. The

results are a greener, wilder landscape, with cleaner water, more diverse habitat, and more resiliency to climate risks associated with wildfires, droughts, and floods. We’ve identified 50 high

19th annual downtown downtown truckee truckee

wine, walk shop

200 222 22

Tickets on Sale Now!

Saturday, October 1, 12-4 pm truckeewinewalk.com | facebook.com/truckeewinewalk Thirty shops in historic downtown Truckee will pair with wineries and restaurants to serve shoppers wine tastings and food samplings. Don’t miss this iconic fall event! This year’s proceeds to benefit the Truckee Donner Horsemen Association.

priority projects and have many more projects ahead of us

for the benefit of our community-- to protect and restore the

Truckee River watershed. To learn more or get involved: www. truckeeriverwc.org

I've worked with the Watershed Council a partner for 25 years

and watched as they consistently led and partnered to improve our environment, primarily fixing damage created over the

last 150 years of settlement in the region. I am inspired by the

work, particularly the ability to create and sustain collaborative relationships so critical to the successful projects we've

completed. Now that we're tackling climate change, forest health,

Sponsored by:

and catastrophic wildfire, I am confident that we'll further restore our watershed for a resilient

future. —Tony Lashbrook, Retired Truckee Town Manager (23

Proudly presented by: MARKETING

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26 | Northstar Living | News Magazine of the Northstar Property Owners Association

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News Magazine Of the Northstar Property Owners Association 2200 North Village Drive Truckee, CA 96161

28 | Northstar Living | News Magazine of the Northstar Property Owners Association