December 2023
Vol. 9, Issue 12
craigranchliving.com
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Craig Ranch Telegram
| December 2023 3
December 2023
Vol. 9, Issue 12
CRAIG RANCH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC. An Effective & Comfortable Alternative Therapy to CPAP
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Free Consultations • Medicare Provider
8751 Collin McKinney Pkwy. #1502 • McKinney, TX 75070
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7850 Collin McKinney Parkway, Suite 103, McKinney Texas 75070 Office Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Ph: (972) 548-9191 website: www.craigranchliving.com CMA Customer Care: (972) 943-2828
BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Stephanie Miller Vice President John Palmer Treasurer Connie Baker Secretary Tim Stephens
STAFF Director of Operations David Meyer | dbmeyer@cmamanagement.com Operations Manager Brandy Hotchkiss | bhotchkiss@cmamanagement.com Common Area Manager Roxanne Webb | rwebb@cmamanagement.com Maintenance Director Randy Cain | rcain@cmamanagement.com Lead Administrative Assistant Kris Sims | ksims@cmamanagement.com Operations Support Assistant Lu Ann Patton | lpatton@cmamanagement.com Lifestyle Coordinator Melody Krill | mkrill@cmamanagement.com Communications Coordinator Cathy Dreyer | cdreyer@cmamanagement.com Community Service Coordinator Tamra Collins | tcollins@cmamanagement.com Design Review/Modifications Coordinator Melba Siebel | msiebel@cmamanagement.com Compliance Coordinators Avery Baril | abaril@cmamanagement.com Maintenance Technicians Monte Cepeda Jim Merritt | jmerritt@cmamanagement.com
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PUBLISHER To place an advertisement, please contact: Community Matters, Inc., PO Box 5900, Frisco, TX 75035 Ph: (972) 370-1778 website: www.communitymattersinc.com Craig Ranch Telegram is the only authorized publication of the Craig Ranch Community Association, Inc. It is published on behalf of residents for informational purposes only. The Association does not guarantee any work or claims made by advertisers herein and claims no responsibility or liability for statements made in the publication. The Association does not support or take responsibility for services, whether paid or volunteer, mentioned herein, nor for statements published in articles or letters herein which are not endorsed by group decision of the Board of Directors.
December 2023
Vol. 9, Issue 12
C raig R anch T elegram
The official publication of the Craig Ranch Community Association (CRCA) This monthly magazine is published at no cost to the CRCA and is mailed free of charge to all Craig Ranch residences.
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Amendment to Exhibit F-200 information
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Pets of the Month
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Yard of the Month
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06 14 Budgets and Growth
Control 07 Architectural Committee Requests
2024 budgets for Craig Ranch were approved at the October Board of Directors meeting
An ACC Modification Request is required prior to making any changes to your homes' exterior
Package Theft 09 Prevent this Holiday Season
Carnival 13 Halloween Photo Gallery
Tips to keep “porch pirates” from stealing your packages
The weather on October 14th was perfect for this fun-filled event
Community Calendar Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony
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Breakfast with Santa
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Holiday Haystacks Recipe
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Dollars at Work
Copyright © 2023 All rights reserved. Published by Community Matters, Inc.
Cover Photo - dreamstime.com
Warm up with a cup of hot chocolate or coffee as you enjoy a light breakfast at our annual Breakfast with Santa event on December 9th from10 AM to 1 PM!
