The meeting was called to order at 7:05 PM by Omar Nur. Board members in attendance: Jason Barth, Brian Branagan, Cynthia Esselman, Omar Nur, Sean Chittenden and Jennifer Mace
Not Present: Steve Johnston, Mary Ruhlman, Alecia Craft
PRESIDENT/Legal Affairs, Omar Nur –
Motion to Approve May 2023 minutes. Seconded and unanimous vote in favor.
HB 1110 and HB 1337 passed and were signed into law by Governor Inslee on May 8, 2023. They will become effective on July 23, 2023 (approx.). These bills will end Single Family Residence designation and allow Accessory Dwelling Units in the City of Shoreline, but not in our community. Both of these bills contained language excluding their requirements for coveted communities, such as ours, with governing documents in place before the effective date of the law.
This language was added to last year’s bills through the efforts and actions of our counsel. This language carried over into the bills put forward this year and was part of both bills passed and enacted into law. Several community members contacted me about these bills and expressed their desire that we take action to protect our covenants, which we did. And the results of those actions speak for themselves in language of the two bills.
Executive Session Update: On June 12, 2023, we met to discuss compliance matters received and pending with the Compliance Chair.
Motion to have executive session to discuss ongoing compliance matters was made and seconded and voted unanimously by the board.
VICE PRESIDENT, Cynthia Esselman –
The Joseph property remodel, 18008 13th Ave NW, was approved by the Board on November 10, 2020. Board approvals are only valid for one year. If construction has not begun in that time frame, the project needs to be resubmitted. The Board granted an extension until June 30, 2023. The Board will be sending a letter to the property owner at the end of the month, informing them that the approval is now invalid and that they will have to resubmit if they are planning on continuing with the project.
COMPLIANCE, Sean Chittenden –
- 18029 13th Ave NW: Continued back and forth with opposing’s counsel regarding the arborvitae; however, we are making progress on settling this issue. We will add an agenda item to our July meeting to set a compliance hearing in late August to review this property’s current status. There are no current updates regarding the maple trees on the site at this time. Purported fun fact: a total of five different compliance chairs have been involved in this particular compliance dispute since it was first opened.
- 1086 Innis Arden Dr. NW: In 2019, B&R approved a greenhouse:
The greenhouse was approved by the Board with the condition that Board approved western screening of the greenhouse be installed within 30 days.
The motion passed: 7 approve / 1 disapprove
The meeting notes indicated a fence would be used until the vegetation grew. Since then, the vegetation has grown in, but the fence has been taken down and satisfied the B&R approval for the “western screening” provision. In discussing this with other board members, B&R shouldn’t have added the stipulation requiring “western screening” because this shed doesn’t block a sound or mountain view and isn’t a spite fence or other form of a “noxious use of property.” As a board, we don’t get involved in building or shed aesthetics, nor should we have in this case. We’re reaching out to work with the neighbors out of town until August but do not feel this is an official compliance or B&R matter. Between now and July, we will figure out a plan to amend the B&R approval for this greenhouse because it is out of our purview.
- 915 NW Richmond Beach Rd: New owner is responsive to neighbors and the HOA. The city won’t let her cut down the trees. Per city: “Because they don’t live in an undeveloped plot, there is no benefit to the owner; therefore, they can’t cut the tree for just the benefit of the neighbors.” The owner has brought out arborists to trim the trees and is making progress on both their new construction plan and is attempting to make good-faith efforts to remediate view blockages from the prior owner. According to the city, the view obstructing trees may be cut down as a part of her new construction plan, which she hopes to get before B&R this summer.
- Working to obtain a relationship or point of contact within the city’s Public Works department for Right of Way trees.
- 6x new compliance requests have come in during the last month, bringing the total caseload to over 30 open compliance requests. Reducing the cost of compliance enforcement and management is a top concern besides the compliance requests themselves.
Website:
- Met with a web designer and HOA software expert to discuss several HOA software options.
- Assembled budget estimates for Finance to determine what funds we have for IT projects related to our website and HOA software management. We’re looking for a cost-neutral solution that modernizes our website and reduces the overall soft costs associated with managing our HOA.