Craig Ranch Telegram
| December 2023 5
Manager’s Message: Budgets and Growth The 2024 Craig Ranch Community Association (CRCA) budgets were approved on Monday, October 30, 2023, and are now posted on the Craig Ranch Living website (www.craigranchliving.com). Every Craig Ranch owner should have received at least one assessment letter. The Craig Ranch Master annual assessment will remain the same as it was in 2023 and will be due on January 1, 2024. All Craig Ranch owners are responsible for paying the Craig Ranch Master assessment. Owners who live in one of the eleven (11) Service Areas within Craig Ranch received a second assessment letter informing them of their assessment amount for 2024. If you didn’t receive an assessment letter, please contact the CRCA office at cradmin@cmamanagement.com or 972-5489191. The assessment letters are also posted on www. craigranchliving.com. Inflation has affected every aspect of our lives this year. HOAs are not exempt from inflation, as we are subject to the same increased costs in labor, goods, and services that affect every other industry. The Board of Directors, as well as Craig Ranch staff, spent countless hours working on the 2024 budgets, making every
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attempt to keep assessments as low as possible while maintaining the standard for which Craig Ranch is known. CRCA experienced a fair amount of growth in 2023. The CRCA office relocated a block away to a building called The Square at Craig Ranch, which is east of Life Time Fitness. The address is 7850 Collin McKinney Parkway, Suite 103. If you haven’t had a chance to see the new office, please feel free to stop by for a visit. The office is open Monday – Friday, 8 AM – 5 PM. Craig Ranch added its 11th Service Area in 2023. This newest Service Area is called Inspiration, and it will consist of 35 homes when completed. Construction recently began on these single-family homes. Inspiration is located on Van Tuyl Parkway, between Millie Way and Meyer Way, and east of the K9 Corral dog park. Home construction is nearing completion at the Pinnacle, a community of 3-story, single-family homes within Craig Ranch. The homes are located on Collin McKinney Parkway and Hewitt. The Pinnacle falls under the Craig Ranch Master Association. They have their own sub-association and are not considered a Service Area. As 2023 comes to a close, CRCA would like to extend our warmest wishes for a happy holiday season. May the holidays bring peace, love, and joy to you and your family this season. ◀
All Exterior Modifications Require Approval! The Craig Ranch Community Association (CRCA) office has seen an increase in violations due to nonsubmittal of exterior changes. You must submit an ACC Modification Request through your CMA portal at www.cmamanagement.com prior making any changes to the exterior of your home. Decision letters are typically emailed within 10-15 business days A complete ACC request must include the following information: • Property survey (usually found in your closing documents), marked with the location of the addition or modification. • Dimensions of the project (if applicable). • Current picture(s) of the area to be modified. • Materials list along with pictures of materials showing the colors being requested.
• Sample image showing what you would like your project to look like upon completion. • Scaled drawings showing front and side view of a structure. ACC requests are not required if you are repainting or re-staining the exterior with the same color as before, or if you are replacing dead landscape with the same plant material. These changes are considered maintenance. Prior to submitting an ACC request, please refer to your Governing Documents as they provide information on permitted and/or prohibited modifications. These documents can be found on the craigranchliving.com website and on your CMA portal. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your ACC Modification Request, please contact our office at cradmin@cmamanagement.com or 972-548-9191. ◀
Amendment to Exhibit F-200: Residential Deed Restrictions Policy & Authority to Fine At the October 30, 2023, Board of Directors meeting, the Board passed an amendment to Exhibit F-200: Residential Deed Restrictions Policy & Authority to Fine. This amendment is necessary in order for the Craig Ranch Community Association to comply with the Texas legislature’s passing of new laws in June 2023 which are meant to ensure that communities establish an enforcement policy regarding violations, fines, and hearing specifications. The amended Exhibit F-200 can be found on the Craig Ranch Living website (www. craigranchliving.com). ◀ Craig Ranch Telegram
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Pets of the Month Meet Sora and Misa
Share the
Holiday Joy Shop now and save on unique holiday gifts.
Sora and Misa are “sisters” in the sense that they both now live in the same household. They are both around 2 years old but have only been sisters for a few months now. Sora is a bit on the skittish side and prefers her space. Misa is very curious and loves to explore. However, they both love to eat and look forward to mealtime. These beautiful “sisters” get along well with each other even though they are not blood-related.
Use Code: GIVEJOY *Valid in-store at the participating store(s) listed or by shopping online. One discount per purchase. Offer not valid on previous purchases, gift cards, optics, DSC memberships or sale items. Offer valid December 7 thru December 18, 2023
BIRD FOOD • FEEDERS GARDEN ACCENTS UNIQUE GIFTS
3001 S. Hardin Blvd., Suite 106 McKinney, TX 75070 (in the Tom Thumb shopping center next to Hallmark) (972) 472-2022 www.wbu.com/McKinney 8
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Sora
Misa
Prevent Package Theft this Holiday Season Online shopping becomes more popular with each passing year. Adobe Analytics predicts this year’s online holiday sales (between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31) will reach $221.8 billion, a 4.8% bump from last year. That equates to many packages being left on porches or near front doors each day. One unfortunate trend tied to the rise of home package deliveries is an increase in “porch pirates” – people who steal packages from doorsteps, porches and/ or mailboxes.
Be quick with law enforcement. If you become a victim, contact the police and the delivery company immediately. ◀
Yard of the Month CR A
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NCH COMM RA U
YARD
OF THE
MONTH
TY NI
How can you prevent package theft? Be quick. Collect your package as soon as possible after delivery to minimize the chance of it being stolen. Sign up for delivery alerts from the online seller. Be diligent. Schedule package deliveries for the weekends. Also, seek out delivery methods that require a signature, a great option for higher priced or valuable items. Encourage delivery drivers to place packages behind a plant, piece of furniture, or other structure on your porch. Be alert. Be on the lookout in your community for suspicious people who might be hanging around and looking to steal packages. Be creative. Install a camera doorbell, send the package to your workplace or a relative’s home, or consider picking up the online order in the store. Be informed of Amazon locker locations. Utilize one of the following Amazon lockers located near Craig Ranch. Amazon will provide you with a code for the locker. • 7-Eleven 8400 State Hwy 121 at Exchange Pkwy. • The Bodega @ Craig Ranch 7951 Collin McKinney Pkwy, Suite 1560 (the Bodega faces Weiskopf Ave.) • Circle K 5010 Alma Rd. (at Stacy Rd.) • Ross Dress for Less 8720 State Hwy 121, Suite 116
SPONSORED BY
Winner of a $25 Calloway’s Nursery Gift Card
8613 Pine Valley Drive Craig Ranch Telegram
| December 2023 9
December 2023
EVENTS SUN
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Holiday Tree Lighting Event, 4PM Millie Cooper Park
Registration is required for all events unless specified otherwise. Registration links are available on the Lifestyle calendar on the Craig Ranch Living website (www.craigranchliving.com) and in the weekly community newsletter that is sent via email every Friday afternoon. If you are not receiving emails, please sign up for an account at www.craigranchliving.com.
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09 Breakfast with Santa, 10 AM Compass Event Center
Evening Bingo, 7PM Compass Event Center
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Bunco Club, 7 PM Compass Event Center
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CRCA Office Closed for Christmas
CRCA Office reopens, 8 AM
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Craig Ranch Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony Saturday, December 2nd, 4 – 7 PM (Tree lighting at 5:30 PM) Millie Cooper Park 6100 Millie Way (Corner of Millie Way and San Saba Drive) The seasonal festivities will begin at 4:00 PM with students from the JDM Dance studio performing to an assortment of holiday music. Train rides encircling a winter wonderland at Millie Cooper Park II (south side) will be available throughout the event. We will have a rock wall, life-size snow globe, and special holiday characters for the whole family to enjoy! Santa and Mrs. Claus will be visiting Craig Ranch to help kick off the holiday season! Check in at the registration booth to receive a wristband to participate in all activities (proof of residency required). This event is for Craig Ranch residents and their families only. Early registration available on Thursday, November 30th, from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM, and Friday, December 1st, from 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM at the CRCA office, 7850 Collin McKinney Pkwy, Suite 103.
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Saturday, December 9th, 10 AM - 1 PM Compass Event Center 7225 Henneman Way, Allen TX 75013 Come take a photo with Santa and then grab a light breakfast. We will also have hot chocolate and coffee to warm you up. Tables available for residents to sit and enjoy their breakfast before or after visiting Santa. There will also be crafts for the kids, as well as face painting. Time slots are available every 1/2 hour from 10 AM - 1 PM. Registration required.