BUILDING AND REMODEL, Jason Barth –
June Meeting
Knutson
17239 14th Ave NW
Shoreline, WA 98177
Deck Remodel – Approved
July Meeting
Puetz/Heng
18309 17th PL NW
Shoreline, WA 98177
Roof Approval
Hagemeier
17777 14th Ave NW
Shoreline, WA 98177
Remodel
Nur
18424 16th Ave NW
Shoreline, WA 98177
Deck Remodel
Sams
17726 15th Ave NW,
Shoreline, WA 98177 Remodel
TREASURER, Jennifer Mace –
At the close of June 2023, our Operating Checking was $365,262, Collections Savings was $2,224, and the Asset Reserves Savings was $396,497.
CLUBHOUSE/GROUNDS, Mary Ruhlman –
Clubhouse rentals for May: Four
Clubhouse rentals for June: Six
If you have questions about renting the clubhouse, please contact Joy Griffith at communications@innisarden.org.
NATURAL RESERVES, Steve Johnston –
Trail Maintenance
Regular trail maintenance occurred as needed in all the Reserves. We will be rebuilding the top few steps entering Running Water to make them easier to use in the next couple weeks. Adrian’s crew lopped and scattered a pile of very dry branches at the top of Grouse Reserve near the teen “party” location.
Boeing Creek Gate
We will hold off changing out the lock until after the annual meeting. New keys will be available before then, and also on the evening of the meeting. In the meantime, our locksmith will shortly replace the existing lock cylinder which is now hard to turn after repeated heavy use.
Native Plant and Invasive Plant Control
Sound Ecology, formerly Garden Cycles, our contractor for the past several years, back at it, doing seasonal invasive control.
IA ACTIVITIES, Brian Branagan-
Save these dates for upcoming events
Salmon BBQ: Wednesday, July 19th
Family Night Out: August (Date to be determined)
Wine Tasting: Friday, September 15th
Oktoberfest: Saturday, September 23nd
Halloween Parade: October 28th or 29th
Holiday Party: Sunday, December 3rd
Innis Arden Garden Club
Diane and Michael O’Neill hosted the May Garden Club meeting along with neighbors Elizabeth and Rick Leary. Diane gave a tour of the O’Neill’s outdoor garden with 12 raised beds as well as their indoor grow room. Across the street, Rick Leary gave a presentation on irrigation systems including apps and equipment suppliers, and Elizabeth presented on “Gardening for Privacy”. The Plant Exchange was a great success, and the 12 attendees enjoyed the conversation and community building.
Tennis Program
Shelly Brodersen, who has chaired the Innis Arden Tennis Program since 2009, attended the May Activities Committee meeting to let the new members know the history and current status of the program. Here are the highlights of her report:
- Shelly mentioned recently meeting Dick Knight (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Knight_(tennis)), who played at Wimbledon against Arthur Ashe, and learning that he began playing tennis at Innis Arden.
- Originally, the Tennis Program served only IA residents, but the neighborhood’s demographics in the 2000’s with fewer kids led to opening up membership to Innis Arden Swim Club members as well as families outside the neighborhood. This, along with a resurgence of youth inside the neighborhood, has helped grow the program. Currently, enrollment consists of about ⅓ each of Residents, Pool families, and non-residents, with non-residents paying moderately higher fees.
- The Tennis program is sensitive to the impact of the Tennis Program on residents’ use of the tennis courts outside of lessons. To prioritize residents’ access to the courts:
- Tennis registration is open to residents 2 weeks before opening to non-residents
- The popular newly added Pickleball classes are offered only to residents
- No lessons are scheduled for later afternoons/evenings
- Some days are left clear of lessons
- Sayuri is working to publish schedules for easy access by everyone.
- The Tennis Program considers itself just about at the maximum size to keep availability for adhoc resident use of the tennis facilities.
- Serious maintenance of the tennis courts is needed soon. They were sealed and resurfaced in 2015 for a cost of about $18k (plus about $10k for the basketball court). The pad underlying the court surface needs replacement as cracks are likely to occur soon which will become a safety issue. A $50k quote for replacement was given in 2015.
Next Activities Meeting
Our next meeting is on Monday, July 10th, 2023, 7pm, at the O’Neill residence.
The next HOA Board Meeting will be June 13th, 7PM via zoom. Meeting was adjourned at 7:55pm.
If you are new or have changed your phone number and/or email address, please email updates to communications@innisarden.org and be sure to include your address!