Craig Ranch Telegram
| December 2023 11
Dollars at Work - Townhome Repainting in Hemingway The Hemingway townhome units on Conch Train Road are being repainted.
Before
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Craig Ranch Telegram
| December 2023 13
MEET YOUR NEW NEIGHBOR! uality Same Q
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CRAIG RANCH SPECIALS! 14 craigranchliving.com
5850 Collin McKinney Pkwy., Unit #503 McKinney, TX 75070
Is Your Home’s Furnace Ready For a Long, Cold Winter? 4 Ways to Take Action & Prevent a Furnace Breakdown By Brian Remington As we are coming off one of the hottest summers in Metroplex history (53 days over 100° in 2023), it is tough to even think about turning on our furnaces. If this hasn’t yet crossed your mind, know that the time will come, and it is important that you have complete peace of mind that your system will be able to keep your home warm when you need it the most this winter. Many forecasters, including the “Farmers’ Almanac”, predict that North Texas will experience an “unseasonably” cold winter. Can you rely on your furnace to do its job through this expected colder and longer winter? With a proper prevention plan this fall, you can be worry-free and comfortable all winter long!
Things You Can Do to Prepare for Winter: 1.
Change your filter now and change it regularly throughout the winter season. Dirt, dust, and debris are the #1 killers of furnace and air conditioning systems. The filter’s main job is to prevent the dirt, dust, and debris from entering the system. If not changed regularly, the filter will clog up and limit the air flowing through the system. Eventually the air will follow the path of least resistance and find ways around that clogged filter bringing the dirt further into the system. This dirt, dust, and debris will accumulate on various components, causing them to overheat, work harder and fail prematurely. With the extended hot temperatures this summer, it’s likely that your air conditioner worked over-time and your filter is due for a change.
2. Put new batteries in your thermostat. Every winter, we get numerous calls from homeowners stating that their thermostat is “blank”. Although this could be related to a bigger issue within the system controls, many times it just needs a new battery. 3.
Make sure all vents are open and all return vents are unobstructed. Heating and air conditioning systems need proper airflow to function properly. Without proper airflow, pressure builds inside the
system, causing it to work harder. During a heating season, this can cause your system to over-heat and lead to system failure. 4. Get a “real” maintenance done on your entire system. Most homeowners don’t realize that their furnace and air conditioner work together year-round! The furnace contains the system’s control board and communicates with the outdoor unit as well as the thermostat. The furnace also contains the system’s blower “wheel”. This blower wheel is like a big, powerful fan and is responsible for pushing and pulling all of the air throughout the entire home during both cooling and heating modes--delivering cool air in the summer and warm air in the winter. Any dirt, dust, or debris that makes it past the filter will land on this blower wheel. Just 1/20th of an inch of dust build-up on this blower wheel can increase your home’s energy costs up to 20%! A “real” maintenance should include removing and cleaning this blower wheel of buildup to ensure proper operation and efficiency. Most heating and air conditioning service companies do not include this cleaning in their maintenance and charge anywhere from $400-$900 for this service. At On Time Experts, this service is included in EVERY tune-up and maintenance, regardless of how much you pay. We believe that the #1 reason that homeowners request a maintenance is to PREVENT breakdowns. That is why we offer a NO BREAKDOWN GUARANTEE with our maintenance. If dirt, dust, and debris are the #1 killers of heating and air conditioning systems, can you really call it a “maintenance” if the system isn’t cleaned?
Book now before the frigid temperatures hit and your system experiences a breakdown.
Call 469-253-5975 or
visit theontimeexperts.com to schedule your maintenance today! BEFORE
BEFORE
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Craig Ranch Telegram
| December 2023 15
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Photography may include models or actors and may not represent actual patients. Physicians provide clinical services as members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Scott & White Health’s subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and do not provide clinical services as employees or agents of those medical centers or Baylor Scott & White Health. ©2023 Baylor Scott & White Health. 99-EST-849158 L/GD